Newsletter

March 2, 2026

Our Strategic Goals

★  Support Veterans and their Families

★  Defend our Constitution as Written and Amended

★  Protect the Nation at Home and Abroad 

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Bob Wood

CEO, American Veterans Vote

LTG (R), US Army

JUMP SHIFT – an initial bid in the game of bridge I once played poorly to kill time with old classmates and friends. My AI pest defines this as “a very strong, game-forcing move.” I’d simply cite OPERATION EPIC FURY as the very best recent example of a strong opening bid to fundamentally force the hand of Iran and win the security, economic, and cultural “game” in the Middle East.

But we all know this is not a game. Many Veterans have borne the load of military action far from home. All Veterans have accepted the risks. May God protect and comfort all Service Members and those supporting them in the CENTCOM AOR as well as their family members at home.

Just hours into combat in the skies and waters surrounding Iran, the might of our nation’s military and that of our ally Israel has produced dramatic attrition of Iran’s military capabilities with light casualties or damage. Our work has been planned, precise, and effective unlike the spasms of Iranian strikes against cities, civilian populations, and neighboring countries in the region. But while concise goals have been explained by our Commander in Chief, the outcome is surely uncertain and the duration of the fight wickedly difficult to know.

Still, early signals and operational indications also look very promising. Teamwork between allies, joint partners, and our government has produced striking outcomes in a very complex battlespace. The reaction of Gulf states has been temperate. European governments are equally muted in their statements. All seem to unite in their condemnation of the Iranian theocracy and their years of harm to peace and prosperity. A Jump Shift for the better?

Veterans have all experienced earnest hopes for outcomes worthy of their years of devoted and selfless service. Expectations are fairly simple, hard to achieve, but deeply held - Smart leaders and good leadership, strong and steady support, clear goals and consistent rules, and CARE for teammates, families, and all others who bear the collateral costs of grand plans. We’re in it, so fight to win it. Veterans have a voice and a vote. AVV is ready to amplify that voice and rally that vote. 

And then, there’s this redistricting fight in our state, our Congressional districts, on our doorstep. Unfortunately, the citizens of this Commonwealth, regardless of party, and the Veterans who call Virginia home are facing a “Jump Shift” in the game of politics. The “very strong, game forcing-move” by Virginia’s Democrat General Assembly and new governor to illegally amend the state’s constitution and redraw our voting districts matches the spasms of a desperate Iran. Dishonest leaders and weak politicians seek to gerrymander voting districts to encompass selected populations that define election outcomes. Such schemes were stopped in 2020 by a majority of all Virginia voters in the passage of an amendment defining a reasonable balance in voting districts. But Democrats now seek to change from 7 Democrat leaning and 6 Republican leaning voting districts to 10 Democrat leaning and 1 Republican leaning voting district.

Early signals and operational indications do NOT look promising. We are now a sanctuary state, new taxes put the lie to any claims of affordability, WOKE is again on campus, second amendment rights are being dismantled, unions and criminals ascend in government priority, and multiple failed public policies return. And that is just the start. A Jump Shift for the worse?

Frustrated citizens can only hope for worthy outcomes from their years of paying rising taxes and trusting in political promises. Similar to Veterans watching Iran, citizen expectations are fairly simple, hard to achieve, but deeply held - Smart leaders and good leadership, strong and steady support, clear goals and consistent rules, and CARE for the taxpayers, their families, and all others who bear the collateral costs of their grand statements.

VOTE NO ON REDISTRICTING ON 21 APRIL!!

EVERY VETERAN, EVERY VOTE! 

Veterans Forward,

Bob Wood, LTG (R), USA

CEO, American Veterans Vote 

Inspiration Corner

He has achieved the victory!

Michael B. (Yama) Hoyes

COL (R), USAF

As we see the plans of the Virginia Executive and Legislature, there may be a sense of dread, perhaps even “persecution” of sorts. But we can find comfort in these two Bible verses: “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I (Jesus) have overcome the world.” (John 16:33); and “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt 11:28).

As a frame of reference, Jesus said the first quote to His disciples shortly before He was arrested and crucified. He said the second earlier in His ministry as He was speaking to crowds of people.

I'm considering these verses out of chronological sequence, since we may well regard what we could soon face, as “tribulation”…real suffering and opposition. But Jesus tells us to take heart, for He has already achieved the victory! This in no way suggests that we should cease our efforts, for we are His means to carry out His plan! No sitting on our hands when it is time to vote and to get others to vote! Be encouraged in faith!

EVERY VETERAN---EVERY VOTE---EVERY ELECTION

A Veteran's Perspective

Let's Honor our Oath - An Appeal

Henry Lee Sublett, III
LT COL (R), USAF

My path to commissioning and my concept of ‘Duty, Honor, Country’ began in my teenage years as my parents instilled in me the lessons they learned from the horrific turmoil of World War II. Fast forward to the closing chapters of Vietnam, I was honored to register for the draft. Shortly afterwards though, my mother and I tuned into the evening news and were absolutely horrified to watch protestors burning their draft cards.

Always stressing the importance of duty to God and Country, my mother looked at me with steely eyes and made her expectations crystal clear, “Son, if you ever decide to burn your draft card, just make sure to burn your birth certificate with it! It is better to come home on a shield of honor than to return home as a coward.”  As a strong woman whose ancestral upbringing traced back to a Norwegian Viking colony, her words came as no surprise. She often pointed to the family motto on our coat of arms, which translated to “Conquer or Die” and reminded me that while our nation may not be perfect – it is still the best country in the world, and certainly worth fighting for!

May 1980, I took my oath of office as a commissioned officer, focusing on the obligation I was assuming to protect our nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and understanding that this entailed a life-long commitment to protect my beloved republic and the liberties we hold sacred as enshrined in our Constitution and to defend all Americans, irrespective of their race, creed, national origin, political or religious affiliation. Years have passed, but the duties and obligations of my oath continue, and as with my fellow veterans, our struggle is now primarily on the political and civic stage; our key weapons are no longer kinetic but involve active participation at the ballot box.

Since the 2024 National Election, prospects for our nation’s future have taken a positive turn, with our economy improving and our borders secured. But a mere 12 months later, many failed to recognize the ‘Danger from Within’ as a stunning number of Virginia Veterans (around 180,000!) stayed at home during our crucial State elections, in a gross dereliction of their oaths. The outcome: an absolute rout of Republican candidates and a full assault on our constitutional liberties (2nd Amendment in particular) by Far-Left elected officials who took the offices of the Governor, Lt. Governor, the Attorney General, and both houses of the Virginia State Assembly. Their aggression against our liberties through radical legislation threatens our cherished values and traditions as Virginians. Critical cooperation with ICE to keep our families safe from gang members and dangerous unvetted illegal aliens was immediately suspended. Democrat promises to make life more ‘affordable’ rang shallow as over fifty additional taxes are proposed for levy on numerous everyday transactions, minimum sentencing mandates are being abolished for murderers, rapists, child pornographers in the most heinous legislative move imaginable.

And the assault on our 2nd Amendment rights has made the radical anti-gun lobbies throughout the nation blush with envy. Firearms that have been commonly owned for decades, such as semi-automatic pistols and rifles, will be banned from further sale, with criminal sentences and jail time for anyone who dares resist the overreaching and anti-constitutional laws that the Far-Left plans to pass. Thanks to their overreach and the failure of those who sat at home last November – you’ll only find six shooters, shotguns, lever-action and bolt-action rifles available for purchase after 1 July.

To perpetuate this tyranny, our new One-Party Assembly passed a proposed amendment to the Virginia Constitution that overturns the citizen approved redistricting plan passed in 2020. This new gerrymandered map would heavily favor Democratic representation. New Congressional Districts in Virginia would be twisted from today’s 6 Democratic leaning Districts, 5 Republican leaning Districts to 10 Democratic leaning Districts, 1 Republican leaning District. We must honor our Oaths and VOTE April 21 to say NO to this Redistricting plan. In November we must affirm common sense and sustain two-party representation.

If we cherish the Constitution, we must make our voices heard at the voting booth! Future generations depend on us. 

American Veterans Vote, Inc. (AVV) is a volunteer team of Veterans and Veteran supporters. We are a 527 Political Action Committee with a nationally-focused mission to promote the political power of Veterans and Veteran supporters in support of our three strategic goals:

• Support of Veterans and their Families
• Defend our Constitution as Written and Amended
• Protect the Nation at Home and Abroad

AVV’s goal is to help Veterans maximize their political voice by supporting Veterans’ ability to Vote, Volunteer and Lead.

"Every Veteran, Every Vote."

We don't speak FOR Veterans... we speak AS Veterans.

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