April was for the people behind the service, the ones who never stop showing up.
This month, Mission Roll Call explored the other side of service: the military spouses who hold everything together during deployments, the caregivers who show up every single day without a rank or a paycheck, and the children who grow up learning resilience before most kids learn to say goodbye. Their experiences are not footnotes to the veteran story. They are the story.
We call this month’s theme “The Other Side of Service” because service doesn’t stop at the person in uniform. It lives in the households, the school transitions, the missed birthdays, and the quiet sacrifices that never make headlines. But April also reminded us that service takes many forms, including the kind that looks like leaping out of a plane over Normandy to honor the women warriors who came before you.
Here is what you might have missed:
Articles:
April article recap
- VA Performance Improving, but Transformation Remains Elusive
- 10 Honest Things Rarely Talked About with Military Spouses Before the First Deployment
- 5 Signs Caregiver Burnout Is Setting in and What to Do About It
- 6 Ways to Support a Veteran Caregiver Without OversteppingÂ
- 8 Essential Resources for Military Children and Their Families
- How Military Children Navigate Frequent Moves and What Schools Can Do Better
- Words Matter – But Definitions Shouldn’t Delay Help
- The Missed Connection: Why Realtors Are Overlooking One of the Most Impactful Housing Opportunities
- The Stories We Don’t Tell Reveal the Gaps We Ignore
- When the System Misses the Veteran: Where SSVF is Breaking Down and How We Fix It
Stories that Matter:
This month, two stories stood out: one looking back at history, and one looking forward through the eyes of a child.
Toni Lavery and Fox Force: An All-Women Jump Into Normandy
When Army Veteran Toni Lavery jumped into Normandy in June 2025, she looked around and realized she was the only woman on the ground. That moment sparked a mission. This June, Toni and Fox Force (a women’s development organization made up of veterans, law enforcement officers, first responders, and intelligence professionals) will make history with the first-ever all-women static line jump into Normandy, honoring the trailblazing women of the Greatest Generation who risked everything in service of freedom. It’s a story about what happens when women stand together and what they’re capable of when they do.
Read Toni’s Story: Honoring Women Warriors
Ciara: Raised in Service
Ciara moved seven times growing up. She learned to say goodbye before she learned to feel settled. She ran toward anyone in a flight suit hoping it was her dad. Now a parent herself, she watches her own daughter begin to navigate a life shaped by the same values: resilience, adaptability, and the understanding that home isn’t always a place. It’s the people you carry with you.
Her story is a quiet and powerful reminder that the impact of military service reaches far beyond the uniform, and that military children carry that weight with a strength most people never fully see.
Read Ciara’s Story: Raised in Service
Master Sgt. Swanson: 37 Years of Service, and the System Still Let Him Down
Master Sgt. Swanson gave 37 years to the Army. When his transition was cut short unexpectedly, there was no housing plan, no buffer, and no time to adjust. He returned to Chicago without stable housing and spent nine months navigating motels, temporary stays, and a system that simply wasn’t ready for him. His story is not one of personal failure. It is a systems failure, and one that happens far more often than it should. What makes his story remarkable is what came next: through the right connection at the right moment, he went from homelessness to homeownership. Today he works as a veteran’s real estate agent, helping other veterans do the same.
Read Master Sgt. Swanson’s Story
Veteran Town Hall
Veterans joined CEO Jim Whaley and COO Ray Whitaker on April 15 for the monthly town hall, diving into the issues shaping the lives of veterans, their families, and the caregivers who stand beside them. The conversation didn’t shy away from the hard stuff, because that’s exactly the point. Operation Surf also joined the conversation to share their work supporting military families.
Mission Roll Call in the Media
Mission Roll Call continued to ensure veteran and military family voices were heard in national conversations throughout April.
- Connecting Vets / Audacy. CEO Jim Whaley spoke with journalist Julia LeDoux about gaps in veteran suicide data reporting, warning that the true scope of the crisis may be significantly underreported. Whaley noted that when accounting for the shrinking veteran population, the actual suicide rate could be 30 to 40 percent higher than official figures reflect, and made clear that the goal should not simply be reducing the number, but eliminating it entirely.
- The Center Square. Veteran advocates are urging caution when interpreting official suicide statistics, warning that gaps in data collection may mask the true scale of the crisis. Mission Roll Call CEO Jim Whaley told The Center Square that inconsistent reporting and a declining veteran population can create a misleading picture, making it appear as though progress is greater than it truly is. Whaley emphasized that suicide prevention must focus on long‑term accountability and early intervention, stressing that success should be measured in lives saved, not just reduced numbers.
- The National Desk. A new Pentagon report shows military suicides declined in 2024, but veteran leaders caution that the improvement does not mean the mission is complete. Mission Roll Call CEO Jim Whaley said the drop is a positive sign, yet underscored that prevention cannot begin at the moment of crisis. Advocates called for earlier, community‑based support, reduced stigma around mental health care, and safer firearm practices, maintaining that the ultimate objective must be zero lives lost.
- The National Desk. Amid broad reforms at the Department of Veterans Affairs, more than 100,000 veterans have newly enrolled in VA health care this year, signaling growing confidence in the system. Mission Roll Call CEO Jim Whaley said the surge reflects increased trust driven by improved access, expanded facilities, and more flexible scheduling. Advocates say connecting veterans to quality health care early is essential—not only for overall well‑being, but as a key pillar in preventing mental health crises and suicide.
Research and Reports
Mission Roll Call’s latest research takes an honest look at what military families navigate when service ends and reintegration begins. From helping young children understand why a parent was gone, to the emotional complexity of stepping back into a family routine that has evolved without you, the transition home is rarely as simple as it looks from the outside. The report draws on MRC data, including findings that only 19% of respondents reported receiving any transition assistance from a local community provider, and offers practical guidance and resources for families at every stage of the journey. Because the mission doesn’t end at the homecoming. It just looks different.
Read the Full Report: Coming Home Isn’t the End of the Journey, It’s the Start of a New One
Speak Up: Your Voice Matters
The conversation doesn’t end here. Take our latest survey and make sure your voice is part of the data shaping policy decisions for veterans and military families nationwide.
Small Gift, Big Mission
Every dollar funds the surveys, research, and advocacy that bring verified veteran voices directly to the policymakers who control healthcare, benefits, and quality of life. Because when veterans speak, Washington should listen.
Looking Ahead: May and Beyond
May gives us two powerful reasons to show up for the veteran community, and we plan to make the most of both.
Military Appreciation Month is a time to pause and say what doesn’t get said nearly enough: thank you. Thank you to the veterans who served, the families who sacrificed alongside them, and the caregivers who never stopped showing up. At Mission Roll Call, gratitude isn’t just a gesture. It drives everything we do.
Mental Health Awareness Month gives us the opportunity to lean in fully this year. Our May theme, “The Weight We Carry,” will explore the mental health challenges veterans face long after service ends, the stigma that too often keeps them from asking for help, and the stories of those who found their way through. These are not easy conversations, but they are necessary ones, and veterans deserve a space where they can be had openly and without shame.
As we move through May, we will also be building toward one of the most solemn and important days on the calendar: Memorial Day.
Expect veteran stories, honest conversation, and resources built for real life. And stay tuned for details on our May Town Hall on May 13th.
Because the mission doesn’t end when the uniform comes off. It just looks different.