EXECUTIVE LETTER
Common Defense was founded in 2016 as a response to the rise of hatred, violence and authoritarianism unleashed by far right extremists. While we hoped that sanity and compassion would prevail against these threats, we knew that no matter what was to come, the country needed a well organized movement of veterans standing against the bigotry and divisiveness being so recklessly enabled. We set out to build that movement — one conversation, one veteran, one community at a time - where one had never existed before, inspiring thousands of veterans to keep fighting for the country they swore to defend. And now, nine years later, as America comes to reap what those extremists have sown, the need for our members’ voices and the power they carry has never been more urgent or more necessary.
Whether advocating for local ordinances that would bring solar projects and clean jobs to the residents of Pinal County, to delivering five thousand petitions to Senators demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, to canvassing throughout Houston to ensure voters know their rights — our members navigated the tumult of 2024 by using their hard earned moral authority to build a healthier, safer and more just country. Drawing from the spirit and wisdom of veterans like Harriet Tubman, Cesar Chavez, Medgar Evers and Harry Belafonte, we march ahead, reclaiming the stolen history of radical organizing among former service members. Their courage in the face of violence and oppression continues to guide us towards wise action in this dark and uncertain time.
We create this annual report as a snapshot in time, to commemorate our work — both the magic moments and victorious wins, and the heartbreaking losses as well. We learn as much from our failures as we do our successes, and despite the daunting challenges ahead of us we remain as committed as we ever have been to that essential oath — to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
In solidarity,
Jose Vasquez
Executive Director
A COMMUNITY OF VETERANS ORGANIZING FOR ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
Common Defense Education Fund is the largest grassroots organization of US military veterans and the only one that invests in the leadership of its members through organizer and advocacy training and deployment in strategic campaigns that leverage the credibility of their service, including equitable democracy, voting rights, peaceful foreign policy and climate justice. Historically, veterans have been exploited as props to gain public support by politicians who uphold systems of colonialism and white supremacy. As a BIPOC-led organization, we disrupt these trends and reclaim a stolen history of patriotic organizing among former service members — leaders like Harriet Tubman, Cesar Chavez, Medgar Evers, Harry Belafonte, Howard Zinn and many others — who served their country both in and out of uniform. We conduct our multi-racial, intergenerational, gender-inclusive organizing of veterans nationally and through State Organizing Committees composed of veteran members in North Carolina, Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Texas.
GOING ON OFFENSE FOR DEMOCRACY
On Veterans Day, Common Defense launched a strategic partnership with the organizations Task Force Butler Institute (TFB) and Veterans Fighting Fascism - nonprofits founded by Kris Goldsmith that train veteran volunteers in open-source research, monitoring, and strategic interventions on activities that could impact and disrupt civic participation in our democracy. With a commitment to public service at its core, this initiative will partner with leading experts in the field and civil society organizations that support democratic values to help protect vulnerable and frequently targeted communities, including veterans, women, and minorities, from intimidation and harassment. Through careful analysis and engagement, this partnership will provide veterans with the support, training, resources and community necessary to identify and deter harmful activities both online and in person.
PROMOTING PEACE:
#VETERANSFORCEASEFIRE + AID TO UKRAINE
For years, Common Defense has advocated for the Afghan Adjustment Act, which would expand the scope and resources available to help resettle an estimated 80,000 Afghan refugees, those who helped us as interpreters and contractors, and their families. We continue to push for similar regulations to be included in the FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Common Defense has continued to provide a veteran voice in our advocacy for responsible engagement with Ukraine. In May 2024, we sent a delegation to join our coalition partners at the Capitol to lobby Reps. Gerry Connolly (DVA) and Tom Cole (R-OK) to ask that Ukraine aid be added to the NDAA.
Common Defense continues to advance peace and anti-militarism, building upon the success of our flagship campaign - End the Forever War - by advocating for foreign policy issues related to Palestine, Afghanistan, and Ukraine. We have strengthened our longstanding partnership with Breaking the Silence throughout 2024, co-leading a series of panels and events for members, mobilizing to DC during Netanyahu’s visit, and speaking on a panel featuring Breaking the Silence Executive Director, Nadav Weiman, Center for American Progress President Patrick Gaspard, and Rep. Pramila Jayapal. Five thousand Common Defense members signed a ceasefire petition which was delivered during in person meetings with Reps. Adam Smith (D-WA), Young Kim (R-CA), Jason Crow (D-CO), and Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Sens. Sherrod Brown (DOH), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Amy Klobuchar (DMN), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).
In 2024, Common Defense continued to use the power of the Veteran Voice to advocate for climate solutions in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Texas. We brought our organizing model to these three states to support efforts to influence approvals for siting clean energy projects, opposed the expansion of liquified natural gas (LNG) export terminals, and developed a targeted advertising campaign to test pro-renewable energy messaging.
One of our major accomplishments was launching and completing a successful six-month pilot in Arizona and Pennsylvania to build a grassroots organizing effort to mobilize veterans within communities considering renewable energy projects and ordinances to speak out in support of those projects. This incubator validated the idea that veterans are uniquely trusted messengers by finding that veterans are less likely to experience hostility from opponents of renewable energy, which also emboldened non-veteran supporters to voice their support renewables in previously hostile forums. Throughout the pilot, there were six proposed solar and/or battery storage projects in Pinal County, AZ that passed, all of which were supported by Common Defense members. Across both states, over 50% of the renewable energy supporters that we identified were moved to take a public stance on a project, such as speaking at a public meeting or writing a letter-to-the-editor.
Our Climate Committee, composed of members from around the country, continues to grow, elevating the veteran voice in the fight for a safe and liveable planet.
GROWING OUR BASE
In 2024, Common Defense Education Fund prioritized base-building activities to reengage existing members and attract new ones across the country to partake in our ongoing work. By fostering and cultivating relationships with veterans, military members, and communities at large, we achieved unprecedented growth, with our overall membership network growing to over 380,000 across the United States. Our highly engaged corps membership grew to 3,849, representing a 234% increase from 2023 in our key priority states of Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas, and Pennsylvania. We also expanded our prospects and associate members portfolio to 5,182 members, with 543% growth in the aforementioned five key states. This was achieved through the prioritization of building deep personal relationships with members and the utilization of both in-person and virtual events and trainings.
BUILDING OUR POWER
We continued holding foundational cohorts of our Veterans Organizing Institute but were also able to supplement them with more frequent training programs for our State Organizing Committees (SOC). We established SOCs in each of our key states, which provide a ladder of engagement by coordinating member communication, recruiting, and events and providing opportunities for member leadership at the state level. This approach allowed us to build local power, enhancing our impact within each state. In July 2024, we held a SOC training in Arizona that drew on the VOI foundational cohort curriculum. We also held in-person training cohorts in Houston, TX in February, in San Antonio, TX in September, and in Augusta, GA for both Georgia and North Carolina SOCs in September. These events represented a shift in strategy from our former national retreat model to a more localized, targeted approach, allowing us to honor our organizational commitment to equitable organizing and building state and local power.
REPRESENTING ALL WHO SERVE
Throughout Common Defense’s history, we have prioritized building a truly inclusive veteran movement, and in 2024, we made significant efforts to further advance diversity, equity, and inclusion both within our organization and externally. A key component of these efforts has been the ongoing development of our member-led affinity caucuses, which include the Black Veterans Caucus (BVC), Latinx Veterans Caucus (LVC), and Women Veterans Caucus (WVC). These caucuses serve as vital platforms for addressing the unique challenges faced by their constituencies, ensuring that diverse voices are represented and heard within our broader movement. The caucuses not only spearheaded initiatives that elevated the issues affecting them — including a campaign for deported veterans with partner organization Repatriate Our Patriots — but also informed all of our campaigns at large to ensure that the experiences and needs of our diverse membership base were represented.
2025 Strategy and Objectives
Leadership from Common Defense participated in an intensive and sophisticated scenario and strategic planning process throughout the summer and fall of 2024 that guided our organization in setting the course for the next year of our work, balancing new programmatic priorities with the momentum built from the previous year. This process encompassed ongoing work, new campaigns, and key structural questions like staff alignment, resource needs and state prioritization. With input from a wide range of stakeholders, we established objectives and key results that would remain our guiding stars regardless of the outcomes of the 2024 elections. While challenging to execute during an election season, prioritizing time then allowed us to lay the groundwork for an ironclad battle plan that began immediately following the election, which capitalizes on our strength as the nation’s largest grassroots movement of veterans, and promises to deliver ambitious, bold, transformational results in the urgent work all Americans of conscience are currently faced with.
BUILDING POWER
Grow our grassroots community and empower veterans to promote democracy, climate solutions, and a just foreign policy.
ORGANIZING FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE
Unite veterans to lead the clean energy transition through workforce development, public education, and community partnerships.
FIGHTING FOR DEMOCRACY
Expand democratic participation through research, education, and leadership development within the military and veteran communities.
CREATING A RESILIENT ORG
Build the capacity, resources, and operational resilience needed to sustain Common Defense as a high-performing organization prepared to meet the complex challenges ahead.