National Invest In Veterans Week® Responds to Congressman Bilirakis’ Call to Invest in Military and Veterans
National Invest In Veterans Week® welcomed renewed calls from Congress to invest in military families and veterans, highlighting housing, economic stability, and entrepreneurship as inseparable priorities. As policymakers push for safer living conditions and stronger support systems, NIVW President Angel Shuford emphasized that sustainable veteran success begins with foundational investments that allow veterans and military families to thrive, lead, and build long-term economic impact nationwide.
As national attention intensifies around the conditions facing America’s servicemembers and veterans, remarks from Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) are adding urgency to a conversation long championed by veteran-led civic initiatives.
In a recent interview with The Floridian, Rep. Bilirakis underscored the need for significant federal investment in military and veteran housing, citing decades-old infrastructure, environmental hazards such as mold, and the real health consequences facing military families—particularly at installations like MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. He also highlighted recent federal investments supporting low-income veteran housing projects in Florida and Oregon, pointing to scalable models for national action.
For National Invest In Veterans Week® (NIVW)—the congressionally recognized observance held annually March 1–7—Bilirakis’ remarks reflect a broader policy moment where veteran quality-of-life issues are intersecting with economic development, housing, and workforce stability.
Angel Shuford, President of National Invest In Veterans Week®, emphasized that housing security is inseparable from veteran entrepreneurship and long-term economic readiness.
“When we talk about investing in veterans, housing is foundational,” said Shuford. “A veteran cannot build a business, transition into leadership, or sustain a family when basic living conditions are unsafe. Congressman Bilirakis’ remarks reinforce what veterans have been saying for years—this is not a partisan issue, it’s a national responsibility.”
Shuford added that the growing alignment between lawmakers, veteran advocates, and economic stakeholders creates an opportunity for broader federal recognition.
“We are hopeful that the momentum we’re seeing—across housing, workforce development, and veteran-owned business policy—continues to rise to the level of a formal presidential proclamation or an expanded congressional statement recognizing the economic and civic role veterans play nationwide,” she said. “National Invest In Veterans Week® exists to make that impact visible, measurable, and impossible to ignore.”
Since its founding, National Invest In Veterans Week® has been recognized through congressional entries, state legislative resolutions, and county-level proclamations, spotlighting veteran-owned businesses while advancing policy conversations around capital access, employment, and community reintegration.
As lawmakers like Rep. Bilirakis push for tangible investment in veteran well-being, veteran-led platforms such as NIVW continue to serve as connective infrastructure—linking policy intent with real-world outcomes for military families and veteran entrepreneurs across the country.
Learn more: https://www.investinveteransweek.com
Source article: The Floridian – “Gus Bilirakis Calls for Investing in Military and Veterans” (Dec. 19, 2025)
Read the full article here: https://floridianpress.com/2025/12/gus-bilirakis-calls-for-investing-in-military-and-veterans/
National Invest In Veterans Week® Reflects on Canadian Parliamentary Call: “Invest in Veterans, Not Loblaws”
A 2022 exchange in Canada’s House of Commons—captured in the debate titled “Invest in Veterans, Not Loblaws”—offers a timely international lens on the principles that define National Invest In Veterans Week®. As Canadian lawmakers warned against outsourcing veteran services to profit-driven conglomerates, the moment underscored a shared global truth: veteran care and economic empowerment must be rooted in accountability, reinvestment, and veteran-centered leadership. Preserved on record, the debate reinforces why National Invest In Veterans Week® continues to advance a cross-border mission focused on investing in veterans—not around them.
Watch the original House of Commons exchange here
As National Invest In Veterans Week® continues its multiyear mission to strengthen the global veteran economy, a flashback to November 18, 2022, in the Canadian Parliament offers a sobering reminder of why this mission remains urgent and international in scope.
In a video titled “Invest in Veterans, Not Loblaws”, NDP MP Rachel Blaney and fellow parliamentarians—particularly MP Peter Julian (New Westminster—Burnaby)—challenged the Canadian federal government’s decision to outsource critical veterans' services to a private contractor with ties to Loblaws. The proposed contract, worth hundreds of millions of dollars, aimed to consolidate two service contracts into one—but critics warned it would lead to higher costs and reduced quality of care, particularly in underserved and French-speaking communities.
The exchange highlighted several concerns:
The outsourcing decision would cost 25% more than simply increasing departmental capacity.
There was no credible transition plan, placing ongoing care for veterans in jeopardy.
The service provider had corporate profit motives, not service-first accountability to veterans.
The plan risked eroding public trust in national veterans care infrastructure.
A Cross-Border Echo of National Invest In Veterans Week® Principles
Though rooted in Canadian policy, this parliamentary flashpoint deeply aligns with the foundational values of National Invest In Veterans Week®—a U.S.-based, congressionally recognized and federally trademarked initiative founded in 2019 by Jeff Shuford, Drayton Florence, and LTC Rickey L. Pope (Ret.).
National Invest In Veterans Week® has consistently advocated that veteran services should be rooted in accountability, transparency, and reinvestment into the veteran community—not farmed out to conglomerates seeking to profit off those who’ve already paid their price in service.
The movement’s 2025 observance reinforced this ethos through landmark moments:
Gov. Tony Evers’ March 20 budget announcement, allocating more than $137 million toward veteran housing, mental health, and museum expansion in Wisconsin.
Prospect Capital & Refuel Agency’s March 10 partnership, funding trauma care and workforce support through Team RWB and Avalon Action Alliance.
ePackageSupply.com’s strategic investment, reinforcing the strength of veteran-owned supply chain leadership.
Hivers & Strivers, a venture capital firm that has invested $80M+ in veteran-founded companies.
CCS Global Tech’s March 3rd whitepaper on the measurable ROI of hiring veterans, not outsourcing their potential.
The Global Imperative: Investing In Veterans, Not Around Them
The 2022 Canadian parliamentary debate captured the consequences of misaligned veteran policy—privatization without oversight, inefficiency cloaked as innovation, and profit displacing public service. This debate, preserved on record, serves as a critical cross-border lesson: veteran care must be veteran-centered.
As National Invest In Veterans Week® expands its global dialogue, it calls on governments and private stakeholders alike to embed veteran leadership, ownership, and integrity into their decision-making frameworks. Whether through franchise ownership discounts (as Assisted Living Locators did in 2020) or venture-scale funding for post-service startups, the future of veteran advocacy must reject transactional models in favor of long-term ecosystem building.
Furthermore, in 2025, National Invest In Veterans Week® achieved a milestone of international significance, becoming the first U.S.-originated veteran business observance to receive formal thematic and media recognition across sovereign borders. This transnational breakthrough was not merely symbolic—it marked the institutional export of a protected civic model rooted in economic empowerment for those who served. The observance’s doctrinal language—centered on the principle that military service is a national investment demanding structured economic return—was echoed verbatim in Canadian discourse following its March 4, 2025 feature in Northern Ontario Business, which called on regional leaders to treat veteran hiring as a strategic imperative rather than a charitable gesture.
This growing North American footprint was further cemented in 2024 by Canadian media outlets such as Canadian Reporter and TopToronto, which profiled Jeff Shuford, the initiative’s visionary co-founder, as a historic American technologist and digital innovator. These features not only underscored Shuford’s role in architecting National Invest In Veterans Week® as a multi-platform, policy-relevant initiative, but also highlighted his cross-disciplinary achievements in artificial intelligence ethics, veteran entrepreneurship, and cultural diplomacy—including the unprecedented 2024 endorsement by Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren and subsequent Congressional Record recognition (Vol. 170, No. 42).
In its current form, National Invest In Veterans Week® is more than a commemorative observance—it is a legally protected civic export operating at the intersection of public policy, international media, and digital infrastructure. With its expansion into Canada and plans to scale across U.S. military installations abroad, the initiative now serves as a rare template for transnational veteran engagement, uniquely positioned to influence both legislative frameworks and cultural narratives on a global scale.
Learn More and Join the Movement:
National Invest In Veterans Week® is celebrated annually March 1–7 and remains the only observance of its kind federally trademarked and officially recognized by Congress.
National Invest In Veterans Week® Commends Wisconsin's Historic Budget Investment in Veterans Following 2025 Observance
In the days following National Invest In Veterans Week® 2025, Wisconsin delivered a decisive policy response. Governor Tony Evers’ 2025–2027 budget commits more than $250 million in combined tax relief, housing, mental health services, cultural preservation, and capital upgrades for veterans—demonstrating how states can translate recognition into real, structural investment. Wisconsin’s approach reinforces a central principle of National Invest In Veterans Week®: veteran empowerment is strongest when economic policy, healthcare, housing, and workforce development move together.
Original Source: Gov. Tony Evers Press Release via PublicNow – March 20, 2025
Just days after the close of National Invest In Veterans Week® 2025—a federally trademarked and congressionally recognized observance dedicated to empowering veteran entrepreneurs and strengthening the veteran economy—Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers issued a landmark address on March 20, 2025, outlining the state's sweeping budget initiatives to support its 300,000 veterans and their families.
The timing was not coincidental. As the nation’s leading veteran-focused observance concluded on March 7, Wisconsin stepped forward with a model of actionable investment, turning words into appropriations.
Governor Evers’ 2025–2027 Executive and Capital Budget includes:
$66 million in expanded property tax relief for veterans with disabilities
$23 million in renter-based tax credits for veterans
$21.9 million for operations at state-run veterans homes
$5 million for mental health and suicide prevention services
$2 million for veterans housing, job training, and rehabilitation programs
$1 million to expand outreach and recovery programs
A 5% increase for Tribal and county veteran service offices
$137 million in capital upgrades to Wisconsin’s veterans homes
$6.2 million to prepare for the expansion of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum
This comes amid Governor Evers' public opposition to federal job cuts at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs—cuts which reportedly affected nearly 6,000 veterans. Wisconsin’s assertive response stands in stark contrast, signaling a bold commitment to local veteran well-being amid national uncertainty.
A Policy Echo of National Invest In Veterans Week®
Founded in 2019 by Iraq War veteran Jeff Shuford, NFL veteran Drayton Florence, and LTC Rickey L. Pope (Ret.), National Invest In Veterans Week® has worked to institutionalize veteran empowerment across state and federal levels. The initiative’s mission has been clear: to reframe veterans as builders of the next economy, not simply recipients of support.
The week-long 2025 observance included:
CCS Global Tech’s March 3rd report emphasizing the financial ROI of hiring veterans
Refuel Agency and Prospect Capital’s March 10th partnership supporting Team RWB and Avalon Action Alliance
Assisted Living Locators’ historic franchise initiative recognizing National Invest In Veterans Week® as early as 2020
Hivers & Strivers’ $80M in startup capital for veteran-led businesses
ePackageSupply.com’s $1B-backed expansion reinforcing the economic power of veteran ownership
Wisconsin’s Budget: A Sophisticated Case Study in Post-Observance Activation
Governor Evers’ budget reinforces what National Invest In Veterans Week® has consistently advocated: veteran investment must be multi-dimensional—combining tax policy, housing, healthcare, mental wellness, education, and cultural preservation.
Where other states commemorate, Wisconsin capitalizes—not on sentiment, but on infrastructure. The integration of mental health initiatives, economic development, and museum-level cultural investment demonstrates a recognition of veterans not only as past heroes, but as present and future civic assets.
Governor Evers’ message—delivered in his own words over state radio—echoes National Invest In Veterans Week®’s own foundational call: “We must protect, defend, and support those who’ve protected, defended, and supported us.”
Learn More and Engage:
National Invest In Veterans Week® is celebrated annually March 1–7. It is a registered trademark and recognized in the Congressional Record for its transformative impact on the veteran community.
From Washington to Canberra to Ottawa—How 2025 Became the Year Veterans Took the Global Stage
In 2025, National Invest In Veterans Week® crossed a historic threshold, becoming more than a commemorative event—it became a global strategic framework. For the first time, the movement achieved a triangulated presence across the United States, Canada, and Australia, setting a new international standard for veteran investment and empowerment.
In the United States, the week was formally recognized in the Congressional Record, with lawmakers acknowledging the role of veterans in national economic development. In Australia, the Returned & Services League (RSL) incorporated NIVW-aligned reforms into its official 2025 Election Asks, calling for systemic changes in defense funding, veteran healthcare, and institutional oversight—marking the first appearance of NIVW principles in legislative policy demands abroad. In Canada, national media and regional business coalitions echoed the movement’s values, laying the groundwork for a North Atlantic Veteran Investment Framework.
Academia followed suit. In January 2025, Harvard Catalyst, the translational science hub at Harvard Medical School, endorsed National Invest In Veterans Week® as a model for integrated veteran transition policy, praising its synthesis of healthcare, entrepreneurship, and workforce development. This represented the first formal integration of the initiative into an academic institutional model.
Meanwhile, the private capital landscape evolved. In March, ITA Growth Partners was launched as the first institutional family office dedicated exclusively to investing in veteran-owned enterprises, formalizing the role of veterans not just as entrepreneurs but as durable economic contributors. It was a turning point—the first emergence of veteran-centered institutional capital.
At the core of these advancements lies a deeper shift. 2025 marked the first full-scale philosophical reframing of veterans as a systemic capital class—not as recipients of aid, but as originators of value. As policymakers, investors, and educators aligned behind this principle, the world began to see military service not just as honorable sacrifice, but as strategic national investment capable of generating long-term societal return.
In every sector and across three continents, 2025 was the year veterans stopped being celebrated only in ceremony—and started being positioned at the center of global systems.
In a world increasingly defined by geopolitical uncertainty and economic transition, a new class of leaders is quietly rewriting the rules of post-service life. Not in parades or memorials—but in legislation, venture portfolios, and academic models. These leaders are veterans, and the movement rallying around them—National Invest In Veterans Week® (NIVW)—has, in 2025, become something truly unprecedented: a global framework.
This March, something rare and strategically historic occurred: three nations—the United States, Canada, and Australia—converged on a shared thesis. That military service, far from being simply a sacrifice to be remembered, is a capital asset to be reinvested.
The Triangulation Heard Round the World
What began in Washington, D.C. as a U.S. initiative to reframe the conversation around veterans took a definitive turn outward this year.
On March 8, 2024, U.S. Representative Matt Rosendale (MT-02) formally entered National Invest In Veterans Week into the Congressional Record, affirming its policy relevance and economic promise. “Military service is an investment,” he quoted, “Let’s yield the return.”
Meanwhile, halfway across the world in Australia, the powerful Returned & Services League (RSL) included NIVW-aligned reforms in its 2025 Election Asks—a document submitted to all major political parties. Among the calls:
Full implementation of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide,
A nationwide Independent Defence and Veteran Services Commission,
And expanded defense funding to 3% of GDP.
Not as charity, the RSL stressed—but as structural investment in national resilience.
And in Canada, coverage by Northern Ontario Business urged companies to back the veteran-led economy. Civic leaders called for the creation of a North Atlantic Veteran Investment Framework modeled on the U.S. experience. The momentum wasn’t just symbolic. It was strategic.
From the Ivory Tower to the Investment Office
2025 was also the year academia and capital caught up with the movement.
In January, Harvard Catalyst, a division of Harvard Medical School, highlighted National Invest In Veterans Week as a model for civic and economic reintegration, noting its cross-sector logic. Where other programs isolate healthcare from employment or housing, NIVW proposed a cohesive veteran lifecycle model—workforce development, entrepreneurship, and wellness under a single philosophy.
That same week, Virginia-based defense firm ITA International launched ITA Growth Partners, a dedicated family office focused on investing in veteran-owned businesses. It was the first sign that capital institutions were moving beyond grants and small business loans—toward long-term asset management with veterans at the core.
“Veterans don’t just belong in the economy,” said Dr. Ernestine Fu, venture capitalist and founder of MilVet Angels. “They’re a class of catalytic capital. They built the economy.”
The Shift: From Beneficiaries to Originators
This was the philosophical breakthrough of 2025—the moment the veteran was reframed from beneficiary to economic originator.
The slogan of the movement—“Military service is an investment. Let’s yield the return.”—is no longer metaphor. It’s a capital thesis. Veterans are no longer framed as charity recipients, but as value generators, with networks, discipline, and leadership that rival any MBA program.
And unlike past iterations, this year’s observance wasn’t just a call to honor veterans. It was a blueprint for government, capital markets, and academia to work in synchrony.
What Comes Next
With three nations now engaged, and institutional capital entering the field, the 2025 iteration of National Invest In Veterans Week has reset the global standard for veteran integration.
It’s no longer just a week on the calendar.
It’s a system.
A philosophy.
A framework.
And for veterans in boardrooms, classrooms, and parliamentary chambers around the world, it is finally a seat at the center of the table—not as a favor, but as a fact.
Learn more at www.investinveteransweek.com
ITA Growth Partners Launches as National Invest In Veterans Week® Becomes First U.S. Veteran Business Observance Celebrated Internationally
In a landmark announcement timed with National Invest In Veterans Week® (March 1–7), ITA International unveiled the formation of ITA Growth Partners, a dedicated family office investing in veteran-owned businesses across all sectors. This move, led by the Melo family, signals a bold recognition of veterans as high-performance business leaders—and represents a strategic shift toward long-term, values-based capital deployment that aligns with the initiative’s founding philosophy: that military service is an investment in the nation, and one that demands an institutional response.
The launch of ITA Growth Partners adds substantial momentum to National Invest In Veterans Week® as it continues its expansion beyond U.S. borders. On March 4, 2025, Canada became the first international participant in the observance when Northern Ontario Business published “Investing in Veterans: A Call to Northern Ontario’s Business Community”. The article urged Canadian industries to embrace veteran entrepreneurs as a skilled labor solution, echoing the same economic logic advanced by the U.S. initiative.
This milestone affirms National Invest In Veterans Week® as the first U.S.-based veteran business observance to be celebrated internationally. Its transnational traction is built upon a foundation of legal, legislative, and rhetorical validation: a federally registered trademark, multiple gubernatorial proclamations, and two entries in the U.S. Congressional Record (May 24, 2023, and March 8, 2024) that embedded its core language—“Investing in Our Veterans”—into the official record of American civic discourse.
Timed with the nationally recognized National Invest In Veterans Week® (March 1–7), ITA International has formally launched ITA Growth Partners, a mission-driven family office focused on investing in veteran-owned businesses. This announcement, aligned with the week’s core message—that military service is an investment in the nation—marks a new chapter in veteran economic empowerment. Simultaneously, the initiative National Invest In Veterans Week® has made history by becoming the first U.S.-based veteran business observance to be celebrated internationally, with its principles formally echoed by business leaders and media outlets in Canada.
A Veteran-Centered Investment Model
Founded by Mike and Kathy Melo, along with their daughters Katelyn (Melo) Byrd and Meredith (Melo) Cline, ITA Growth Partners will operate as a family office—allowing for long-term, patient capital focused on strategic growth partnerships. The initiative reflects the Melo family’s belief in the leadership, discipline, and resilience of veteran entrepreneurs as catalysts for superior business performance.
“We see veteran entrepreneurs as the kind of high-performance leaders we want to invest in,” said Mike Melo, Executive Chairman of ITA Growth Partners. “Veterans are trained to solve complex problems, lead under pressure, and adapt to change—all qualities that drive successful businesses.”
Distinct from traditional venture capital or private equity models, ITA Growth Partners embraces a values-driven approach, backing businesses across sectors—including, but not limited to, the defense industrial base. The firm seeks to generate competitive returns while reinforcing the social and economic value of veteran-led innovation.
A Milestone in National Observance
The timing of this launch is both deliberate and symbolic. National Invest In Veterans Week® is the only federally trademarked civic observance (U.S. Reg. No. 6784776) focused on veteran entrepreneurship. Founded in 2019 by Lt. Col. Rickey L. Pope (Ret.), NFL veteran Drayton Florence, and Iraq War veteran Jeff Shuford, the initiative reframes military service as a national investment—one deserving of institutional and economic reciprocity.
It has received formal recognition at multiple levels of U.S. government:
May 24, 2023 – Rep. Don Davis (NC-01) delivered a floor speech titled “Investing in Our Veterans” (Congressional Record Vol. 169, No. 88, Page H2588), echoing the initiative’s founding language in support of veteran entrepreneurship legislation.
March 8, 2024 – Rep. Matt Rosendale (MT-02) officially recognized Invest in Veterans Week on the House floor (Vol. 170, No. 42, Page H1049), aligning his remarks with Montana’s statewide proclamation of the observance.
Additionally, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte has issued proclamations in 2023, 2024, and 2025 formally recognizing Invest in Veterans Week and reaffirming the state’s commitment to veteran-owned businesses.
Crossing Borders: International Recognition in Canada
On March 4, 2025, National Invest In Veterans Week® reached a new milestone when it was publicly acknowledged by Canadian business leaders. In a published editorial by Northern Ontario Business titled “Investing in Veterans: A Call to Northern Ontario’s Business Community”, the article urged Canadian employers to adopt the initiative’s philosophy by recognizing military experience as a high-value workforce asset.
The article featured Helmets to Hardhats Canada (H2H), a national nonprofit connecting veterans, reservists, and military families to careers in the skilled trades. With Northern Ontario’s growing labor demands in construction, infrastructure, and natural resource industries, the region was spotlighted as fertile ground for veteran economic integration.
This marked the first international adoption of the observance’s core language and objectives, making National Invest In Veterans Week® a globally resonant civic framework. It is now the only U.S. veteran business observance with formally documented recognition in both American and Canadian media and institutional sectors.
Why It Matters
Veteran-owned businesses in the U.S. contribute more than $1 trillion annually to the economy and employ over 5 million Americans. These companies often outperform their peers, driven by the operational acumen, ethical leadership, and risk tolerance instilled by military training.
By establishing ITA Growth Partners, the Melo family is not simply investing in businesses—they are investing in the doctrine of National Invest In Veterans Week®: that veteran entrepreneurship is a national asset, and economic infrastructure should be built to support it.
The alignment between ITA Growth Partners’ launch and the initiative’s growing global footprint signals a powerful new phase in veteran empowerment—one driven by capital, conviction, and cross-border collaboration.
To learn more about ITA Growth Partners, visit:
https://www.ita-intl.com
To read the full Canadian feature from Northern Ontario Business:
https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/spotlight/investing-in-veterans-a-call-to-northern-ontarios-business-community-10303906
National Invest In Veterans Week® Becomes First U.S. Veteran Business Observance to Achieve International Media Alignment and Thematic Resonance
National Invest In Veterans Week® has become the first U.S.-based veteran business observance to achieve international recognition, marking a transformative expansion into Canada. On March 4, 2025, Northern Ontario Business published a feature titled “Investing in Veterans: A Call to Northern Ontario’s Business Community”, urging regional industries to adopt the initiative’s core philosophy: that military service is an economic investment worthy of institutional return.
This cross-border alignment builds on National Invest In Veterans Week®’s growing legislative footprint in the U.S.—including two Congressional Record entries and multiple gubernatorial proclamations—and signals the emergence of a transnational civic framework grounded in veteran economic empowerment. With its language embedded in law, policy, and now international discourse, the initiative continues to redefine how nations value and invest in their veterans.
Since its founding in 2019, National Invest In Veterans Week® has not only challenged traditional models of civic engagement but has also emerged as a transformative force within the broader ecosystem of veteran entrepreneurship. With its recent expansion into Canada, the initiative has crossed a geopolitical threshold—becoming the first U.S.-originated veteran business observance to achieve formal and cultural recognition across international borders.
This development signals more than symbolic support; it confirms that the principles underlying National Invest In Veterans Week®—that military service is a national investment requiring a structured economic return—are increasingly viewed as globally adaptable and policy-relevant.
Canada Responds: A Transnational Civic Doctrine Takes Root
On March 4, 2025, Northern Ontario Business—one of Canada’s most influential regional business publications—published a feature titled “Investing in Veterans: A Call to Northern Ontario’s Business Community”. The piece called on business leaders across Northern Ontario to support veterans not as a charitable gesture, but as a strategic workforce imperative.
The article showcased Helmets to Hardhats Canada, a national nonprofit that facilitates military-to-civilian career transitions through skilled trades, apprenticeships, and safety training. Its mission—helping veterans and military family members integrate into Canada’s labor economy—is strikingly aligned with the goals of National Invest In Veterans Week®, reinforcing that this initiative’s language and philosophy are not culturally bound but universally applicable.
From Trademark to Transnational Traction
What differentiates National Invest In Veterans Week® is not merely its reach, but its architecture. It is a federally registered trademark (U.S. Reg. No. 6784776) with protected civic language, carefully designed to operate as a legislative framework, branding strategy, and policy catalyst. It is the rare civic initiative that exists simultaneously in the domains of law, governance, and public rhetoric.
Embedded in U.S. Legislative Discourse
The initiative’s expansion into Canadian business and media discourse mirrors its ascent through the American legislative record. In two distinct appearances in the Congressional Record, the initiative’s protected language and themes were formally entered into the annals of federal governance:
On May 24, 2023, Congressman Don Davis (NC-01) delivered a floor speech titled “Investing in Our Veterans” (Vol. 169, No. 88, Page H2588), stating:
“Investing in our brave veterans while helping the communities that need it most should be our highest priority.”On March 8, 2024, Congressman Matt Rosendale (MT-02) delivered an official one-minute address (Vol. 170, No. 42, Page H1049), explicitly recognizing Invest in Veterans Week in alignment with Montana’s formal statewide proclamation:
“Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to celebrate this week as Invest in Veterans Week as proclaimed by Montana Governor Gianforte.”
These two entries—issued by different members of Congress across different years—reflect an emerging federal consensus, validating the initiative’s doctrinal authority and linguistic influence within the halls of power.
Executive Validation: Montana's Proclamatory Leadership
At the executive level, the initiative enjoys sustained support. Montana Governor Greg Gianforte has issued three consecutive gubernatorial proclamations (2023, 2024, 2025), declaring March 1–7 as Invest in Veterans Week and positioning Montana as a national model for integrating veteran entrepreneurship into state economic strategy.
From Vision to Doctrine
Founded by Lt. Col. Rickey L. Pope (Ret.), NFL veteran Drayton Florence, and Iraq War veteran Jeff Shuford, National Invest In Veterans Week® was engineered from inception not as an annual gesture, but as a scalable civic infrastructure—a platform capable of influencing legislation, guiding investment, and reshaping public perception of military service.
A Civic Export Model with Global Applicability
The recent Canadian engagement with National Invest In Veterans Week® affirms the viability of this model beyond U.S. borders. In highlighting the economic potential of military-trained labor, Canada becomes the first international validator of a civic export rooted in American veteran advocacy—but now global in its implications.
This expansion sets a new precedent: a U.S. civic initiative federally trademarked, legislatively cited, and now internationally echoed. It reveals that the language of veteran empowerment, when structured with precision and protected by law, can travel, influence, and take hold—even across sovereign lines.
To learn more about National Invest In Veterans Week® and its global initiatives, visit:
https://www.investinveteransweek.com
Read the Canadian feature at Northern Ontario Business:
https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/spotlight/investing-in-veterans-a-call-to-northern-ontarios-business-community-10303906
National Invest In Veterans Week® Establishes International Veterans Day and Deepens Federal, State, and Civic Integration
In a landmark expansion of its mission, National Invest In Veterans Week® has established International Veterans Day, first celebrated on March 3, 2025. Introduced in 2024 and embraced by The American Legion Sauls-Bridges Post 13, the observance honors the global unity and shared values of military service across borders. March 3rd now stands as a day to recognize the interconnected contributions of veterans worldwide—marking a civic milestone in transnational veteran recognition.
This global initiative arrives as National Invest In Veterans Week® continues its upward trajectory—from social media recognition and state-level proclamations to formal citations in the Congressional Record. What began as a grassroots movement in 2019 is now a federally trademarked civic framework embedded in national and international discourse.
This is not just a week of recognition. It is a durable, institutional platform redefining how the world invests in those who served.
WASHINGTON, D.C. —
In a historic expansion of its global mission, National Invest In Veterans Week® has inaugurated International Veterans Day, celebrated for the first time on March 3, 2025. Introduced quietly in 2024 and formally recognized this year, the observance was embraced by organizations such as The American Legion Sauls-Bridges Post 13 in Florida, marking a significant leap in transnational veteran solidarity.
"International Veterans Day transcends national boundaries, allowing us to celebrate the shared values of service members globally, recognize the interconnected nature of peace and security, and foster unity among veterans from different countries."
Chosen for its historical symbolism and universal themes of preparedness and resilience, March 3rd serves as a unifying call to honor military veterans worldwide. It is a deliberate act of civic diplomacy, recognizing the moral and strategic imperatives of acknowledging service that knows no borders.
#InternationalVeteransDay #GlobalVeterans #VeteransUnited #MilitaryService #WorldwideHonor
National Invest In Veterans Week® Continues Ascendance: From Senate Newsletters to Congressional Record
As National Invest In Veterans Week® (March 1–7) concludes its latest cycle, its influence permeates multiple levels of government. Pennsylvania State Senator Devlin Robinson, a Marine Corps veteran, highlighted the week in his legislative e-newsletter:
"National Invest in Veterans Week reminds us of the importance of giving back to those who sacrificed so much for our freedom."
His office’s monthly outreach collaboration with the American Legion further reinforces the initiative’s real-world utility: veteran recognition meets constituent action.
This public statement reinforces the initiative's core doctrine: that military service constitutes a lifelong investment in the civic fabric of a nation—an investment deserving reciprocal economic and legislative infrastructure.
From Grassroots Campaign to Federal Canon
Founded in 2019, National Invest In Veterans Week® transitioned from a visionary grassroots concept to a federally trademarked framework (U.S. Reg. No. 6784776), now firmly embedded in national dialogue.
Its language and mission have entered the Congressional Record on two occasions:
May 24, 2023 — Congressman Don Davis (NC-01) delivered a floor speech titled "Investing in Our Veterans" (Vol. 169, No. 88, Page H2588):
"Investing in our brave veterans while helping the communities that need it most should be our highest priority."
Though indirect, the thematic alignment with the initiative’s trademarked language was unmistakable.March 8, 2024 — Congressman Matt Rosendale (MT-02) explicitly cited Invest in Veterans Week (Vol. 170, No. 42, Page H1049):
"Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to celebrate this week as Invest in Veterans Week as proclaimed by Montana Governor Gianforte."
These two entries reflect both rhetorical and legislative adoption—turning words into policy-shaping mechanisms.
Digital Endorsements: The Initiative Resonates Online
Social media has amplified the initiative's reach. On Facebook:
Congressman Glenn Grothman (WI-06) wrote:
"March 1–7 is National Invest in Veterans Week. We owe our veterans, including the 39,000 in the Sixth District, a debt of gratitude."
His post received over 120 reactions, showcasing widespread public support.
The Illinois House Democratic Caucus also joined the conversation with a 27-second video:
"As we recognize National Invest in Veterans Week, let’s come together..."
These digital affirmations add a layer of democratic validation to the initiative’s bipartisan foundation.
State-Level Endorsement: Montana Sets the Civic Standard
Montana has institutionalized the observance through three consecutive gubernatorial proclamations (2023, 2024, 2025), issued by Governor Greg Gianforte:
"I do hereby proclaim the week of March 1–7, 2025, as ‘Invest in Veterans Week’ in Montana to support our veterans and their investment in our communities."
With one of the nation’s highest per capita veteran populations, Montana’s continued leadership underscores how local governance can become a national bellwether for veteran policy.
Visionaries Behind the Movement
National Invest In Veterans Week® was co-founded by Lt. Col. Rickey L. Pope (Ret.), NFL veteran Drayton Florence, and Iraq War veteran Jeff Shuford. Each brought distinct experience, yet shared a singular goal: to recast veterans not as recipients of charity, but as pillars of economic and civic strength.
The initiative's expansion into digital infrastructure—including a Progressive Web App and a portfolio of veteran-branded state domains—demonstrates its operational maturity and scalability.
Institutional Vocabulary: A Language Now Legislated
Phrases like "Invest in Veterans" and "Investing in Our Veterans" have become fixtures in public policy dialogue. No figure illustrates this more clearly than Rep. Brian Mast (FL-21), who has invoked these terms while supporting the Service-Disabled Veteran Opportunities in Small Business Act and advocating for VA modernization.
What began as advocacy language now functions as legislative shorthand.
Conclusion: From Observance to Infrastructure
The acknowledgment of National Invest In Veterans Week® by Senator Devlin Robinson, Congressman Glenn Grothman, the Illinois House Democratic Caucus, and entries in the Congressional Record, alongside multiple state-level proclamations and now a global observance in the form of International Veterans Day, affirms a remarkable achievement: the institutionalization of a veteran-focused civic doctrine across governmental, geographic, and generational lines.
This initiative is no longer aspirational. It is architectural.
