A National Veterans Covenant: Community as the Catalyst and Resource

Abstract: A national veterans covenant would serve as the touchstone for creating a more effective and coordinated community system for delivering services to veterans and their families. A community refers to all civilian institutions such as schools, nonprofit organizations, businesses and corporations, religious organizations, neighborhoods, and municipal, state, and federal entities within a given locale. The themes laid out in this covenant should include:
- the sacred duty that the nation has to those who serve in its military and their families,
- the need to ensure that those who are injured or disabled while serving their nation receive the best care when and for as long as needed, and
- the assurance that veterans and their families have convenient access to all the necessary services to help them transition successfully between military and civilian communities