VOICES Veterans Socials: Where the Veteran community meets

Life is busy, and discovering the people in your community who you may enjoy spending time with can be challenging. You may ask: Where can I find people I have things in common with? Will others understand my perspective? How do I build a social group where I feel comfortable?

VOICES Veterans Socials are weekly 90-minute community gatherings that bring Veterans, their families, caregivers, survivors, or other supporters together in public spaces. Often, Veterans come together to enjoy, support and connect with one another.

Whether meeting at restaurants, bowling alleys or Veteran-serving organizations, informal gatherings build Veteran community support and can become larger social events or recreational activities.

Veterans Socials began in Massachusetts with weekly community gatherings hosted by peer specialists at Bedford VA; they are now operating in 84 locations across 15 states. Success is driven by local Veterans who take ownership of each Social, then adapt them to fit their community.

Retired Army Veteran started seven socials

Melvin Gatewood, peer specialist, retired Army Veteran and advocate, began hosting Veterans Socials in 2017 around the Tennessee Valley VA. He has helped to start six more in the area, including in Mississippi. “Veterans have a sense of patriotism and want to give back. They know there are people like them in their community and they like talking to fellow Veterans. It’s powerful. They are part of something larger than themselves,” he said.

Gatewood also discussed collaborating with local nonprofits and Veteran-serving organizations on a shared mission, which can act as a force multiplier for their community, adding, “Communities working together are stronger.”

Michael Moore, peer specialist and Air Force Veteran, began hosting Veterans Socials in 2021 and has been instrumental in starting three VOICES Veterans Socials at the Cheyenne VA in Wyoming and Colorado.

“A place where Veterans find each other.”

“People are reconnecting with the military,” Moore said. “They feel better and less isolated. This a place where Veterans find each other. Sometimes people live right down the road from each other and find out one another are Veterans at the social.”

Where are the Veterans Socials?

“They are outside VA. Sometimes, they are a local business where the owner wants to open their space to Veterans in their community. They really welcome us in,” Moore added.

How to get involved

Any Veteran or Veteran-serving organization can start a Veterans Social in their community and develop an inclusive space to enable Veterans to connect.

The Quick Start Guide and accompanying tools describes how to develop a Veterans Social near you in a few easy steps through, 1) Designing, 2) Organizing and 3) Implementing.

Building a Veterans Social can be even easier when you engage your local Veteran Service Officer, VA, or Veteran-serving organization.

VOICES Veterans Socials continues to grow, now as a community enabler in the VetResources Community Network, a community of practice that serves to promote dialogue and share lessons learned about Veteran engagement, making it easier to learn and spread ideas across the nation.

Those starting or joining a Veterans Social become part of a local, statewide, and national effort to create, support and engage Veteran communities.

More information

• VOICES Explainer video.
• If you or a Veteran you know is in crisis, contact the Veterans Crisis Line, available 24/7. Call 988 then press 1, text to 838255 or chat online at https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/get-help-now/chat.
• To find resources for service members, Veterans and their family members and caregivers, explore the National Resource Directory.