Maryland Joins Forces

The Maryland Department of Veterans & Military Families believes veterans and active service members are more likely to thrive in Maryland when their families are healthy and resilient. Maryland Joins Forces (MJF) is an initiative designed to mobilize partners across sectors to meaningfully address issues affecting veterans and military families. MJF is centered around five focus areas.

Mission: To unite public and private partners to foster innovative solutions to challenges facing our military connected community. Through intentional collaboration, we empower veterans, service members, and their families with the support they deserve, building a community where no one is left behind.

Vision: Maryland is a state where veterans, service members, and their families feel welcomed and empowered to reach their full potential.

Focus Areas and Desired Outcome

(1) Employment: Reduce veteran & military spouse unemployment and make it easier for spouses to transition to the state without career disruptions.

(2) Food and Housing Insecurity: Ensure no military connected family experiences food insecurity and eliminate homelessness amongst veteran families.

(3) Education: Members of the military-connected community gain the skills and credentials they need to find meaningful employment and contribute to a thriving Maryland economy.

(4) Health and Wellness: Military connected families live healthier lives – both physically and mentally with increased access to health and wellness resources.

(5) Volunteer Service: Increase the number of opportunities for members of the military connected community to serve alongside their non-military connected neighbors to reduce the civil-military divide.

Organizations that have joined DVMF/Maryland Joins Forces with a Memoranda of Agreement include:

American Corporate Partners
American University
Armed Services Arts Partnership
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Blue Star Families
Civil Air Patrol/United States Air Force Auxiliary
Easterseals DC MD VA
The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Easterseals
Elizabeth Dole Foundation
EveryMind/Serving Together
Heroes on the Water
Hiring Our Heroes, a program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation
Kennedy Krieger Institute
Leader Transition Institute
Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council
Modern Military Association of America
Operation Homefront
Objective Zero Foundation
Platoon 22
Team Red, White, & Blue
Towson University
Travis Manion Foundation
United Through Reading
University of Baltimore School of Law’s Bob Parsons Veterans Advocacy Clinic 
University of Maryland Global Campus
Veteran and Military Support Alliance

“We want to do everything we can to keep our heroes and their talents here at home after their military service ends,” said Maryland’s Former Secretary of Veterans and Military Families Anthony Woods. “Maryland Joins Forces will go a long way in allowing us to achieve exactly that.”

To get in contact with Maryland Joins Forces, please email Dana Burl, Deputy Secretary, Military Family Policy and Programs, at dana.burl@maryland.gov.