From State Capitols to Ivy Gates: Why ‘Investing in Veterans’ Is Becoming a National Civic Mandate

In 2022, New York State Assemblyman Jake Ashby (R,C,I–Castleton) introduced a bold $500 million “Invest in Veterans” proposal—framed not as charity, but as pandemic-era stimulus that acknowledged the enduring service of military veterans and first responders. With $250 million for critical operations like PTSD support, suicide prevention, and local veterans’ departments, and another $250 million dedicated to capital investments in housing and service facilities, Ashby’s proposal was one of the earliest legislative models to formally define military service as an investment-worthy asset.

“This essential funding will fortify and grow our Veteran Service Organizations and State Veterans programs to ultimately ensure greater support and expanded high-quality services for the nearly one million veterans across our state,” Ashby said.
Read the original Troy Record article

Three years later, Ashby’s rhetoric and rationale have become part of a far-reaching national framework—one increasingly aligned under the civic umbrella of National Invest In Veterans Week®, the only federally trademarked veteran business observance and a rapidly expanding cross-sector platform.

A Growing Doctrine: Veterans as Strategic National Capital

At its core, National Invest In Veterans Week® reframes military service as more than honorable—it positions it as a strategic national investment. Since its founding in 2019, the initiative has been:

• Entered into the U.S. Congressional Record

• Endorsed by Harvard Catalyst as a cross-sector model for veteran empowerment

• Celebrated internationally in Canada and Europe

• Referenced in bipartisan legislation like Congressman John Moolenaar’s Veterans Fellowship Act

• Supported by private capital through ITA Growth Partners, a family office for veteran entrepreneurs

These milestones are no coincidence—they are the result of an emerging civic consensus: that veterans are not just beneficiaries of services, but stakeholders in national advancement.

Higher Education Joins the Mandate: Ithaka S+R on Selective Colleges and Veterans

This same theme is now permeating elite academia. In a 2023 op-ed in The Hechinger Report, Catharine “Cappy” Hill, managing director of Ithaka S+R, made the case that selective colleges must invest in veterans—not out of obligation, but out of opportunity.

She outlined three reasons:

1. Higher completion rates: Veterans thrive when given access to top-tier institutions with high academic support.

2. Future influence: These colleges produce many of the country’s civic and corporate leaders—veterans must be part of that pipeline.

3. Democratic preservation: Investing in veterans is an investment in the institutions that safeguard democracy itself.

“The role the military plays in support of our democracy must not be taken for granted.”
Read more at Ithaka S+R

Hill’s call isn’t isolated—it reflects a wider academic shift seen at schools partnering with National Invest In Veterans Week® and adopting dedicated veteran enrollment pathways. Just as Ashby envisioned structural investment in state services, this moment demands similar resolve from America's most selective campuses.

Corporate Execution: Spectrum’s Workforce Pipeline for Veterans

While Ashby and Hill work in policy and academia, companies like Charter Communications are applying these principles at scale. Under its Spectrum brand, Charter operates one of the country’s most robust veteran employment ecosystems.

The Broadband Field Technician Apprenticeship Program allows veterans to earn a competitive salary while using their GI Bill benefits to become certified broadband professionals. The career path—from technician to director—is reinforced with military-spouse hiring initiatives, on-base career centers, and partnerships with Hiring Our Heroes.

As of 2025, Charter’s veteran efforts have earned it honors including:

• Military Friendly Employer Gold Award

• VETS Indexes 5 Star Employer

• Broad adoption across 41 states

This is not isolated goodwill—it’s institutional alignment with National Invest In Veterans Week® and a signal to other employers that veteran investment is both principled and profitable.

Legislative Momentum: Moolenaar’s Federal Model

Bridging state initiatives and corporate programs is federal legislation like the Veterans Fellowship Act, reintroduced by Congressman John Moolenaar (MI-02) in 2025. The bill allows states to channel federal funding into fellowship-to-hire pipelines, giving veterans structured entry into civilian careers.

Moolenaar’s work has directly referenced National Invest In Veterans Week® as a guiding framework—further demonstrating how civic initiatives can serve as national scaffolding for cross-party policy.

Explore Moolenaar’s veteran leadership

Conclusion: From Statehouse to Schoolhouse to Stock Exchange

Assemblyman Jake Ashby’s call to “Invest in Veterans” was one of the earliest formal declarations of what has now become a national doctrine. That doctrine spans:

• Capitols: with bipartisan legislative momentum

• Corporations: like Charter scaling workforce pipelines

• Campuses: like Ithaka S+R urging elite schools to act

• Communities: through campaigns like KIRO Newsradio’s $1,000 nonprofit nomination drive

This is no longer a conversation about gratitude—it is a coordinated economic and civic investment strategy. One rooted in measurable impact. One architected for sustainability. And one whose framework—National Invest In Veterans Week®—is now embedded in policy, practice, and principle.

Explore Further:

• Jake Ashby’s $500M Proposal – Troy Record

• Three Reasons Why Colleges Must Invest in Veterans – Ithaka S+R

• Spectrum Careers for Veterans – Broadband Apprenticeship

• Congressman Moolenaar’s Leadership

• Harvard Catalyst Feature