The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) is launching "Mission to Hire: Virginia 100 Veteran Hiring Pledge" on July 24, 2026, a 100-day statewide campaign aimed at connecting veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses with high-demand careers. This initiative, a collaboration with Virginia Works and the Hampton Roads Workforce Council, seeks to secure 100 employer pledges to hire at least one veteran or military spouse within the campaign period. Complementing this effort, DVS will host the Virginia Veterans Virtual Hiring Fair on July 29, 2026, featuring over 75 employers committed to hiring individuals with military experience.
Commissioner John Maxwell emphasized the importance of veteran employment, saying, "One of our most important missions at the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) is to do all that we can to ensure that Virginia’s military veterans and spouses find meaningful and purposeful employment in the Commonwealth’s civilian workforce when they leave active duty." Virginia's established Virginia Values Veterans (V3) program, a model for public/private partnerships, has already facilitated the hiring of over 180,000 veterans and military spouses by more than 3,700 certified partners since 2012. The Military Medics & Corpsmen (MMAC) program further assists medically trained servicemembers in finding civilian healthcare roles.
In a move to enhance accessibility, DVS has opened a new office in Chesapeake at 111 Mill Creek Parkway, Suite 203. This facility offers comprehensive assistance with disability claims, education, and behavioral health resources, providing both scheduled appointments and walk-in services for veterans and their families.
Virginia will also honor its combat-wounded service members on National Purple Heart Day, August 7, 2026. A ceremony at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond will recognize Purple Heart recipients, followed by a special event at Mount Vernon where Virginia's three state veterans cemeteries will receive Citations of Honor. On August 8, 2026, these cemeteries will be officially announced as the "First Purple Heart Cemeteries in America."
Further supporting veteran well-being, Racing For Heroes (RFH), a Virginia-based nonprofit, received a Suicide Prevention and Opioid Addiction Services (SOS) program grant from DVS. RFH utilizes motorsports as an alternative therapy for veterans coping with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury, and the grant funded transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) machines. Joshua Babb, RFH Director of Health and Wellness, said, "Our goal is to steer veterans away from conventional medicine and take a more holistic approach to their overall health and wellbeing."
Upcoming events include a National Day of Service on September 12, 2026, where volunteers can assist with headstone cleaning and grounds beautification at seven veterans cemeteries across Virginia. Additionally, the Virginia War Memorial Foundation will host a "Reflections on 9/11" lecture on September 10, 2026, featuring Lt. Gen. Bob Flowers (Ret.).