Veterans Play Critical Roles in Protecting and Strengthening Our Democracy

A conversation between Anne Marie Dougherty, CEO of the Bob Woodruff Foundation, and Craig Newmark, Bob Woodruff Foundation Board Member and Founder of Craigslist and Craig Newmark Philanthropies

At the Bob Woodruff Foundation, we invest in the next chapter for our veterans and their families. After Bob was critically wounded while reporting on the war in Iraq, the Woodruffs had a lot of help with their transition to the next chapter. Our mission is a nonpartisan expression of their gratitude and desire to ensure all veterans receive the same levels of care and support. Now 18 million strong, and growing by about 250,000 each year, veterans are our neighbors, our frontline workers, our first responders, and our community leaders. 

With a presidential election just around the corner, I have been reflecting on the many roles veterans play to protect and strengthen our democracy. 

I sat down with Craig Newmark, one of our Bob Woodruff Foundation Board Members and the founder of Craigslist and Craig Newmark Philanthropies to discuss the relationship between veterans, journalism, and civic engagement.

Anne Marie Dougherty: Your philanthropic work is focused on defending American values of fairness, opportunity, and respect to strengthen our democracy. Why are veterans and military families one of the pillars of your strategy?

Craig Newmark: First, we need to remember how much vets and their families have sacrificed for our country, and I take that personally. Second, I'm finding that vets and their families are often eager to find other ways to serve our country, and two areas to make that happen are in general public service and more specifically, in cybersecurity careers.

This year, we are preparing for an election in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic uncertainty, and social unrest. How have these events impacted your strategy in 2020?

Overall, I've greatly stepped up my support for groups which protect our country as we come under attacks by our foreign adversaries and their domestic allies. That includes groups countering disinformation and harassment, as well as providing cybersecurity support and better journalistic ethics. Recently, I've realized that the response to the pandemic in our country has resulted in tens of millions of Americans going to bed hungry, and I've added food security to my strategy.

The US is served by an all-volunteer force in our active military, national guard, and reserves. Each of these service members and their families have chosen to serve. What advice do you have for civilians looking to increase their own civic engagement during this election season and beyond?

Most importantly, everyone needs to register to vote and vote. Beyond that, people can work as poll workers, and also ensure that accurate information regarding elections and voting is shared. People can also report when they see attacks on the American system, such as voter suppression.

Many Americans are connected to the military and veterans’ stories through journalists like Bob. What opportunities are there to strengthen our democracy through collaborations between veterans and journalists?

An idea in process is to get vets trained as journalists, and then placed in news organizations.

A strong civil society is a component of a healthy democracy. Together, the Bob Woodruff Foundation and Craig Newmark Philanthropies have built a network of more than 100 organizations across the US that provide critical services to veterans, service members, and their families. What in particular inspires and motivates you about these organizations? 

At great cost, these organizations provide grassroots support that's really needed, and they provide this support at the right time. Often, nonprofits try to help underserved groups without asking anyone what's really needed and when, but the BWF networks focus on legitimate need, and they get the job done.

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As we look ahead, the Bob Woodruff Foundation will continue to ensure that veterans needs are addressed in the near- and long-term. When Bob was injured, his position in the media and familiarity with many Americans helped raise awareness about the needs of veterans and their family members. Now, fourteen years later, the Bob Woodruff Foundation is continuing to share veterans’ stories in order to raise awareness and meet the needs of veterans who have sacrificed so much for our freedom and continue to serve every day in communities across the country.  

Veterans’ civic engagement at the local and community level supports a core tenant of our democracy – trust and respect between civilians and the military. As non-veterans, we can demonstrate our respect for veterans’ services to our country in part through our own commitment to civic engagement – by voting, donating, and volunteering to strengthen our communities and our nation.