Mission ready again: How vets are getting back in the game

Veterans don’t hang up their sense of purpose when they leave the military. Across the country, they’re finding new ways to serve, lead, and connect—turning the discipline, resilience, and leadership they honed in uniform into real-world impact. Whether tackling community challenges, mentoring the next generation, or stepping into global humanitarian missions, veterans are proving that service can take many forms long after leaving active duty.

Purpose doesn’t retire when the uniform comes off; for these men and women, it evolves, reaching far beyond the battlefield to touch communities, countries, and lives around the world. Here are a few examples of some of the organizations where veterans are a driving force for good. 

Serving Communities with AmeriCorps

For veterans eager to make a difference locally, AmeriCorps offers a structured path to continue serving. The nationwide program addresses pressing challenges such as disaster relief, education, economic opportunity, environmental stewardship, public health, and support for veterans and their families. Participants gain valuable skills, education benefits, and the chance to work alongside others dedicated to strengthening communities. Projects can range from improving schools to expanding access to care, and veterans often find that their leadership experience is uniquely suited to this kind of work.

Mobilizing Neighborhoods with The Mission Continues

Similarly, The Mission Continues empowers veterans to address critical needs in under-resourced neighborhoods. Through more than 40 “platoons” across the U.S., veterans improve schools, fight food insecurity, and strengthen communities, all while rediscovering camaraderie and purpose. Participants report that working alongside fellow veterans and local leaders rekindles a sense of mission, helping them stay connected to both their communities and themselves.

Mentoring and Leading Through the Travis Manion Foundation

Mentorship and leadership are central to the veteran experience after service. The Travis Manion Foundation provides programs such as Character Does Matter, Ops Legacy, and the Spartan Leadership Program. These initiatives encourage veterans to mentor youth, organize community projects, and share their leadership skills, guided by the principle, “If not me, then who?” The foundation allows veterans to channel their experiences into meaningful action, helping build stronger, more resilient communities.

Making a Global Impact with Team Rubicon

Some veterans are taking their service to the global stage with Team Rubicon, a veteran-owned humanitarian organization delivering disaster relief worldwide. Volunteers apply their military training and grit to help communities affected by crises, from earthquakes in Nepal to domestic natural disasters. Team Rubicon shows veterans that their skills can have life-changing impact on people across the globe, while offering the camaraderie and sense of purpose many miss after active duty.

Investigating the Truth with Bellingcat

For veterans drawn to intellectual challenges, Bellingcat offers the chance to investigate pressing global issues. As the world’s foremost open-source investigative journalism group, Bellingcat has played a role in uncovering the truth behind major events, including tracking chemical attacks and high-profile airline disasters. Veterans joining the group’s Discord community can contribute to research, refine investigative techniques, and help hold the powerful accountable, putting analytical skills to work for transparency and justice.

Fitness and Camaraderie: Team Tillman and November Project

Maintaining strength and building community is another way veterans stay engaged. Organizations like Team Tillman, founded in honor of Pat Tillman, combine endurance challenges with raising scholarships for military families, while the November Project offers free, high-energy workouts in cities across the country. Both programs emphasize camaraderie, fitness, and fun, proving that veterans can maintain resilience while building lasting connections.

Courage on Wheels: The National Veterans Wheelchair Games

The National Veterans Wheelchair Games, which happens every summer in a different city, highlights another dimension of veteran service and engagement. The world’s largest wheelchair sports and rehabilitation event for veterans living with disabilities, the Games help newly injured veterans adapt to new circumstances, rebuild confidence, and discover renewed purpose through sports and camaraderie. Volunteers play a vital role in supporting participants, strengthening bonds, and helping veterans navigate transitions, while also benefiting from the connections and sense of community the event fosters.

Continuing the Mission

These examples are just the beginning. There are countless veterans’ organizations across the country, and many that are based in one state welcome veterans from anywhere. Those looking to continue serving should search for groups near them and explore opportunities that align with their skills, interests, and passions—there’s no limit to how far service can reach.