Their Responsibility Continues

December 29, 2014

Military recruits earn it on their first day of boot camp: responsibility. In the military, every man and woman understands their contribution to the security and success of their unit and of their country. The responsibility for serving others is an expectation from day one.

However, this responsibility is not woven into the threads of their military-issued camouflage uniforms. Instead, it is born and nurtured in their hearts, and it is tested on training grounds and battlefields across the world.

When they come home, they don’t shed responsibility as they take off their uniforms. They don’t hang it on a wall next to their medals and ribbons. Rather, they carry their responsibility home in their hearts—and they want to be tested and strengthened again.

At The Mission Continues, we believe that our communities can provide their new training grounds. The issues our neighborhoods face—educational inequity, hunger, environmental sustainability, homelessness—represent their new challenges to tackle. And we believe that today’s veterans not only have the desire—but also the responsibility—to bring home the tremendous skills and experience they gained in the military.

In 2014, The Mission Continues empowered thousands of veterans to continue serving our country here at home.

Today, nearly 3,000 veterans have signed up to serve in local Service Platoons to address tough issues in 25 cities across the country. In November, leaders from our first 30 platoons convened at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government for our inaugural Service Platoon Summit—where our veteran leaders shared in the collective responsibility to transform their communities for the better.

Also in 2014, hundreds of veterans reenlisted to serve their communities as Mission Continues Fellows. More than 260 Fellows reported for duty at over 200 organizations in 2014 and took on pressing challenges. Our Fellows served 100,317 volunteer hours—the equivalent of 11 ½ years.

Fortunately, a brigade of partners and supporters enable our veterans to succeed. This year, we partnered with Wounded Warrior Project give wounded veterans more opportunities to continue serving as part of strong transitions home. Our partners at Disney, Lockheed Martin, SAIC, and Target sponsored—and served alongside—platoons in their communities. Boeing invested in 30 fellowships nationally. Our friends at Southwest Airlines provided air support for all of our program events. Countless other businesses and donors helped give them the tools needed to meet their local objectives.

Finally, in November we unveiled a study with our partners at Washington University-St. Louis and the Center for a New American Security that shows continued service was vital to veteran wellness.

We’re not close to being done. In 2015, hundreds more veterans will sign on as Fellows, and thousands more will reenlist in new service platoons across the country. We’ll be asking them to meet new obstacles and accept tough new missions. In doing so, we’re also asking them to pursue that same sense of responsibility that was forged in them during their military careers.

A popular saying in the military is “move out with a sense of purpose.” Join our veterans as they move out with a sense of purpose – and a sense of responsibility – in our communities.

 P.S. We cannot achieve our mission without your help. Please consider a financial contribution to help empower veterans to serve here at home.