NVC is proud to recognize Code of Support Foundation (COSF) as the 2025 Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards® Charity Partner, an organization whose mission embodies the Chamber’s core values of service, leadership, and regional impact. We look forward to honoring COSF and its transformative work at this year’s GovCon Awards Gala in November. Join us in celebrating their commitment to those who serve and the powerful connection between the government contracting community and our nation’s heroes.
Through its PATRIOTlink® platform and coordinated case management, COSF connects service members, veterans, caregivers, and families with the resources they have earned but often struggle to access. Their work not only bridges the civilian–military divide but strengthens the ecosystem of support across Northern Virginia — home to one of the largest veteran populations in the nation.
As part of our Q&A, COSF shared how they are shaping the future relationship between the military, government, and contracting communities; why veterans are an untapped leadership asset in govcon; and how companies can transform good intentions into long-term impact. Read the full Q&A below:
How does your work strengthen support for veterans, service members, and the government contracting community in Northern Virginia, and how do you see Code of Support Foundation shaping the future relationship between these communities?
The Code of Support Foundation bridges the civilian–military divide by connecting service members, veterans, caregivers, and families with the resources they have earned but often struggle to find. Through our PATRIOTlink® platform and intensive case coordination, we strengthen the ecosystem of support across the region, with Virginia, and especially Northern Virginia, home to one of the largest veteran populations in the nation. Our work ensures that those who serve or have served have access to critical services like housing, mental health care, employment support, and more.
We also bring together leaders who share our commitment to service and national defense. At our Toast to Our Troops event in September, we were honored to host the current Secretary of the Army, four former Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps, along with several three- and four-star generals and their civilian counterparts. These gatherings highlight how Code of Support convenes the military, government, and private sectors to build meaningful relationships and drive collective action on behalf of those who serve.
Toast to Our Troops will be moving to the spring in 2026, and we are excited to expand opportunities for corporate sponsorship and engagement. If you are interested in being part of this inspiring evening that unites leaders across the military and govcon communities, please reach out. I’d love to share more.
Looking ahead, we see Code of Support Foundation continuing to serve as a trusted connector — helping the government contracting community translate its commitment to service into tangible outcomes that uplift veterans, service members, and their families.
Veterans have unique skills. How can contractors best hire, train, retain, and support them as they transition from military to civilian careers?
Veterans are natural problem-solvers, leaders, and team players. They thrive on accomplishing goals to support a greater mission. These traits align perfectly with the GovCon world. The key is creating pathways that recognize their military experience as an asset rather than a challenge to overcome.
Contractors can:
- Hire by partnering with veteran-serving organizations and using skill translation tools to identify transferable experiences.
- Train by offering onboarding programs tailored to those new to civilian workplaces, emphasizing mentorship.
- Retain by fostering a culture of belonging — ensuring veterans see a clear career path and community within the company.
- Support by providing access to resources like PATRIOTlink®, which connects veterans and their families to financial, mental health, and caregiver support.
When companies invest in their veteran employees holistically, they do not just gain talent — they gain loyalty and leadership.
Where do you see the greatest opportunities for the GovCon community to create lasting change for veterans and their families?
The GovCon community has a unique platform — it already serves the mission of national defense and government innovation. The next step is to extend that mission beyond the contract by investing in the people behind the uniform.
Opportunities include:
- Corporate philanthropy that funds programs like ours to close gaps in care and services.
- Supplier diversity and veteran-owned business partnerships to strengthen economic opportunity.
- Employee engagement initiatives where staff volunteer time and expertise to support veteran-serving nonprofits.
Lasting change happens when the GovCon community does not just “hire a veteran,” but commits to being part of a larger network of support that ensures long-term stability for veterans and their families.
How does PATRIOTlink enhance access to resources, and how might contractors leverage it to better support their veteran employees?
PATRIOTlink® is a free, national resource database that helps veterans, caregivers, and service members connect with verified programs that meet their specific needs — from mental health and housing to financial and family support.
For contractors, PATRIOTlink® can be a powerful employee resource tool. By integrating it into HR and employee assistance programs, companies can provide veteran employees — and those who support them — with immediate access to trustworthy help. It demonstrates that the company not only values hiring veterans but also cares about their well-being and long-term success.
What does being the 2025 GovCon Awards Charity Partner mean for Code of Support, and how does your relationship with NVC reflect your commitment as an engaged member? Additionally, how will the associated awareness and resources impact your organization and the Northern Virginia community?
Being selected as the 2025 GovCon Awards Charity Partner is an incredible honor. It validates the importance of our mission and amplifies our ability to serve more veterans and families in need.
Our relationship with NVC reflects our shared values of leadership, service, and community. The awareness and visibility from this partnership will help us reach new corporate partners, recruit more volunteers, and ultimately connect more military and veteran families to life-changing resources.
For Northern Virginia, it strengthens the region’s reputation as a place where business and service intersect, and where companies succeed because they care about those who served.
Looking ahead, what role do you see Code of Support Foundation playing in the veteran community over the next 5–10 years?
In the next decade, the Code of Support Foundation aims to be the backbone of care coordination and resource navigation across the military and veteran ecosystem. We will continue expanding PATRIOTlink® as the trusted national platform for verified resources and deepen partnerships that make it easier for every veteran, service member, caregiver, and family member to get help without hitting barriers.
We also see ourselves helping corporations and government agencies strengthen their veteran engagement strategies by turning goodwill into measurable impact. Our goal is simple but bold: no service member, veteran, caregiver, or family member should ever struggle alone to find the support they have earned.
