One Team, One Fight
We all remember the day we stepped off the bus at boot camp, basic training, basic officers’ course or the like. It was the first day of the rest of our lives, and from that very first day it was One Team, One Fight. We had to learn to work together, regardless of any differences we may have had with anyone in our team. This became our backbone; this created the comradery that we all miss once we leave service. One thing that never changes, is no matter how much we compete with each other, or we give each other shit and pick on the services amongst ourselves; when the wolf came to the door, we were one team, fighting side by side and had each other’s six.
Over the past decade the Military Community has seen an influx of Military Service Organizations. These organizations cover a multitude of areas of concern within our community, and it seems that every day we are hearing about a new organization coming to light. This article is not to throw shade at any organization or any group that is working to better the community, but to identify a new train of thought.
This new train of thought is driven by years of watching our community compete in a growing red ocean, where everyone believes that what they are doing is different and better then anyone else. In this we have lost our identity as a Military Community. This is the reason the Military Community Chamber of Commerce exists.
The Military Community Chamber of Commerce is designed to be the banner in the ground of a new eco-system. This eco-system is one where we remember our roots and remember what it’s like to work as a team. The current system is broken, and we are not afraid to say it. In the current system, organizations fight to locate donor money, grants and personnel. With the disjointed nature of the current system, we waste the precious money that comes into our community with redundancy and the multitude of lawyers, accountants, administrative assistance and executive directors. We are overloading our community with costs, and this is stifling meeting mission objectives. Non-profits in our community lose focus due to the constant need to find donors and money to support programs. The list of issues in the current system could be much longer, however, we will move on.
The new eco-system that the Military Community Chamber of Commerce is creating will create a place where we get back to our roots. Where we truly collaborate (while not forgetting to give each other a witty jab occasionally), share resources, share funding, share peoplepower, share research and drive the best of the best in programs and opportunities to the Greater Military Community.
The current system also, has created a divide in the community. With naming conventions such as Veteran and Military Spouse, we are driving wedges in our own community. This causes people to feel they don’t belong or aren’t welcome within certain organizations or programs. This is a lexicon change that the Military Community Chamber of Commerce is also bringing in this new approach. Our community is vast, and diverse. We have Active Duty, Guard, Reserve, Veterans, Military Spouses, Care Givers, Gold Star Families and dependents. However, probably some of the most unsung in our community the Patriots that have no affiliation, but support us with donations, their time, their skills and their efforts. We call this the Greater Military Community and should accept all that have a heart and passion to support bringing change and drive forward progress to solutions.
As the Military Community Chamber of Commerce, we foresee a future where all of us work together, better utilize resources, funding and knowledge to create the best programs, with the best outcomes and truly drive a change in the number of Veteran Suicides, the number of Military Community divorces and custody battles, educate the civilian sector and crush the under and unemployment of our entire community.
The Military Community Chamber of Commerce understands that this will be a hard road. However, our team, our allies and Patriots are committed to making these changes happen and welcome you to join us. We only ask one this, check your ego at the door and remember, it’s never about you, it’s always about the Community.