New director of Concerned Veterans for America aims for more influence

The brand new head of Involved Veterans for America desires to verify the latest rise in consciousness across the group results in much more affect and involvement in nationwide coverage discussions.

“The very last thing that I need is for there to be any slack simply because we’ve already racked up wins, on Veterans Affairs accountability, on Afghanistan oversight and different points,” stated John Vick, lately named government director of CVA.

“Proper now’s the time to essentially capitalize on the entire arduous work that occurred earlier than. We now have the whole lot in place now. A few of our former employees are within the administration. It’s actually an thrilling time to guarantee that everyone’s on board with the brand new coverage priorities.”

Vick, a Marine Corps veteran and present Naval Reserves officer, joins an inventory of CVA management members whose alumni embrace Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth, senior Protection Division advisor Darin Selnick and Pentagon transition staff advisor Dan Caldwell.

The community of notable former staffers has led to extra consideration for CVA, albeit a few of it vital of the teams’ right-leaning stances and Hegseth’s controversial previous points.

Precisely how a lot affect Vick can have with these administration officers stays unclear. However Involved Veterans for America, which has ties to the conservative Koch community, is a key neighborhood voice for Republican lawmakers on the veterans and armed providers committees – and it has loved a pleasant relationship with President Donald Trump prior to now.

Vick hopes which means extra alternatives for the group’s priorities within the close to future.

“You’re all the time going to have to carry bureaucracies accountable, maintain the federal government accountable,” Vick stated. “And given those self same priorities on this administration, it’s a very distinctive and thrilling time to work for this group.”

Vick deployed to Iraq with the Marine Corps in 2003 and nonetheless works as an intelligence officer supporting U.S. Central Command. Outdoors the army, he has labored as a regional political director for the Republican Nationwide Committee and a staffer on the Home Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

CVA’s coverage priorities for nationwide protection this 12 months embrace making certain international companions’ objectives are in alignment with U.S. safety pursuits and “rethinking the U.S. Center East footprint,” to incorporate drawing down drive numbers in locations like Iraq and Syria.

On the veterans coverage facet, the group once more is pushing for broader use of neighborhood care choices to offer medical appointments for veterans outdoors the division’s well being care system, and for elevated accountability among the many division’s workforce. Each of these points had been key factors of focus for Trump throughout his first time period in workplace.

And Vick stated the group plans to proceed its previous outreach to raise the views of veterans to policymakers.

“When American service members exit and sacrifice a lot to guard the American dream, then they’re in a singular nice place to advocate for not simply veterans points, however points for all America,” he stated.