At Mission Roll Call, every year starts by listening. In our 2025 annual priorities survey, thousands of veterans, family members, and supporters shared their experiences and perspectives. The result: four core priorities have emerged to guide our work in 2026.
But hearing those priorities is only the beginning. Below are six focus areas that we are carrying forward into 2026. These 6 areas are where veteran voices are driving action, and where we are committed to turning plans into progress.
1. Expanding Access to Quality Healthcare (VA & Non‑VA)
Veterans consistently tell us that timely, high‑quality care is one of their most urgent needs.
In 2026, we are stepping up our efforts to map the barriers veterans face in accessing care and to advocate for policies that remove those obstacles. Expect more research, more storytelling, and more collaborative partnerships aimed at improving outcomes and reducing travel or wait‑time burdens.
Why it matters: Healthcare may be a system, but real care happens person to person. Keeping veterans at the center of the design ensures the system serves, not impedes, them.
2. Supporting Service‑Connected Injuries and Conditions
Many veterans live with long‑term, service‑connected injuries and conditions both visible and invisible.
In 2026, our work will zero in on caregivers, the complexity of chronic care, transitions between active duty and civilian life, and the advocacy required to make sure the benefits and programs veterans earned actually work for them.
Why it matters: Service doesn’t stop at discharge. The condition may persist and the support should too.
3. Enhancing Veteran Suicide Prevention
Preventing veteran suicide remains a top priority.
But in 2026, we’re refining the approach. We’ll explore not only crisis intervention, but prevention before crisis such as peer networks, community connection, non‑clinical wellness, and early engagement.
Why it matters: Countless initiatives exist, but veterans are telling us that what’s missing is reaching them before they hit the edge. We’re committed to shifting earlier on the timeline.
4. Expanding Housing Access & Homelessness Prevention
Every veteran deserves a safe, stable place to live and yet too many remain without it.
Our 2026 efforts will shine a spotlight on the root causes of veteran homelessness: economic instability, healthcare gaps, transitions, and family breakdowns. We’ll profile promising models, support policy change, and elevate veteran‑led solutions in housing stability.
Why it matters: A home is more than a roof—it’s a platform for healing, purpose, and community reintegration.
5. Amplifying Veteran, Family & Caregiver Voices
The four key priorities above emerged because veterans spoke up. This priority remains at the core of Mission Roll Call.
In 2026, we’ll carry forward not just issue‑areas but the method: listening to veterans, families, and caregivers, and turning their perspectives into action. That means more surveys, more regional outreach, more transparency in how we use what we hear.
Why it matters: Change without input is incomplete. When those most affected have a seat at the table, the outcome is stronger.
6. Strengthening Partnerships & Resource Networks
Our advocacy is built on collaboration with veteran service organizations (VSOs), community groups, policymakers, and families.
In 2026, we’ll expand our resource‑directory model, deepen local‑level partnerships, and ensure that knowledge and connection travel as fast as policy changes. That means more stories, more tool‑kits, more live events, and more ways for every veteran to link into the network of support.
Why it matters: When resources are scattered and hard to find, they may as well not exist. Bringing them together amplifies impact.
Looking Ahead
These six focus areas are not silos; they’re interconnected threads in a broader mission. Veterans and families told us what matters; now we carry that work into action.
At Mission Roll Call, we are honored to amplify your voices, turn your feedback into policy and practice, and build a future where every veteran is seen, heard, and supported.
If you haven’t yet participated in our Veteran Voices survey, now’s your chance. Your experience matters, and your voice remains the fuel for change. Join us and be part of the movement.
When the call of duty sends a warrior into harm’s way, it often draws a caregiver into a world of unseen burden and quiet sacrifice. You — spouses, partners, family members, and loved ones — take on the weight of recovery, navigating injuries both visible and invisible. You advocate for medical care, manage daily life through uncertainty, support emotional healing, and often do it all while pushing your own needs aside.
The weight can feel heavy, relentless, and isolating.
But there is support for you. One organization making a powerful impact is Operation Healing Forces (OHF). This nonprofit is dedicated to serving America’s wounded, ill, and injured Special Operations Forces (SOF) and their families. And while many know about their Couples Retreats and crisis support, fewer realize that OHF offers specialized Caregiver Retreats, created just for people like you.
Why Caregiver Retreats Matter
As a caregiver, it’s easy to lose yourself in the role. Stress, burnout, sleeplessness, compassion fatigue, and emotional exhaustion can build up over time. That’s why OHF’s Caregiver Retreats offer more than just a break, they offer a lifeline.
These immersive retreats are hosted in peaceful, restorative locations. They provide time and space for you to reset, reflect, and reconnect with yourself. You’ll engage in meaningful activities, enjoy nature, and build connections with others who understand the caregiving journey firsthand.
Led by former SOF operators and their spouses, these retreats offer comfort and understanding. Unlike traditional therapy sessions, these experiences are built on shared trust and mutual respect. Each retreat includes private accommodations, small group support, and the chance to experience real healing in a safe, supportive environment.
Support Beyond the Retreat
Operation Healing Forces understands that caregiving doesn’t end when the retreat does, and neither should support.
In addition to their retreats, OHF offers a range of ongoing caregiver resources:
- Immediate Needs Program: Providing financial assistance for emergencies, travel, medical supplies, and respite support.
- HatchPath Behavioral Health Coaching: A virtual wellness platform offering customized coaching in resilience, stress management, nutrition, life balance, and more. This resource is available at no cost to approved caregivers and SOF family members.
One of the most unique aspects of OHF is that 100% of donations go directly to programs, not overhead. This means more direct impact and deeper care for the people who need it most, including you.
You Are Eligible And You Deserve This
If you are caring for a wounded, ill, or injured SOF service member or veteran, or if you are a spouse or family member supporting someone in that category, you may be eligible to apply for an OHF caregiver retreat or support program.
The application process is simple. Share your story, complete the intake form, and request the support that fits your needs. Retreat spots are limited, so early applications are encouraged.
Many past participants describe the experience as life-changing. Some report feeling renewed hope. Others say they found the clarity, energy, and connection they had been missing for years.
A Stronger Network Through Mission Roll Call
Operation Healing Forces is proud to be a partner of Mission Roll Call to impact the lives of more veterans, military families, and supporters.
Through this partnership, you can find OHF listed in the Mission Roll Call Resource Directory, along with many other vetted organizations that serve the veteran and caregiver community. Whether you’re looking for legal resources, mental health support, financial aid, or peer connections, the directory is a one-stop shop for real, accessible help.
Explore it here: Mission Roll Call Veteran Resource Directory
Take the First Step Toward Your Own Healing
Your journey as a caregiver matters. Your health, your peace, and your purpose are just as important as those you care for.
Visit operationhealingforces.org to learn more about the Caregiver Retreat Program or to apply today. Don’t wait until you’re burned out or breaking down. Give yourself the gift of healing, connection, and rest. You have carried others for so long. Let someone carry you for a change.