Commitment to Our Veterans

It's an annual tradition at the White House to host a Veterans Day breakfast, and more than 100 people filled the East Room this year. Most were veterans of all eras, including the oldest living veteran of WWII; a few were lawmakers and government officials; and one was a member of our national service family, AmeriCorps VISTA David Gosling.

AmeriCorps VISTA's mission is a unique one, so David’s story of service as a former U.S. Army Captain—coupled with his current AmeriCorps VISTA experience at the Got Your 6 campaign—bent more than a few ears. He spoke with House Minority Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Secretary of the Department of Veteran Affairs Eric Shinseki, and leaders of veteran and military family service organizations. David also spent time speaking with Dr. Tommy Sowers, a former Green Beret and the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs. Dr. Sowers lit up when he heard about the good work being done by AmeriCorps VISTA members like David to connect veterans in need with resources that can ameliorate economic challenges.

Monday was a good day for David, and it was a great day to introduce AmeriCorps VISTA to some of the most influential veteran and military family advocates in the nation. The success of David and the 116 other veterans currently serving in AmeriCorps VISTA reinforces a principle that I hold dear: Veterans are assets and leaders in their communities, so we must—and can—engage them directly in improving our communities as their service continues.

Yours in Service, 

Mary Strasser
Director, AmeriCorps VISTA