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Mission
Mission
The mission of the NYC Department of Veterans' Services (DVS) is to connect, mobilize, and empower New York City's Veteran community in order to foster purpose-driven lives for US Military Service Members — past and present — in addition to their caregivers, survivors, and families.
To deliver on that mission, we are taking intentional action across short-, mid-, and long-term horizons:
- In the short term, we are expanding access to essential services—including affordable housing, VA claims support, and peer-to-peer programs—while modernizing our digital platforms like VetConnectNYC and strengthening outreach to transitioning Service Members.
- In the mid term, we are scaling our support by embedding Veteran-focused tools and data across City government, securing federal resources for staff expansion, and investing in culture-forward efforts—from honoring Vietnam War Veterans to launching a Ticker Tape Parade for the Post-9/11 generation.
- In the long term, we are working to build a city where all Veterans can thrive. That means increasing access to VA healthcare, improving benefit utilization rates, promoting educational success for military-connected families, and driving employment and entrepreneurship through targeted partnerships.
View our Strategic Plan 2026–2030 and Beyond, for a deeper look at the strategic framework driving these efforts.
We pursue these goals in close coordination with local organizations, national partners, and every New Yorker who believes that service should be met with support. DVS is here to ensure that Veterans are not just thanked—but seen, heard, and championed at every stage of life.