Global Veterans & Military Families Caucus



  • The Veterans and Military Families Caucus is made up of DA members from around the world who are willing and able to advocate on issues important to the veterans and their families within the United States of America and those living abroad. The Caucus welcomes any DA member. 

    VMF2021-1.jpgDemocrats Abroad (DA) honors the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces; their service deserves our deepest gratitude and respect. Government policies must reflect the interests of those who are serving and those who have served, including their families. This caucus will work within DA to achieve this.

    We share and adhere to the principles and demands expressed in the platforms of both the Democratic Party and DA regarding veterans, active military and their families abroad.

    We recognize and appreciate that all of the various groups, ethnicities, persuasions, identities, and beliefs that make up American society are present in our military; we share issues and concerns in common with the other DA caucuses. Discrimination has no place in the military and its ancillary organizations, nor the Veterans and Military Families Caucus.

    The members of our armed forces, their families, and our caucus reflect the diversity of race, gender, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, color, ethnicity, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, and ability that make up American society. Discrimination, intolerance, hate speech, and bigotry have no place in the United States Armed Forces, Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, or our caucus.

    GOALS

    Reach out to veterans, active duty and reserve military members as well as their dependents living abroad to encourage them to register to vote and to engage them in advocacy for our policy positions;

    Provide a forum for DA members to understand better the issues and concerns affecting our military forces, veterans, and their families outside of the United States;

    ACTIONS

    VMF2021-2.jpg Provide support for visits to wounded/recovering warriors and caregivers at overseas U.S. military hospitals in conjunction with like-minded external organizations;

    Exchange information and concerns with other DA caucuses and interest groups regarding relevant issues and shared concerns to ensure that as they impact veterans and military families, they are communicated among the broader DA community for a successful joint response;

    Organize participation in Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies at U.S. landmarks abroad such as military cemeteries, battle sites, and places of historical U.S. military significance;

    Facilitate get-out-the-vote (GOTV) efforts for veterans and military families; also develop sensible and sensitive strategies for encouraging active service members at U.S. overseas military bases to vote;

    Establish and maintain contact with other American political organizations to find areas of joint concern regarding U.S. veterans and military dependents;

    Always strive to improve the DA Platform and organize advocacy efforts towards U.S. law and policymakers for issues pertinent to veterans, active military, and their families living abroad;

    RESPONSIBILITIES

    ORGANIZATION

    Please feel free to contact the Veterans and Military Families Caucus: [email protected] 

     

    DA Global Veterans & Military Families Caucus Leadership:

    Kee Adams Evans
    | DAGT Voting Representative
    Michael Ramos
    | DA Veterans and Military Families Caucus; DA Hispanic Caucus; DA Australia (Victoria); DNC Labor Council
    Robert Scott
    | DPCA Representative, Germany; DA Global Veterans and Military Families Caucus Steering Committee; Team Leader, DA Germany Veterans and Military Families Caucus; GSC Liaison to VMF
    Andrew Anderson
    | DA Global Veterans and Military Families Caucus Secretary
    See all Leaders

    News

    VMF April 2023 Newsletter


    Masthead

    April 2023

    Newsletter

    VOL. 3, NO. 4

    To view in PDF, click here

    Social Security and Medicare are a lifeline for millions of seniors. Americans have been paying into them with every single paycheck since they started working. So tonight, let's all agree to stand up for seniors. Stand up and show them we will not cut Social Security. We will not cut Medicare.

                                               -President Joe Biden


    Editor’s Message —

    Greetings! We are facing an aging crisis and what is being done? The retirement age continues to increase as does the age for Social Security eligibility. In the U.S. military, after 20 years of service, with no specific age, members can retire with a full pension. This could be something to consider for the rest of the U.S. population. France increased the retirement age from 62 to 64 (by 2030). This was passed March 17th. Massive strikes across the country continue. In France, there is a 35 hour work week and very generous vacations with a minimum annual leave of 5 weeks although many get 6 to 10 weeks, besides paid public holidays and an end of year bonus equal to a 13th month of pay! (Similar benefits exist in many European countries.)  The average U.S. vacation time is two weeks! N.B. Congressman Takano has reintroduced the 32 Hour Workweek Act. Time to contact your U.S. Representatives to support this bill.

    Life expectancy in France is currently 82 while in the U.S., it has decreased to 77.  Why? The Social Security Fact Sheet lists outdated information on U.S. life expectancy: It  has 81 for men and 84 for women. Life expectancy is a huge concern in the U.S. Working conditions and health care need to improve to benefit American quality of life.

    Terese Sarno
    Editor

    Please join our caucus to show your support for the U.S. military!

    read more

    VMF March 2023 Newsletter


    Masthead

    March 2023

    Newsletter

    VOL. 3, NO. 3

    To view in PDF, click here

    Lowering Costs of Families' Everyday Expenses

    The Inflation Reduction Act is a historic legislative achievement that lowers costs for families, combats the climate crisis, reduces the deficit, and finally makes the largest corporations pay their fair share. For the first time, Medicare is able to negotiate the price of certain high-cost drugs, a month’s supply of insulin for seniors is capped at $35, Medicare beneficiaries pay $0 out of pocket for recommended adult vaccines, and seniors’ out of pocket expenses at the pharmacy will be capped at $2,000 a year. And thanks to the President’s actions, including a historic release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, gas prices are down more than $1.60 from their summer 2022 peak.

    “We are the only country that has emerged from every crisis stronger than when we entered it…That is what we are doing again.”

                                               -President Joe Biden

     

    President Biden's State of the Union Address

     


    Editor’s Message —

    Greetings! President Biden’s State of the Union message highlighted the incredible advances that our country has made even under adverse conditions. We are however still battling pressure on curriculum choices including library books. The First Amendment guarantees access to information and ideas in schools. The bans and  legislative action being taken in some states are infringing on those constitutional rights.

    NEA: DeSantis blocking AP African American Studies hurts all students

    DeSantis pushes ban on diversity programs in state colleges

    “Preparing students with more knowledge, not less, is essential for an America that prides itself in having a free marketplace of ideas. This is why it is outrageous to see DeSantis and some other elected officials working to substitute their personal political ideology for well-developed, educator-led curricula. Gov. DeSantis is neither an educator nor a historian…A full and honest curriculum facilitates the core goals of public education: promoting democracy by preparing children for citizenship and cultivating a workforce that can compete in the global marketplace.”

    –Becky Pringle, National Education Association President 

     

    Roberto Clemente book removed from Florida public schools pending review over discrimination references

    “Of the books removed from Duval County, Florida, more than 30 were by Latino authors and illustrators or centered Latino characters and narratives. Among these were ‘Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa’ by Veronica Chambers and Julie Maren, ‘Sonia Sotomayor (Women Who Broke the Rules Series)’ by Kathleen Krull and Angela Dominguez, and Winter's Clemente book.”

    What can we do? Contact our legislators. Protect our First Amendment rights guaranteed by the Constitution. 

    Charter schools have long been a problem in our country and they drain the funds that should be used for public schools. Taxpayer money should not fund what are essentially private schools nor should they be used to fund religious schools.

    Urgent: Tell Your Legislators to Stop Funding the Charter School Programs (CSP). Charter school enrollment during 2021-2022 decreased by over 5,000 students yet the charter lobby is requesting up to a half billion dollars yearly. 

    What can we do? Contact our representatives today. It is time to defund the federal Charter School Programs and to support increased funding for our true public schools.

    Let’s “finish the job”!

    Terese Sarno
    Editor

    Please join our caucus to show your support for the U.S. military!

    read more
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