From Washington to Canberra to Ottawa—How 2025 Became the Year Veterans Took the Global Stage
In 2025, National Invest In Veterans Week® crossed a historic threshold, becoming more than a commemorative event—it became a global strategic framework. For the first time, the movement achieved a triangulated presence across the United States, Canada, and Australia, setting a new international standard for veteran investment and empowerment.
In the United States, the week was formally recognized in the Congressional Record, with lawmakers acknowledging the role of veterans in national economic development. In Australia, the Returned & Services League (RSL) incorporated NIVW-aligned reforms into its official 2025 Election Asks, calling for systemic changes in defense funding, veteran healthcare, and institutional oversight—marking the first appearance of NIVW principles in legislative policy demands abroad. In Canada, national media and regional business coalitions echoed the movement’s values, laying the groundwork for a North Atlantic Veteran Investment Framework.
Academia followed suit. In January 2025, Harvard Catalyst, the translational science hub at Harvard Medical School, endorsed National Invest In Veterans Week® as a model for integrated veteran transition policy, praising its synthesis of healthcare, entrepreneurship, and workforce development. This represented the first formal integration of the initiative into an academic institutional model.
Meanwhile, the private capital landscape evolved. In March, ITA Growth Partners was launched as the first institutional family office dedicated exclusively to investing in veteran-owned enterprises, formalizing the role of veterans not just as entrepreneurs but as durable economic contributors. It was a turning point—the first emergence of veteran-centered institutional capital.
At the core of these advancements lies a deeper shift. 2025 marked the first full-scale philosophical reframing of veterans as a systemic capital class—not as recipients of aid, but as originators of value. As policymakers, investors, and educators aligned behind this principle, the world began to see military service not just as honorable sacrifice, but as strategic national investment capable of generating long-term societal return.
In every sector and across three continents, 2025 was the year veterans stopped being celebrated only in ceremony—and started being positioned at the center of global systems.
In a world increasingly defined by geopolitical uncertainty and economic transition, a new class of leaders is quietly rewriting the rules of post-service life. Not in parades or memorials—but in legislation, venture portfolios, and academic models. These leaders are veterans, and the movement rallying around them—National Invest In Veterans Week® (NIVW)—has, in 2025, become something truly unprecedented: a global framework.
This March, something rare and strategically historic occurred: three nations—the United States, Canada, and Australia—converged on a shared thesis. That military service, far from being simply a sacrifice to be remembered, is a capital asset to be reinvested.
The Triangulation Heard Round the World
What began in Washington, D.C. as a U.S. initiative to reframe the conversation around veterans took a definitive turn outward this year.
On March 8, 2024, U.S. Representative Matt Rosendale (MT-02) formally entered National Invest In Veterans Week into the Congressional Record, affirming its policy relevance and economic promise. “Military service is an investment,” he quoted, “Let’s yield the return.”
Meanwhile, halfway across the world in Australia, the powerful Returned & Services League (RSL) included NIVW-aligned reforms in its 2025 Election Asks—a document submitted to all major political parties. Among the calls:
Full implementation of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide,
A nationwide Independent Defence and Veteran Services Commission,
And expanded defense funding to 3% of GDP.
Not as charity, the RSL stressed—but as structural investment in national resilience.
And in Canada, coverage by Northern Ontario Business urged companies to back the veteran-led economy. Civic leaders called for the creation of a North Atlantic Veteran Investment Framework modeled on the U.S. experience. The momentum wasn’t just symbolic. It was strategic.
From the Ivory Tower to the Investment Office
2025 was also the year academia and capital caught up with the movement.
In January, Harvard Catalyst, a division of Harvard Medical School, highlighted National Invest In Veterans Week as a model for civic and economic reintegration, noting its cross-sector logic. Where other programs isolate healthcare from employment or housing, NIVW proposed a cohesive veteran lifecycle model—workforce development, entrepreneurship, and wellness under a single philosophy.
That same week, Virginia-based defense firm ITA International launched ITA Growth Partners, a dedicated family office focused on investing in veteran-owned businesses. It was the first sign that capital institutions were moving beyond grants and small business loans—toward long-term asset management with veterans at the core.
“Veterans don’t just belong in the economy,” said Dr. Ernestine Fu, venture capitalist and founder of MilVet Angels. “They’re a class of catalytic capital. They built the economy.”
The Shift: From Beneficiaries to Originators
This was the philosophical breakthrough of 2025—the moment the veteran was reframed from beneficiary to economic originator.
The slogan of the movement—“Military service is an investment. Let’s yield the return.”—is no longer metaphor. It’s a capital thesis. Veterans are no longer framed as charity recipients, but as value generators, with networks, discipline, and leadership that rival any MBA program.
And unlike past iterations, this year’s observance wasn’t just a call to honor veterans. It was a blueprint for government, capital markets, and academia to work in synchrony.
What Comes Next
With three nations now engaged, and institutional capital entering the field, the 2025 iteration of National Invest In Veterans Week has reset the global standard for veteran integration.
It’s no longer just a week on the calendar.
It’s a system.
A philosophy.
A framework.
And for veterans in boardrooms, classrooms, and parliamentary chambers around the world, it is finally a seat at the center of the table—not as a favor, but as a fact.
Learn more at www.investinveteransweek.com
Jim Freeman: A Rock and Roll Pioneer Honored in Music History and Veteran Advocacy
Jim Freeman’s legacy continues to resonate across music history and veteran advocacy, cementing his place as a cultural icon. His feature in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame archives alongside Elvis Presley stands as a testament to his influence on the doo-wop era, while his leadership as Cultural Advisor for National Invest In Veterans Week® (NIVW) underscores his commitment to empowering veteran entrepreneurs.
Adding to his historic influence, Jim Freeman and Jeff Shuford have made history with five Congressional Record entries and five official proclamations, recognizing their groundbreaking work in veteran entrepreneurship and cultural preservation. These proclamatio
Experience Jim Freeman’s legendary impact by exploring his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame feature, and witness history in the making as he and Jeff Shuford set a new milestone with five Congressional Record entries and five officiproclamations.
Few names in the world of doo-wop carry as much weight as Jim Freeman of The Five Satins, a pivotal figure in American music history. His role in shaping the golden age of vocal harmony has now been further cemented by his inclusion in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s prestigious archives, a distinction that highlights his lasting influence. Featured in the 1986 Elvis Presley Rock Hall Induction Edition, Freeman’s contributions are recognized alongside music’s most legendary figures, reflecting his status as a pioneer of rhythm and blues.
Beyond his musical success, Freeman has seamlessly transitioned into a vital leadership role as the Cultural Advisor for National Invest In Veterans Week® (NIVW). This distinction places him in the unique position of bridging two historic movements: the rise of rock and roll and the empowerment of veteran entrepreneurs.
Preserving Legacy: The Five Satins and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Jim Freeman and The Five Satins left an undeniable mark on the music industry with their 1956 classic “In the Still of the Night.” The song, recorded in a church basement in New Haven, Connecticut, became an enduring anthem of the doo-wop era, later earning a place in the Grammy Hall of Fame and influencing generations of artists.
"Being part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame archives is a surreal honor," Freeman reflects. "Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Little Richard—these were the pioneers who changed music forever. To know that The Five Satins hold a place in that same legacy is incredibly humbling."
Freeman’s feature in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame archives alongside Elvis Presley is not just a recognition of his individual contributions but a testament to the power of independent labels, the doo-wop movement, and the resilience of Black artists in shaping rock and roll history.
"Back then, we didn’t have major labels backing us, but we had something just as powerful—our voices and our passion," Freeman adds. "To see that history honored in such a prestigious way reminds us that music’s legacy is built on those who dared to create something timeless."
From Rock and Roll to Veteran Empowerment
While his musical legacy is now permanently archived in one of the most prestigious music institutions, Jim Freeman’s influence extends far beyond the stage. Today, he is an essential figure in veteran entrepreneurship, serving as Cultural Advisor for National Invest In Veterans Week® (NIVW). This congressionally recognized movement is co-founded by his grandson, Jeff Shuford, and is dedicated to celebrating and supporting veteran-owned businesses worldwide.
"Music and service share a common thread: both require dedication, resilience, and a deep connection to something greater than yourself," Freeman says. "With NIVW, we’re creating a platform that ensures veterans get the recognition they deserve—just like artists in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."
Under his cultural leadership, NIVW has expanded across 40 markets, including 19 U.S. and 21 international territories, solidifying its place as a global movement for veteran business advocacy. Freeman’s unique role ensures that NIVW’s mission is not just about business—it’s about storytelling, community, and legacy-building, the same elements that made rock and roll an unstoppable force in the 1950s.
A Legacy that Transcends Generations
From his feature in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame archives to his instrumental role in National Invest In Veterans Week®, Jim Freeman stands as a living bridge between two of America’s most significant cultural movements. His story is one of perseverance, innovation, and unwavering commitment to leaving a lasting impact—whether through timeless music or through supporting veteran entrepreneurs.
"When we recorded 'In the Still of the Night,' we never knew it would last this long. The same goes for National Invest In Veterans Week®—we’re building something that will outlive us, something that future generations can look back on with pride," Freeman concludes.
Through his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recognition and his advocacy for veterans, Freeman has ensured that his influence extends far beyond the microphone, shaping history in ways that will be remembered for generations to come.
Jim Freeman’s legacy continues to resonate across music history and veteran advocacy, cementing his place as a cultural icon. His feature in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame archives alongside Elvis Presley stands as a testament to his influence on the doo-wop era, while his leadership as Cultural Advisor for National Invest In Veterans Week® (NIVW) underscores his commitment to empowering veteran entrepreneurs.
Experience Jim Freeman’s legendary impact by exploring his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame feature here, and witness history in the making as he and Jeff Shuford set a new milestone with five Congressional Record entries here.