GIVING BACK: Combined Arms

Blog

June 09, 2023

Each issue, the editorial staff of Military Embedded Systems will highlight a different charitable organization that benefits the military, veterans, and their families. We are honored to cover the technology that protects those who protect us every day.

This issue we are highlighting Combined Arms, a Houston-based nonprofit organization launched in 2015 that helps military veterans and their families across the U.S. by providing centralized access to its network of over 900 social services and resources connected with its member organizations.

Combined Arms, according to information from the organization, works at creating a new model for veteran services, one focusing on collective impact, by creating pathways for them to access resources based on exactly what they’ve asked for, leaving the outdated model of “services in silos” behind. The organization believes that no single outlet can provide all the programming or resources necessary to be successful, so its mission is to focus on easing veterans’ access to those services.

The founders identified what they termed the “four pillars” of connecting veterans to services they need once out of the military: a single point of entry, a technology platform the veterans can initiate from anywhere in the world; efficient technology, using easily accessed online and mobile platforms; engagement, by which the organization reaches nationwide with geotargeted content and campaigns; and engaging the veteran community to empower veterans to serve as community leaders.

In addition to assisting traditional U.S. veterans, Combined Arms also works to provide aid to other U.S. military allies to ensure they are receiving the support they need. One recent addition is the SIV [Special Immigrant Visa] program, through which veterans and volunteers work closely with local resettlement agencies to fill resource gaps, provide newly arrived SIVs and wartime allies with opportunities, and support these people with navigating aid resources in the U.S.

For additional information, please visit https://www.combinedarms.us/.