Established in 2014, the Veteran Action and Advisory Team (VAAT) is a peer mentoring program comprised of Homes For Our Troops Veteran home recipients and spouses who volunteer their time and efforts to support fellow HFOT Veterans and staff.
VAAT Culture
The VAAT program is an essential part of our organization’s culture, offering unique insights from Veterans who have personally faced the obstacles of living with severe injuries in a non-adapted environment.
The primary goal of the program is to maintain a strong connection with Veterans and their families after home delivery and assist them with the most important part of HFOT’s mission: Rebuilding Lives.
Key aspects of the VAAT
Connecting with Veterans and their families
Communicating frequently with check-ins for life updates, celebrating successes, and providing resources to address any challenges or obstacles.
Peer mentorship
Offering guidance and support based on shared experiences as severely injured Veteran to another severely injured Veteran.
Feedback
Helping to shape and improve the HFOT program by reviewing special adaptations and recommending improvements to ensure accessibility throughout the home meets the unique needs of every Veteran. VAAT Member, Cameron West, serves as a voting member of the HFOT National Board of Directors, providing direct feedback and insights from the Veteran community.
Community engagement and building relationships
Ensuring Veterans remain active within their communities. Additionally, the VAAT team participates in Veteran Conferences to meet future home recipients and attends build events to support fellow Veteran home recipients.
Thank you to the following HFOT Veterans and Caregivers for being a valued VAAT member
When members of the VAAT are asked why they made the decision to join the program, they say the answer is simple: It’s their way of paying it forward and giving back to their Veteran community.
Being a part of the Veterans Action and Advisory Team is just another way for us to pay it forward and to continue to serve Veterans and their families across the country. Only due to the effort and support that we have received from past generations of Veterans and the American people were we able to overcome our injuries and challenges, and we feel that by putting forth the same effort to the Veterans of today and those of tomorrow we will continue to stay united and strong for the communities across this nation.
I volunteer to be part of the VAAT for a couple reasons, and it’s simple. It’s hard to find a nonprofit organization that truly cares about the mission, the employees and the Veterans like HFOT. I want other Veterans to have that same feeling I did when I found out I was getting a mortgage free adapted home. My way of paying it forward is by helping HFOT help more Veterans, and help Veterans anyway I can.
I began volunteering for HFOT because their mission to provide a mortgage-free home to our severely injured Veterans is one that I strongly believe in. I was thrilled to become part of the Veterans Action and Advisory Team. The VAAT provides both sides of the equation, a liaison to help explain information, answer questions, relay concerns or suggestions, and/or listen about how their lives are progressing. It can be a hard place in between someone who has been injured and someone who hasn’t been, or someone who has been in the military and someone who hasn’t. The VAAT allows me to help two of the amazing communities that I belong to. I’m happy to bridge my family of fellow military Veteran families; some of the bravest, most determined, loyal and selfless people, with my Homes For Our Troops’ family, also of some of the most caring, loyal, determined, and selfless people.
In the short time I’ve been on the team, I’ve attended numerous Key Ceremonies, Community Kickoffs and a couple of Veteran Conferences. Nothing quite beats seeing the faces of the families at each of these milestones. But with owning an HFOT home, there are many new responsibilities and challenges… Taking a few minutes out of my day to help/guide another Veteran is the least I can do after I was also the recipient of such a tremendous gift.
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