With Honor Action Mourns the Passing of Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton B. Carter

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CHARLOTTE, NC – With Honor Action mourns the passing of former U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton B. Carter. Secretary Carter was the 25th Secretary of Defense and previously served as Deputy Secretary of Defense, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Global Strategic Affairs. He most recently served as the Director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School, where he was Belfer Professor of Technology and Global Affairs.

“Secretary Carter was a giant of U.S. national security and one of the leading voices for technological innovation in defense,” said Rye Barcott, Co-Founder and CEO of With Honor Action. “His legacy is the profound impact he made on American security during his decades of service and the thousands of young Americans he mentored during his time in Washington and at Harvard. Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.”

With Honor Action Releases New Research on Veterans Running for Congress

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CHARLOTTE, NC – Over the past four years, With Honor Action has closely tracked the number of veterans running for Congress and compiled a robust database. With Honor Action’s research shows an increase in the number of veterans running for the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate in the 2022 campaign cycle, growing from 628 in 2018 to 685 in 2022. The number of veterans running for the U.S. House of Representatives has increased modestly from 2018 to 2022, going from 580 to 587.

A key area of growth is the number of post-9/11 veterans, who mainly served during the Global War on Terrorism, running for the U.S. House of Representatives. While 258 post-9/11 veterans ran for the House in 2018, 393 post-9/11 veterans ran for the House in 2022. That number increased for post-9/11 veterans running for Senate, as well, with 12 running in 2018 and 52 running in 2022.

“A new generation of bipartisan veterans is running for office and winning, which is good for Congress and the country,” said Rye Barcott, Co-Founder and CEO of With Honor Action. “The more veterans continue to serve their country out of uniform, the more effective, bipartisan, and less polarized our Congress will be.”

Importantly, With Honor Action’s research found that veterans from a range of service branches are running for the House and Senate in large numbers. Of the 684 veterans running for House and Senate in 2022, 283 served in the Army, 161 in the Navy, 108 in the Air Force, 108 in the Marine Corps, 46 in the National Guard, and 7 Coast Guard. Note that some veteran candidates belong to multiple branches of the military and have been counted multiple times in the service branch totals.

“Crisis after crisis has shown that the world needs fresh vision and leadership.  One of the best ways to rebuild public trust in our institutions — especially in Congress — is to prepare and encourage a new generation of principled veterans to take up the mantle of leadership.” said David Gergen, Co-Founder and Board Chair of With Honor Action. “What a good sign for the country that so many outstanding veterans are already answering the call.”

With Honor Action will continue to update its research and share new findings on veterans running for Congress. If you have questions about our research or would like to speak to With Honor Action CEO Rye Barcott, please reach out to Kate Constantini at constantini@withhonor.org.

With Honor Action Mourns the Passing of Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright

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CHARLOTTE, NC – With Honor Action mourns the passing today of former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, the first female secretary of state and a member of With Honor’s first Advisory Board. Secretary Albright was a trailblazer, coming to America as a refugee in 1948, raising three children, and dedicating her life to the advancement of democracy and freedom. She served in many roles that helped improve the nation and the world, including U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Chair of the National Democratic Institute, and Chair of the Defense Policy Board.

“Secretary Madeleine Albright was an inspiration and a global force for democracy. I was fortunate to know her and grow from the generosity of her spirit and the strength of her leadership,” said Rye Barcott, Co-Founder and CEO of With Honor Action. “We miss her already, and we carry on inspired and informed by her life of service.”

19 With Honor Action Bipartisan Priorities Pass into Law for the Country in the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act

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CHARLOTTE, NC – With Honor Action praises the successful and bipartisan passage of the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which was signed into law by President Biden today. The NDAA has been a model of bicameral, bipartisan legislation. Lawmakers annually come together, putting political differences aside, to reach a consensus on this critical legislation – providing our military and national security leaders with a comprehensive blueprint of our nation’s defense policy and funding priorities for the next fiscal year.

“We are pleased to see so many important provisions that enhance our national security and help veterans, service members, and their families in the 2022 NDAA,” says Rye Barcott, Co-Founder and CEO of With Honor Action. “With Honor Action was proud to advocate for and work on 19 provisions that made it into the final bill, including the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Location Act, 7 priorities from the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI), and the establishment of the Afghanistan War Commission.”

With Honor Action works alongside the 26 Member, bipartisan For Country Caucus (FCC) in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bipartisan proposals With Honor Action supports – all of which are sponsored or supported by veterans serving in Congress – are designed to improve the lives of service members, veterans, and their families; secure America’s future, with a particular focus on our technological future in artificial intelligence and cyber; honor our commitments to wartime allies; and modernize our government for future challenges.

The NDAA includes a number of key provisions to improve the lives of service members, veterans, and their families. For example, the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Location Act, led by FCC Members Reps. Jason Crow and Mike Gallagher and sponsored by every FCC Member, authorizes the establishment of the Global War on Terrorism Memorial on the National Mall to honor those who served during the nation’s longest war. The Brandon Act, led by FCC Members Reps. Seth Moulton and Mariannette Miller-Meeks, helps service members struggling with mental health issues by mandating mental health evaluation referrals. The Military Moms Matter Act, led by FCC Member Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, improves postpartum care for members of the Armed Forces and their dependents, providing critical support to military families. Lastly, the Military Hunger Prevention Act, led by FCC Member Reps. Jimmy Panetta, Don Bacon, Jim Baird, and Salud Carbajal, ensures that the Department of Defense (DOD) pays a basic needs allowance to certain low-income members of the Armed Forces.

Critical sections of the NDAA help secure America’s technological future in artificial intelligence and cyber infrastructure.​​ Yearly reports by the DOD on National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI) recommendations, an amendment led by FCC Member Chrissy Houlahan, will ensure artificial intelligence remains a defense priority. A provision to develop a digital infrastructure plan establishes a DOD working group to develop a plan to establish a modern information technology infrastructure capable of incorporating state of the art tools, including artificial intelligence. The establishment of digital recruiting offices will allow DOD to bring in much needed tech talent.

The NDAA builds on important work done by With Honor Action to honor our commitments to wartime allies. The Afghan War Commission, led by FCC Members Reps. Peter Meijer and Seth Moulton will start a nonpartisan review of the war and establish actionable recommendations. With Honor Action previously supported the HOPE for Afghan SIVs Act, The Averting Loss of Life and Injury by Expediting SIVs (ALLIES) Act, and WELCOMED Act, all of which streamlined the Special Immigrant Visa process and ensured the U.S. could evacuate and resettle more of our Afghan allies. Lastly, the NDAA includes a crucial provision led by FCC Member Rep. Don Bacon to establish a Casualty Assistance Program Working Group, which will help modernize the Department of Defense by improving its casualty affairs programs.

The 2022 NDAA includes these 19 provisions supported by With Honor Action:

1. Yearly Reports by the DOD on NSCAI Recommendations – An amendment led by FCC Member Chrissy Houlahan, this provision requires that the DOD submit reports over the next two years on the status of recommendations from the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence.

2. Development of a Digital Infrastructure Plan – This provision establishes a DOD working group and tasks them with developing a plan to establish a modern information technology infrastructure capable of incorporating state of the art tools including artificial intelligence.

3. Establishment of Digital Recruiting Offices – This provision establishes a chief digital recruiting officer within the DOD, and it charges them with identifying the DOD’s digital talent needs and skills gaps and recruiting individuals to address those gaps.

4. Updating Federal Occupation Series Fields – This provision directs the Office of Personnel Management to establish occupational series for federal government positions in the fields of software development, software engineering, data science, and data management, helping to focus the professional development of personnel in these fields.

5. Integrate Emerging Technology into Professional Education – This provision establishes an executive education course within DOD on emerging technologies; the course for generals and senior executive level civilian leaders will prepare them to deal with disruptive emerging technologies.

6. Assess the Feasibility of a National Cyber Academy – This provision requires the DOD to determine the overall workforce requirements for cyberspace and information warfare personnel across the active and reserve components of the Armed Forces, and to determine whether a graduate level cyber academy is necessary.

7. National Defense Science and Technology Strategy – The National Defense Science and Technology Strategy is a provision tasking the DOD to develop a strategy articulating the science and technology priorities, goals, and investments of the DOD.

8. Global War on Terrorism Memorial Location Act – The Global War on Terrorism Memorial Location Act, led by FCC Members Reps. Jason Crow and Mike Gallagher and sponsored by every FCC Member, authorizes the establishment of a Global War on Terrorism Memorial on the National Mall.

9. Brandon Act – Led by FCC Members Rep. Seth Moulton and Mariannette Miller-Meeks, this provision mandates referrals for mental health evaluation in the Armed Forces to help service members struggling with mental health issues.

10. Military Moms Matter Act – Led by FCC Member Reps. Chrissy Houlahan, Don Bacon, Jared Golden, Kai Kahele, Seth Moulton, Jim Baird, and Van Taylor, this provision improves postpartum care for members of the Armed Forces and their dependents.

11. Expansion of Support Programs for Special Operations Gold Star Families – Led by FCC Member Rep. Jimmy Panetta, this provision expands support programs and access for the surviving immediate family members of Special Operations troops killed in service to the nation.

12. Military Hunger Prevention Act – Led by FCC Member Reps. Jimmy Panetta, Don Bacon, Jim Baird, and Salud Carbajal, the Military Hunger Prevention Act requires the DOD to pay a basic needs allowance to eligible low-income members of the Armed Forces.

13. Alexander Lofgren Veterans in Parks Act – Led by FCC Member Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, the Alexander Lofgren Veterans in Parks Act makes National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands passes available, without charge, to members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and Gold Star Families.

14. Military Spouse Employment Assistance – This provision will help implement best practices and better communication with military spouses on career assistance and order a DOD study on military spouse employment, including barriers to entry like state licensing requirements.

15. Afghan War Commission Act – The Afghan War Commission Act, led by FCC Member Rep. Peter Meijer and Seth Moulton, creates a non-partisan, independent commission that will conduct a comprehensive examination of the War in Afghanistan.

16. Expanding Verification of SIV Applicants Through the SPOT Database – This provision directs the DOD and the Department of State (DOS) to submit a joint report on the use of the Synchronized Predeployment and Operational Tracker (SPOT) database to verify the existence and eligibility of Afghan contractors for SIVs.

17. Arctic Security Initiative Act – The Arctic Security Initiative Act led by FCC Members Reps. Mike Gallagher and Elaine Luria, requires the DOD to conduct a security assessment of the Arctic region and establish an Arctic Security Initiative with a five-year plan to fully resource the DOD and provide individual service-specific strategies for the Arctic.

18. Taiwan Partnership Act – Critical provisions of the Taiwan Partnership Act led by FCC Rep. Mike Gallagher, requires the DOD conduct a yearly briefing on cooperation between the National Guard and Taiwan during the preceding year and an evaluation of how to improve future cooperation.

19. Establishment of a Casualty Assistance Program Working Group – Led by FCC Rep. Don Bacon, this provision improves the Department of Defense casualty affairs programs by creating a working group to standardize casualty assistance officer training across military departments.

With Honor Action Praises Inclusion of Key 2022 National Defense Authorization Act Amendments

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CHARLOTTE, NC – With Honor Action praises the inclusion of seven priority legislative amendments in the House of Representatives’ 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The important provisions will help preserve America’s technological competitiveness, enhance our national security, improve the lives of our service members and veterans, and assist in the resettlement of our Afghan allies.

“These seven amendments build upon a robust list of twelve important NDAA provisions advanced by the bipartisan, veteran-led For Country Caucus, in the House of Representatives.” said Rye Barcott, With Honor Action CEO and Co-Founder. “We look forward to working alongside the Senate to ensure these provisions and many other provisions on national security, national service, and military communities make it to the President’s desk for signature into law.”

Of particular note, advancing the recommendations of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI) and securing proper oversight are both immediate and long-term priorities of With Honor Action. The items that passed the House yesterday include two recommendations from the NSCAI that the For Country Caucus Sub-Committee on AI moved forward. The For Country Caucus Sub-Committee on AI Members includes Representatives Kai Kahele, Don Bacon, Seth Moulton, Tony Gonzales, Mikie Sherrill, and Van Taylor. Representative Taylor also serves as the Co-Chair of the For Country Caucus alongside Representative Jared Golden.

1) Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) Memorial Location Act – a provision, led by For Country Caucus Members Representatives and GWOT veterans Jason Crow and Mike Gallagher, establishing a location on the Reserve of the National Mall for a GWOT Memorial. Reference this Washington Post op-ed that With Honor Action worked on with the six surviving former Secretaries of Defense who led the Department of Defense during the GWOT.

2) National Digital Reserve Corps Act – an NSCAI recommendation, led by For Country Caucus Member Representative Tony Gonzales, establishing the National Digital Reserve Corps, a program within GSA that would allow private sector tech talent to work for the federal government for 30 days per calendar year in order to take on short term digital, cybersecurity, and AI projects.

3) Onward to Opportunity Act– a provision, led by For Country Caucus Member Representative Mikie Sherrill, implementing a pilot program which will use new screening tools and industry specific training pathways to optimize the assistance available for transitioning service members through the Veterans Administration.

4) Get Rewarding Outdoor Work for our Veterans Act – a provision, led by For Country Caucus Members Conor Lamb and Mike Waltz, directing the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a two-year pilot program employing veterans for Departments of the Interior and Agriculture conservation and resource management projects.

5) Alexander Lofgren Veterans in Parks Act – a provision, led by For Country Caucus Member Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks, providing free annual America the Beautiful Passes to current military service members and free lifetime America the Beautiful Passes to veterans and members of Gold Star Families so they can access our National Parks and public lands at no cost.

6) National Security Commision on AI DoD Reporting Requirement Amendment – an NSCAI recommendation, led by For Country Caucus Members Representatives Chrissy Houlahan and Don Bacon, requiring the Secretary of Defense to submit yearly reports on how NSCAI recommendations are being implemented to the Congressional defense committees.

7) Afghan Refugees of Special Humanitarian Concern Amendment – a provision which includes elements of For Country Caucus Members Representative Jason Crow and Peter Meijers’ Showing American Values by Evacuating (SAVE) Afghan Partners Act, it expands the Special Immigrant Visa program by making clear that those employed under cooperative agreements and grants are eligible for the Afghan SIV program.

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With Honor Action is a cross-partisan movement focused on supporting military veterans who want to work across the aisle and put principles before politics while serving again in Congress. With Honor Action’s advisory board includes post-9/11 veterans and Gold Star family members — Chris Howard, Ryan Manion, and Medal of Honor Recipient Florent Groberg — as well as prominent American leaders such as Secretary Robert Gates, Senator Tom Daschle, Admiral Michael Mullen, Gen. Nadja West, and David Gergen.

With Honor Action is a 501(c)(4), which serves as the organization’s policy and social-welfare arm. With Honor has an affiliated federally registered “super PAC” called With Honor Fund.

With Honor Action Praises Advancement of 2022 National Defense Authorization Act Priorities

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CHARLOTTE, NC – With Honor Action is pleased to see twelve legislative priorities of the bipartisan veteran For Country Caucus that we work alongside advance through this week’s hearings for the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). These important provisions will improve our national security, expand civic education in our high schools, and provide life-saving support to our troops, veterans, and military dependents.

“In a time of such bitter polarization and dysfunction, it’s encouraging to see members from across party lines coming together to advance critical legislation for our national security, civic education, and veterans affairs,” said Rye Barcott, With Honor Action CEO and Co-Founder. “I’m especially pleased to see the inclusion of a plan to double the size of Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) in public schools across the country. This is a key piece of the Inspire to Serve Act that the late Senator John McCain initiated, and the founding co-chairs and vice chairs of the For Country Caucus introduced in the 116th Congress. Doubling our JROTC units across the nation is especially timely now as our public schools wrestle with massive educational gaps and challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Below are provisions of special significance:

1) Establish support programs for Gold Star family members of Special Operations Forces.

2) Establish a basic needs allowance for junior enlisted military families.

3) Initiate a plan to dramatically expand Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) across the nation.

4) Improve access to postpartum depression and anxiety screenings for service women and dependents.

5) Increase cooperation between the United States and Israel on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) research through the establishment of a grant program.

6) Provide incentive and special duty pays to National Guard and Reserve service members at the same rate as their active-duty counterparts.

7) Update the National Guard’s 1095 rule to improve mission readiness.

8) Establish a grant program to enable small- and medium-sized U.S. Artificial Intelligence companies to participate in international standardization efforts.

9) Call on the Secretary of Defense to develop and implement a robust Department of Defense strategy for modernizing the digital ecosystem by establishing performance objectives and accompanying metrics for Artificial Intelligence and digital readiness.

10) Establish new occupational series and associated policies covering Federal Government positions in the fields of artificial intelligence, software development, software engineering, data science, and knowledge management.

11) Allow service members to anonymously report and seek mental health treatment.

12) Authorize the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) to allow those who withdrew prior to the “Widow’s Tax” repeal to re-enroll and catch up on missed premiums, thus ensuring a continuous lifetime annuity for their dependents.

With Honor Action will work vigorously to ensure these priorities make it to the final passage of the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act.

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With Honor Action is a cross-partisan movement focused on supporting military veterans who want to work across the aisle and put principles before politics while serving again in Congress. With Honor Action’s advisory board includes post-9/11 veterans and Gold Star family members — Chris Howard, Ryan Manion, and Medal of Honor Recipient Florent Groberg — as well as prominent American leaders such as Secretary Robert Gates, Senator Tom Daschle, Admiral Michael Mullen, Gen. Nadja West, and David Gergen.

With Honor Action is a 501(c)(4), which serves as the organization’s policy and social-welfare arm. With Honor has an affiliated federally registered “super PAC” called With Honor Fund.

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