Washington, D.C., March 06, 2026
If you want a glimpse of the future of veteran services in the United States, start by looking at what states are building today.
Over the past few weeks, our team attended and sponsored two major gatherings: the National Governors Association (NGA) meeting and the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs (NASDVA) conference. While NASDVA is squarely focused on veteran services, NGA brings together governors and policy leaders to discuss a much broader set of state priorities.
Across both events, one theme kept surfacing—states are deeply committed to supporting veterans, but the systems designed to deliver services must evolve to keep pace with veterans’ needs.
One of the most valuable parts of these gatherings is the opportunity to reconnect with state and veteran service leaders from across the country.
Our CEO and team spent time meeting with partners from numerous states, exchanging ideas about emerging challenges, best practices, and where technology can help improve service delivery.
We were also honored to spend time with Maryland Governor Wes Moore, a combat veteran himself and a strong advocate for improving outcomes for those who served.
These conversations reinforced something we hear often: while each state operates in a different political and geographic environment, the core challenges they face are remarkably similar.
At NASDVA, we presented insights from a 10-state assessment conducted between October 2025 and February 2026 examining unmet needs, service barriers, and technology gaps across state veteran systems.
Despite differences in geography and policy environments, the same priorities consistently surfaced.
States reported the highest demand in areas including:
Veterans often move between multiple agencies and organizations to get the help they need. At each step—accessing services, navigating eligibility, coordinating across providers, and transferring cases—there is potential for delays or confusion.
In many cases, the friction occurs between stages of service delivery, where visibility is limited and case ownership becomes unclear.
This is why many states are beginning to prioritize coordination-first service models, where agencies and partners share information and maintain continuity of care.
Another common theme in discussions with state leaders was outreach.
Certain veteran populations remain particularly difficult for service systems to reach, including:
Rural veterans stood out in particular—every state in the assessment identified geography as a major obstacle to service delivery.
These realities are pushing states to rethink how services are delivered, especially in areas where distance and infrastructure create barriers to care.
The push for modernization is happening at the federal level as well.
In remarks delivered during the conference, VA Secretary Doug Collins outlined several efforts underway to improve how the Department of Veterans Affairs delivers services.
The VA now operates 170 hospitals, making it the largest healthcare system in the world. To manage that scale, the department is working to streamline operations and reduce administrative barriers.
Among the initiatives highlighted:
State leaders also raised questions about improving data sharing between the Department of Defense, the VA, and state governments, particularly when it comes to identifying and supporting transitioning service members earlier.
Across both NASDVA and NGA, one message stood out clearly: the next generation of veteran services will depend on better coordination, better data, and stronger collaboration across agencies and organizations.
States are eager to move beyond simply tracking activity and toward systems that provide real visibility into veteran needs and outcomes.
As sponsors of both conferences, we were proud to help bring these conversations into a broader national dialogue—and to continue working alongside leaders committed to ensuring veterans receive the support they deserve.
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Combined Arms (CA) is a 501(c)(3) organization committed to transforming the way veterans and military families connect with vetted resources needed to thrive. Through innovative technology and data sophistication, the Combined Arms platform unites top-tier veteran service organizations, state and federal agencies, and communities with data-fueled insights. This optimizes connection to resources and drives network-wide efficiencies and transparency, ultimately improving the quality of life for veterans and military families so they can thrive.
For more information, visit CombinedArms.us.
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