The admin does believe in subsidized housing for wealthy aides like Stephen Miller. He's taking a military home during a supply shortfall, while our ED, Jose Vasquez, notes that "service members are lining up at food banks." This is a choice. And it's wrong. https://bit.ly/4hLhj4z

Norfolk Vets & Allies: This Veterans Day (11/11), join us at Afterglow Brewing for a Stand Down, featuring critical services for at-risk veterans (housing, medical, benefits), followed by a Town Hall to protect the VA. Action, not words. #Norfolk #Veterans #VeteransDay https://bit.ly/4nJnTK2

The Senate failed to pass a War Powers Resolution to block unauthorized strikes, ignoring 8,000+ letters from our members. This is a reckless attempt to manufacture war. It's how forever wars start. We condemn this failure. No president should start a war alone. https://bit.ly/4nGhSxy

ARIZONA: We are mobilizing to defend our communities. Join us for 2 major rallies to stand against mass deportations, ICE raids, and anti-DEI policies. 📍 TUCSON Nov 8 | Tucson VA Hospital 📍 PHOENIX Nov 20 | Arizona State Capitol RSVP for full details on both events. https://bit.ly/4qCineY

VICTORY: A federal court blocked an unconstitutional attack on military voters. The order forced overseas troops to mail sensitive documents just to register. However, the threat isn't over: The same order also allows states to reject ballots due to mail delays. https://bit.ly/3LqFBVa

We proudly announce a 100% victory rate for our endorsed candidates. When Common Defense organizes, we win. Congrats to Gov-Elects Abigail Spanberger (VA) & Mikie Sherrill (NJ), Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani (NYC), & Councilman-Elect Shaun McMillan (NC). Volunteers: You made this happen. Bravo Zulu.

Military families are at food banks as troops work without pay during the shutdown. The admin promised low grocery prices. Doesn't matter if you're not getting paid. A total failure of leadership. Please support your local food bank if you can. https://bit.ly/4i0NwVH

The mission for 2,300 National Guard troops in D.C. has been extended AGAIN, now keeping them there through the holidays, without a plan to feed them. D.C.'s own AG is suing to end the "deployment" and have them home with family This is not a serious mission. https://bit.ly/437a6Wo

ARIZONA: We are mobilizing to defend our communities. Join us for 2 major rallies to stand against mass deportations, ICE raids, and anti-DEI policies. 📍 TUCSON Nov 8 | Tucson VA Hospital 📍 PHOENIX Nov 20 | Arizona State Capitol RSVP for full details on both events. https://bit.ly/4qCineY

This administration preaches "lethality," but what they want is loyalty. Lt. Gen. McGee is the latest to be forced into early retirement, reportedly for clashing with Hegseth. Hollowing out experienced leadership for political loyalty is a direct threat to our readiness. https://bit.ly/4363VBP

As powerful as the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is, all of its weaponry cannot stop a single drug overdose. So why send a carrier group (~4,500 personnel) to join 6,000+ troops in a major escalation? It won't stop the crisis Big Pharma created; the real culprits are in boardrooms.

Over 1.2 million veterans rely on SNAP. Yet the admin is cutting their food aid while deploying 23,000 troops to police US streets. This is a DISGRACEFUL misplacement of priorities. As these cuts hit, please support your local food bank. #Veterans #SNAP #Volunteer Read our full statement:

Stop blaming veterans. They aren't "swamping" the VA; they're accessing benefits they earned. The real problem is predatory claims sharks scamming them. We just told the Senate to pass the #GuardVABenefitsAct to stop these grifters. Read our full statement: https://bit.ly/435WF92

Common Defense endorses U.S. Army veteran Shaun McMillan for Fayetteville City Council, D8. A 2024 graduate of our Veterans Organizing Institute, Shaun is a proven, service-driven leader. He is steady under pressure, accountable to his neighbors, and the leader Fayetteville deserves.

A warning to all active-duty Sailors and Marines: DO NOT LIKE OR SHARE THIS POST. SecNav Phelan just announced a review of all personal social media for "misaligned" posts. The message is clear: If you disagree with this admin, you are a target. https://bit.ly/47tn6H7

Deploying troops to US cities without an emergency is an abuse of power. These actions local control & erode public trust. The Guard is for disasters, not intimidating citizens who dislike the President. Demand accountability from state leaders. @votevets.org https://bit.ly/47ORe0U

For New Jersey Governor, we are endorsing Navy veteran Mikie Sherrill. Service before self is a core value for us, not a slogan. Mikie Sherrill has lived it, first as a Navy pilot, and now as a member of Congress. She brings a veteran's integrity to public service. We're proud to stand with her.

For Governor of Virginia, we endorse Abigail Spanberger. As veterans, we judge leaders by their actions, not just words. Spanberger has a proven record. She stood with us to pass the PACT Act, delivering critical care to veterans. That's real integrity. She is the leader Virginia needs.

The Real Gouge: Peter Hegseth tackles the real threat in the Indo-Pacific: Service members with shaving waivers. https://bit.ly/4ohv3X2

Authentic leadership is not its soundbites, it’s service & doing the work. Common Defense is proud to endorse Zohran Mamdani for NYC Mayor. He's a proven fighter for working families, as our ED Jose Vasquez said, "embodies the values we veterans swore to defend: justice, equality, and democracy."

Right on cue, Sen. Graham (who's never met a war he didn't like) is pushing "land strikes." This is mission creep. They're using the overdose crisis as a pretext for war. You don't end addiction with bombs; you end it by holding Big Pharma accountable. cbsn.ws/47J1qrM

The Admin's unauthorized strikes have killed dozens. We call it 'political theater,' not a 'drug war.' We refuse to let service members pay. Congress hasn't authorized this. Tell them to act now: actionnetwork.org/letters/vete...

Iraq vet Ethan to Rolling Stone: "This admin is taking the U.S. down a road to authoritarianism." Our Afghan vet organizer Jermaine added: "We're here representing normal people." We're vets. When freedoms are threatened, we stand up. www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...

Our members, vets Melissa & Jenalyn, at the Tucson "No Kings" protest. As they said, they're out there "speaking for fellow veterans, along with those who they believe may not be able to speak out for themselves". This is what "Power to the People" looks like. www.kgun9.com/news/communi...

This White House says we "hate America" for speaking out. Unsurprising from the admin run by a coward who called us 'suckers & losers' & denigrated a POW. They think they can bully us. We're fighting for an America for ALL. We will not be silenced. www.military.com/daily-news/2...

"I don't know what I'm doing here anymore." Our 10-yr Guard vet, Jermaine, told Bloomberg he's hearing this from current Guard members. You can't demand "readiness" & pull political stunts that cause "moral injury" & drive experienced officers to leave. www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

It is counter-intuitive to demand a more lethal military while actively making it less capable. Yet that's exactly what the administration is doing. As our Deputy Director Lene Mees de Tricht said, making the military less diverse makes it less capable. www.washingtonblade.com/2025/10/14/t...

Our Executive Director Jose Vasquez on why veterans are protesting ICE: We "have stood up at Ice protests and faced arrest because we recognize a pattern of state-sanctioned abuse." This is about protecting the basic freedoms we swore to defend. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Getting the story right on the VA is crucial. We let the Washington Post know the veteran perspective was clear: the real threat to the VA isn't from veterans, but from politicians pushing privatization. The focus must be on strengthening the system. www.washingtonpost.com/investigatio...

Reminder: Our National Member Call is TOMORROW. We're talking with special guest @grahamformaine.bsky.social, a vet running for U.S. Senate. Get briefed on his campaign, plus the latest on No Kings protests and member actions. Happening Thursday at 7 PM ET. RSVP: actionnetwork.org/events/join-...

This Thursday, our National Member Call features guest @grahamformaine.bsky.social, a Marine & Army vet running for U.S. Senate. We'll discuss the race and get updates on No Kings protests, ICE/Guard deployments, and more. Join us: actionnetwork.org/events/join-...

Speaker Johnson is trying to silence 800,000 Arizona voters by refusing to seat their duly elected representative. What is he so afraid of? The people of Arizona did their part. It's time for the Speaker to do his. Swear her in. Now. commondefense.us/newsroom/ari...

Politicians are attacking a woman veteran's freedom to choose. It's an insulting attack on the care we earned. Our members are speaking out against this. Read more in the @buckscountybeacon.com. buckscountybeacon.com/2025/09/stak...

Every service member deserves to know their family will be taken care of. But the MAGA regime is holding military paychecks hostage for leverage, leaving millions of families worried about rent and groceries. It's a shameful dereliction of duty. www.newsweek.com/military-pay...

The regime is injecting "blatant propaganda" into the VA, politicizing our service to attack their opponents. This dangerous tactic erodes public trust in the institutions we all rely on. Veterans are speaking out against it. apnews.com/article/trum...

Here's the play: 1. Use the media to paint veterans as a "burden." 2. Turn the public against those who served. 3. Gut the VA for profit. It's a vile attempt to fracture our country and betray a sacred promise. We're not falling for it. commondefense.us/newsroom/com...

Politicians want to erase women vets. Our member told @the-independent.com we have 'proven our mettle in combat.' Read the article to see veterans speaking out against this attack. We will not be silenced. www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

"Escalating violence against peaceful protesters." Our organizer's words after federal agents abducted a 70-year-old Air Force vet. We will not be intimidated. We will defend the right to protest. chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...

Vets are joining allies like @indivisible.org & @aclu.org to say #NoKings. As our comms director said, it's time "to defeat fascism at home." Join the protest on Oct 18. www.rawstory.com/trump-about-...

Politicians lecture our generals to distract while they attack our freedoms. Our 200k vets see through it. We're organized to demand our military is honored, not used as a political prop. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

UPDATE: Our member Dana Briggs, the Air Force veteran who was thrown to the ground and arrested by ICE for peacefully protesting, has been RELEASED. Watch the press conference to learn the truth about what happened. #NoWarOnOurStreets Livestream Link: www.youtube.com/live/E5c9gDU...

In his failed Patton impersonation at the Quantico gathering, Pete Hegseth demanded a military loyal to a political cult, not the Constitution. That's a direct threat to our troops and our democracy. Read our full statement on this dangerous rhetoric: commondefense.us/newsroom/com...

The difference is ACCOUNTABILITY. The National Guard are our neighbors, part of the community they serve. ICE is being used like an unaccountable paramilitary force on our streets. The distinction is critical. #KnowTheDifference

Donald Trump is unleashing masked federal agents and military troops into our neighborhoods — dragging people off the streets, terrorizing families, and treating American communities like occupied zones. Congress has the power to stop this abuse of power.

Trump’s masked gestapo just shoved a Common Defense member and Air Force veteran to the ground and arrested him for peacefully protesting in Illinois. The lawlessness of this regime must end — and he must be released immediately!

The Trump admin's war on workers hits the VA hard, ending bargaining for 350k staff (30% vets) and cutting 30k jobs. These staff shortages create "very unsafe" conditions for patients and staff alike. This is a power grab, not reform, and it's a betrayal that leaves our nation's heroes behind.

Doxxing isn't free speech, it's political violence. When elected officials use their platforms to harass and intimidate, they normalize the same dehumanization that fuels wars. This is a betrayal of our democracy. Read combat vet Melissa Cordero's op-ed: tucson.com/opinion/colu...

Love after loss shouldn't cost a surviving military spouse their earned benefits. It's that simple. The bipartisan Love Lives On Act fixes this. We were on the Hill pushing for it. Tell your reps to pass this commonsense bill. www.congress.gov/members/find...

Democracy isn't guaranteed, it requires our work. As veterans, our duty is at the ballot box. It's our power to protect our freedoms and build a nation of "liberty and justice" for all. Continue your service with us. Register to vote: nationalvoterregistrationday.org/register-to-...

Whether you served in Iraq or not, all Americans deserve freedom from forever wars. For decades, unaccountable politicians used outdated authorizations as a blank check for conflict. The bipartisan House vote to repeal them is a historic step to reclaim our power. commondefense.us/newsroom/hou...