Combating the Challenges that Veterans and Military Families Face
This week, Robin welcomes a distinguished guest: Chris Ford, the CEO of the National Association of Veteran-Serving Organizations (NAVSO) and a 20-year veteran of the United States Air Force. Chris shares some of the unique challenges that veterans face after serving our country, which NAVSO is working to combat by giving veterans the support and opportunities they truly deserve. Later, Chris and Robin discuss NAVSO and American Humane's joint efforts, including an ambitious project: Operation Service Dog Access.
BIO:
Chris Ford currently serves as CEO of the National Association of Veteran-Serving Organizations (NAVSO). His entrepreneurship, leadership, and passion moved NAVSO from theoretical concept to public launch in 2014 and have positioned NAVSO to answer the long-demanded call for a national collaborative association for the Nation's 40,000+ veteran-/military-serving organizations. NAVSO serves as a trusted, neutral convener stitching together like-minded public and private organizations seeking to deliver more effective and efficient services to veterans and military families where they need them most. Chris has developed and implemented the strategic direction of the organization in response to evolving and often complex needs of veterans and military families.
He is a 20-year Air Force veteran retiring in 2014 from the Joint Chiefs of Staff where he served in the Chairman's Office of Warrior and Family Support. In this role, Chris leveraged his broad and deep perspectives on veteran reintegration to assist communities across eighteen states seeking to improve their support for military families. He previously served in nearly a dozen countries around the globe supporting Operations Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Chris holds a Bachelor's Degree from the United States Air Force Academy, and two Master's Degrees: one from the University of South Carolina and one from the Naval Postgraduate School. Additionally, he is a graduate of the Air Force' Squadron Officer School, the FBI's National Academy, Air Command and Staff College, Air War College, and Syracuse University's Boots to Business Program.