USAA launches "Honor Through Action" initiative, pledges $500 million to support veterans and their families

As we pause on Veterans Day to honor and thank those who have served, USAA has launched a new initiative to celebrate, support and advocate for veterans every day of the year.

The backstory:

The USAA "Honor Through Action" is a national movement to celebrate the military community through advocacy in action.  USAA is investing $500 million over the next five years into meaningful careers, financial security and well-being for veterans and their families. 

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What they're saying:

"The initiative started with our CEO, Juan Andrade, and he said when he started in April that he wanted to do more in advocating for military families. And as you know, USAA has been advocating for service members for over a century, but we're taking that to the next level this Veterans Day by launching Honor Through Action to transform the lives of military families," said Jenna Salcedo Herrera, USAA Vice President of Corporate Impact.

"Honor Through Action" will bring together partners across the public, private and nonprofit sectors to create meaningful, measurable change on the issues that matter most to veterans and their families, focusing on meaningful careers, financial security, and well-being.

"Honor through action, think of it as a national movement, an opportunity to drive home for our service members a real thank you, a thank-you beyond words," said retired United States Army Major General John B. Richardson, USAA Senior Vice President head of Policy and Alliances. And for me as a veteran, I'm extremely proud of what USAA is doing, a bold leadership step in the focus on meaningful careers. Overall well-being and financial security for our veterans who have served for us, and now it's our turn to serve them." 

Dig deeper:

Meaningful Careers: USAA’s work will focus on helping veterans and military spouses build strong careers through career navigation, employer engagement, skills development and community support. Today, fewer than one in five transitioning service members feel fully prepared to secure civilian employment, and once employed, the average tenure is less than a year, according to the Department of War’s Transition Assistance Program. In addition, the unemployment rate for military spouses remains four times higher than the civilian rate, according to Blue Star Families.

Financial Security: USAA will strengthen the financial security of the military community through effective education, trusted advice and tools that help families plan, prepare and respond to the unique needs of military life. While the 2024 USAA Military Financial Well-Being Index shows optimism and resilience across the community, financial pressures remain high – underscoring the importance of maintaining strong financial habits and making informed decisions. 

Well-Being: Honor Through Action will build on our Face the Fight® initiative to prevent veteran suicide and expand support for physical health, caregiver support, community connection and the prevention of veteran homelessness.

What's next:

USAA is partnering with veterans and civilians across the country to share their stories and spark a national conversation. The goal is to help Americans better understand the realities of military life and how we can all go beyond, thanks.