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Our Mission

To mobilize the political power of Veterans and Veteran Supporters to Defend the Constitution as written and amended, Strengthen the nation’s security at home and abroad, and Support Veterans, Service members, and their families.

ACCOMPLISH CHANGE THROUGH THE BALLOT BOX

Our Vision

Win elections and promote change at

local, state, and national level by delivering every Veteran, every vote to the ballot box.

who we are

American Veterans Vote consists of two core entities:

These entities have a two-fold goal of supporting and educating veterans on their power of their vote and advocating for veterans to continue their service to Country and community as they volunteer, vote and lead.

AVV Action - 527 PAC

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AVV ACTION

As a 527 Political Action Committee (PAC), AVV ACTION works through appropriate political support activities that advance AVV’s strategic goals.  While it does not directly support candidates or campaigns, it may support the policies as voiced by candidates for public office.

Task: Advocate for policies and the candidates who advance AVV goals

Purpose:  Achieve change through the Ballot Box

AVV Unite - A 501C(4)

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AVV UNITE

As a 501(c4) organization, AVV UNITE works to educate and advocate through appropriate activities the strategic goals of AVV. As an entity separate from AVV Action, it has separate accounting and reporting rules for its funds, activities and reporting requirements.  

Task: Develop and implement AVV strategies, plans, and operations to advance AVV goals

Purpose:  Achieve AVV goals by education and advocacy 

AVV’s work is based on principles, beliefs, and a code of conduct that strongly support our Veterans, Service Members, and their families, our Constitution as authored and amended, and security for our Nation at home and abroad. All are welcome to join AVV who subscribe and live by those values.

Our Beliefs

  • We believe all Veterans represent a powerful local, regional, and national force for positive change and vital leadership once awakened to their collective political strength and mobilized for unified action.
  • We believe that all Veterans have inherent worth and critical skills demonstrated through Service to their nation. They have earned the right to a political voice.
  • We believe that all Veterans, through their informed voting and collective action, can achieve change through the ballot box as volunteers, voters, and leaders.
  • We believe Veterans in public service and political leadership can protect and advance our shared principles.

Our History & Growth

In 2020, we found no standing Veteran oriented organization in Virginia (and the U.S) focused specifically on empowering Veteran political action through outreach, education, and support. We resolved to organize, incorporate, and commence operations to promote change through the ballot box.

In 2021, we developed networks, adopted data-based techniques, built membership and statewide teams, coordinated election activities, and led the coalition to turn out Veteran votes. Success! Our focus on mobilizing non-voting veterans added est. 51K vet votes – Veteran turnout beat average Voter turnout of 55% by 12% (67%)!

In 2022, we expanded federal election support across Va. Congressional races. Statewide membership of AVV grew 3X. Opened Washington (state) Veterans Vote.

In 2023, we opened 4 regional AVV teams to support 140 Va. Assembly races and support expanding member engagement. Refined data tools, media products, and statewide networks.  Expanded membership again by 3X. Adopted goal: EVERY VETERAN, EVERY VOTE!

AVV FAQ

We are a 527 Political Action Committee (PAC).  Our mission is to mobilize the political power of Veterans and Veteran Supporters to Defend the Constitution as written and amended, Strengthen the nation’s security at home and abroad, and Support Veterans, Service members, and their families.

Veteran Supporters are valued team members who believe in our mission, support our objectives, and work with us to achieve our common goals.

To pursue constructive support and positive change to win through the ballot box where it matters most – in elections for offices that empower our Constitutional Republic.

To network Veterans and mission partners to unleash Political power to elect those to political offices who support our goals and objectives.

To educate and advocate for the accurate and balanced understanding of our Nation’s history and civic life (good and bad), our obligation to pursue a more perfect union, and our responsibility to defend liberty and freedom from harmful neglect.

We are a standing organization, operating year-round, across election cycles with long term goals and objectives.

We are located and operate across the Commonwealth of Virginia. We communicate nationally with Veterans and supporting organizations who pursue similar activities and objectives.

We build Veteran teams with strong networks that enable effective Veteran engagement and support to campaigns and candidates who support our mission, goals, and objectives.

By linking local networks of local Veteran and volunteer supporters to political campaigns and candidates who align with our objectives and core valiues.

By using data and analytics to identify and support key races with close margins and achieve maximum effect at the ballot box.

By empowering political action as a standing organization through superior information, adaptive processes, lean organization, and efficient use of resources.

By teaming with the best mission partners to align complementary capabilities, achieve agility and speed of action, and field winning strategies with actions to WIN ELECTIONS.

Mission Partners are valued team members who have complementary capabilities, necessary skills, or supporting activities that allow us together to achieve common goals and objectives.

Strategic Goals and Current Objectives

From our Mission, AVV derives our strategic goals – support Veterans, Service Members, and their families, defend the Constitution as written and amended, and secure our Nation at home and abroad. These goals remain unchanged even as we adopt and execute operational objectives to achieve these goals. Objectives have measurable outcomes and tangible impact.  Our goals remain immutable. Accordingly, our goals and objectives follow:

Goal - Support Veterans, Service Members, and their families
  1. Retain transitioning Service Members in Virginia as they become new Veterans through timely counseling and mentoring activities, on site or distributed training and education programs, and follow up outreach for continuous adaptation of offerings.
  2. Continue expansion and active marketing of Virginia’s “gold standard” digital hub to connect Veterans to their earned benefits and resources.
  3. Offset inflation impacts through tax reduction on retired pensions, decreases in fees for professional licenses, and reduction of education and training costs through grants, subsidized loans, and tuition assistance.
  4. Streamline placement into high need occupations like teaching, law enforcement, and healthcare.
Goal - Defend the U.S. Constitution as Written and Amended
  1. Promote and support the teaching of the Constitution’s founding principles, their origins and influence on U.S. History, and the Civic practices that frame and guide our public and political discourse
  2. Identify threats to the Constitution as written and amended and publish, educate, and advocate for protective steps or counter measures.
  3. Highlight and, as necessary, oppose through published argument or political activity any actions that demean military Service, weaken or distort the rationale for military actions, or threaten the relationship between Americans and those who serve in the Armed Forces to defend them.
Goal - Secure the Nation at Home and Abroad
  1. Secure the borders and sovereignty of the United States against illegal trespass or crossing
  2. Restore the rule of law in all matters dealing with those individuals entering the United States illegally
  3. Deploy U.S. military and related security forces in accordance with Congressional deliberation and necessary legislation or resolutions stating the purpose of such deployments and actions and the criteria for continuing or terminating such deployments or operations.

Board of Advisors

LTG (R) Bob Wood, USA, Chief Executive Officer AVV

Bob Wood is the Chief Executive Officer for American Veterans Vote, a Veteran based advocacy group oriented on encouraging Veterans to understand and use their collective political voice.  Prior to his present position, Bob was Executive Vice President for National Security and Defense for AFCEA International, a large 501(c)6 member-based trade association serving the National Security, IT, Cyber, and C4I communities.  He served 36 years in the U. S. Army before retiring as a Lieutenant General. Throughout his career in peace and war, he commanded at all levels through Army Division and served in senior operations and staff positions at Army, Joint, and Coalition level.  Bob also held a variety of positions focused on strategic planning, education, and innovation.  He was a White House Fellow in the Reagan National Security Council.  In his last job before retirement, he served as the Deputy Commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command, in Norfolk, Virginia.  Bob earned a Masters of Business Administration at the University of Chicago, a Masters in Military Arts and Sciences at the Army’s Command and General Staff College, and a Bachelor of Sciences degree from West Point.  As an Army Strategic Studies Fellow, he attended Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service.  

LTC (R) Michael Schoelwer, USMC/President, AVV Unite

Michael H. Schoelwer is retired USMC Lieutenant Colonel. He was commissioned through the Navy ROTC Program at Notre Dame, where he earned his undergraduate degree. After attending the Basic School, he was assigned to the infantry, and served for 13 years active duty and 13 in the USMCR. He left active duty to join the CIA’s Directorate of Operations, where he served for 26 years. While on active duty, he earned a Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence from the Defense Intelligence College and a Master of Arts in Foreign Service from Georgetown University. His war zone and conflict zone tours include Afghanistan, Iraq, and Bosnia.

David A Norcross, Chairman

David Norcross is retired from practicing law. He has long been active in the Republican Party.  He was Chairman of the New Jersey GOP,  and a Member of the Republican National Committee for twenty years.  He also served as General Counsel, Chairman Rules Committee, and was Chairman of the 2004 NYC Nominating Convention Committee, where he was also Counsel to the Chairman.  David served as a CPT JAGC 1962-1965.

Ambassador James Gilmore, Member

James S. Gilmore III was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. He received an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia in 1971. After a three-year tour as a U.S. Army counterintelligence agent in West Germany, he entered the University of Virginia Law School, graduating in 1977. He worked for a decade in community service and as a lawyer in private practice, after which he was elected Commonwealth’s Attorney in his home county of Henrico in 1987 and 1991. He was elected Virginia Attorney General in 1993 and Governor in 1997. He cut income taxes for military personnel living in Virginia, lowered college tuition by 20 percent, and eliminated Virginia’s tax on prescription drugs. A noted leader on technology, he created the nation’s first secretariat in technology, established a statewide technology commission, and signed into law the nation’s first comprehensive state Internet policy.

Michael C Maibach, Member

Michael Maibach is a seasoned professional in global business diplomacy and civic engagement.  He is a Distinguished Fellow at Save Our States, focused on sustaining the Electoral College.  In 1983 he established Intel Corporation’s Government Affairs Department. From 2003 – 2012, he was the President & CEO of the European-American Business Council.  Michael has earned degrees from Northern Illinois University, California State University, American University, Georgetown University, Ashland University, and the Institute of World Politics where he now serves on the Board of Trustees.  While a college student, he was elected to the Dekalb County Board (Illinois), becoming the first person elected to public office under 21 years of age in US history.

COL (R) Mike Flanagan, USA, Chief Operating Officer AVV

COL Mike Flanagan USA (RETD) is an independent consultant in the defense industry while also serving as the Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army (CASA) for Virginia (South). Mike also serves on the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee for the Virginia Chamber of Commerce and is an advisor to the Central and Southern VA Chapters of the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA). He is a 1986 graduate of the United States Military Academy (USMA) and served 27 years in the Army as an armor officer and later as an acquisition officer. He has been an active volunteer on GOP campaigns and committees since he retired from the Army in 2013.

Leadership & Staff

LTG (R) Bob Wood, USA, Chief Executive Officer AVV

Bob Wood is the Chief Executive Officer for American Veterans Vote, a Veteran based advocacy group oriented on encouraging Veterans to understand and use their collective political voice.  Prior to his present position, Bob was Executive Vice President for National Security and Defense for AFCEA International, a large 501(c)6 member-based trade association serving the National Security, IT, Cyber, and C4I communities.  He served 36 years in the U. S. Army before retiring as a Lieutenant General. Throughout his career in peace and war, he commanded at all levels through Army Division and served in senior operations and staff positions at Army, Joint, and Coalition level.  Bob also held a variety of positions focused on strategic planning, education, and innovation.  He was a White House Fellow in the Reagan National Security Council.  In his last job before retirement, he served as the Deputy Commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command, in Norfolk, Virginia.  Bob earned a Masters of Business Administration at the University of Chicago, a Masters in Military Arts and Sciences at the Army’s Command and General Staff College, and a Bachelor of Sciences degree from West Point.  As an Army Strategic Studies Fellow, he attended Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service.  

Dr. Michael Hoyes, USAF, AVV Chaplain

Michael has over 45 years’ experience (30 active-duty Air Force) in military operations with a full spectrum of experience as an aviator, instructor, operational test and evaluation member, flight examiner, Air Combat Command and United States Air Forces Europe staff officer/division lead, DESERT STORM air campaign planner and multiple commands. He has over 3,000 hours of fighter and trainer aircraft time, which in addition to combat, includes being a graduate of the USAF Fighter Weapons School in the F-111, and an initial cadre instructor for the F-15E at the USAF Weapons School. Michael graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School and is a proud member of the United States Air Force Academy Class of 1976, the “Spirit of ’76! He received his master’s degree in aeronautical engineering from Embry-Riddle University and doctoral degree in strategic leadership from Regent University in 2014. He has authored one book, “Seeing Clearly—Principles, People and Purpose,” and has published several articles.

COL (R) Mike Flanagan, USA, Chief Operating Officer AVV

COL Mike Flanagan USA (RETD) is an independent consultant in the defense industry while also serving as the Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army (CASA) for Virginia (South).  Mike also serves on the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee for the Virginia Chamber of Commerce and represents the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) on Virginia’s Joint Leadership Council for Veteran Service Organizations (JLC VSO).  He is a 1986 graduate of USMA and served 27 years active duty in the Army as an armor officer and later as an acquisition officer.  He has been an active volunteer on GOP campaigns and committees since he retired from the Army in 2013.

Dr. Thom Owens, Director of Marketing and Communications

Thom Owens retired from the Army as a Lieutenant Colonel after a 20-year career in both combat arms and special operations units and assignments. Following his time in service, he was a founder and served as the Chief Operations Officer and Chief Executive Officer of a defense contracting firm providing specialized manpower back to the government supporting efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. After selling the business, he continued his education and earned a Doctor of Strategic Leadership from Regent University. He started a leadership development and process improvement consultancy and also serves as an Adjunct Professor teaching business, leadership, and management part-time at Regent University at the undergraduate level.

Dr. Arch Turner, Director of Data and Integration

Arch Turner is a former Naval Aviator, with over fifty years of service in national security.  Arch spent fourteen years flying carrier-based attack aircraft, and after retiring from the Navy, he worked in the defense industry as a consultant, and in government – accepting a position with DHS. He spent seventeen years in DoD/DHS science and technology. He is a graduate of the USNA with a BS in Aerospace Engineering and earned his Ph.D. from George Washington University, as well as an MS in information systems technology. He also earned an MS in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School.

Rich Eagan, Director of Regional Operations

Rich Eagan retired in 1993, after a more than 25-year career in the US Army. He served as a tracked vehicle mechanic and progressed to Repair Control Supervisor in non-divisional units as well as armored and infantry divisions in Viet Nam, Germany, and CONUS. As a CSM he created education and moral support programs and activities for the service men, women and their families while advising the commander and staff in training command, infantry, armor, and corps support units. In 1982 he was the first Combat Service Support soldier inducted into the 3d Armored Calvary's Old Bill Association. In 2001 he was inducted into the Ordnance Corps Hall of Fame. After retirement he accepted a position with a national medical supply company as the manager of a storage, manufacturing and distribution facility in Laurel, Maryland. His experience in logistics and information management reduced the overhead in that facility by 8% annually after two years without dismissing any employees. Those processes were adopted companywide creating an annual savings of more than five million dollars. Rich became the lead player for twenty-six facilities nationally in a companywide mentoring program for managers and customer service employees. That program improved customer service as well as company interpersonal communications and esprit. Rich is a lifetime member of the NRA, the Non Commissioned Officers Association, and 3rd Armored Calvary Association Museum. He is active in his church and frequently volunteers for religious, political, and community activities. Loretta (nee Sottile) and he have been married for over 50 years and are great grandparents.

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