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'''Concerned Veterans for America''' (CVA) says it is a group of "veterans from every branch of uniformed services and every conflict from World War II to the Global War on Terrors" whose "mission is to advocate for policies that will preserve the freedom and prosperity."<ref name=cva>CVA [https://cv4a.org/our-mission/ our missions] organizational website, accessed April 24, 2019</ref> CVA is "one of the most muscular arms of the conservative Koch network."<ref name=wapo2018>Michelle Ye Hee Lee Lisa Rein and David Weigel [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-a-koch-backed-veterans-group-gained-influence-in-trumps-washington/2018/04/07/398b67c4-3784-11e8-9c0a-85d477d9a226_story.html?utm_term=.5b7d3d27ccd6 How a Koch-backed veterans group gained influence in Trump’s Washington] ''Washington Post'' April 7, 2018</ref> CVA is "the Kochs' veterans astroturf organization"<ref name=cvaaction>David Armiak [https://www.prwatch.org/news/2018/11/13415/team-koch-steps-game-veterans-astroturf-operation-2018-midterms Team Koch Steps Up Game with Veterans Astroturf Operation in 2018 Midterms] ''Prwatch'' Nov. 2, 2018</ref> It lists the same office address as [[Americans for Prosperity]]<ref>AFP [https://americansforprosperity.org/contact-us/ contact] organizational website, accessed April 24, 2019</ref> and [[The Libre Initiative]] on its website.<ref>Libre Initiative [https://thelibreinstitute.org/about-libre-institute/ about] organizational website, accessed April 24, 2019</ref><refname=cva/><ref name="koch players">Matea Gold [http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/the-players-in-the-koch-backed-400-million-political-donor-network/2014/01/05/714451a8-74b5-11e3-8b3f-b1666705ca3b_story.html The players in the Koch-backed $400 million political donor network]," ''Washington Post'', January 5, 2014. Accessed June 18, 2014.</ref> CVA warns against straying from "free markets" and is "working to return to the tradition of limited, effective government."<refname=cva/>

Concerned Veterans for America submits used to submit its IRS filings under the name Vets for Economic Freedom Trust.<ref name="TOHE">Kim Barker and Theodoric Meyer, "[http://www.propublica.org/article/who-controls-koch-political-network-asmi-slah-tohe Who Controls the Kochs’ Political Network? ASMI, SLAH and TOHE]," ''ProPublica'', March 17, 2014. Accessed June 18, 2014.</ref>

==Ties News and Controversies=====Launching of New Website That Aims to Privatize Health Care for Veterans===In June 2023, Concerned Veterans for America launched its [https://vamissionact.com/ VA Mission Act website] in which they "provide resources once found on a VA website designed to educate veterans about their health benefits under the Mission Act, legislation passed in 2018 that made it easier for veterans to get care at non-VA facilities."<br>The websites creation serves as a response to the removal of these resources with Darin Selnick, a senior adviser to CVA, starting "It seems to be part of the programmatic efforts to not let veterans be educated about their options," <ref> Patricia Kime, [https://www.military.com/daily-news/2023/06/07/conservative-group-launches-website-help-vets-find-health-care-outside-of-va.html Conservative Group Launches Website to Help Vets Find Health Care Outside of VA], Military.com, June 7th, 2023 </ref>Another key reason CVA launched this website was to promote private healthcare facilities to help make it more costly for VA facilities to operate. With this shift towards privatized health care for veterans, those involved in these lobbying efforts stand to make millions of dollars while the quality of veteran healthcare in America declines. ===7 Figure Policy Campaign to Try and Stop American Global Involvement===CVA, in January of 2023, launched a seven-figure campaign to "inform the public about U.S. involvement overseas and question the burden-sharing in alliance commitments in Europe and elsewhere." The campaign includes digital, grassroots, and classroom-style programming to "foster a broader discussion about the nature of U.S. defense agreements toward advancing U.S. interests."<br>John Byrnes, a senior adviser at the Concerned Veterans for America Foundation, stated, "Given the shifting nature of international challenges over the last few years, it’s really important that Americans understand with whom we have alliances, why we have alliances right now with those countries, and how we can improve those alliances for Americans’ benefit, as well as those countries' benefit,”<ref> Katherine Doyle, [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/white-house/concerned-veterans-alliance-campaign Koch-aligned group launches seven-figure grassroots foreign policy campaign], Washington Examiner, January 17th, 2023 </ref> ===Supporting Afghanistan Troop Withdrawal===In the wake of President Biden's withdrawal from Afghanistan, CVA came out to publically support the move "I think he made the right decision to withdraw," Dan Caldwell, a senior advisor to CVA. This surprises many sense that the " Koch political network was one of the foremost antagonists of the Obama administration in which Biden served as vice president."<br> In response to some Republicans who openly criticized Bidens move, Caldwell also stated, "It's incredibly disappointing to see people using the chaos in Afghanistan to score political points against their opponents, primarily against Joe Biden who, in many ways, just was following through on the plan set in motion by President Trump Administration."<ref> Lachlan Markay, [https://www.axios.com/2021/08/17/koch-concerned-veterans-biden-afghanistan-withdrawal Kochworld comes to Biden's defense on Afghanistan], Axios, August 17th, 2021 </ref> ==CVA Action== Concerned Veterans for America Action (CVA Action) is a project of the Americans for Prosperity Action (AFP Action) super-PAC. Its logo and name are trademarked by AFP Action.<ref>CVA Action [https://concernedvetsaction.com/ home] organizational site, accessed April 25, 2019</ref> In 2018, CVA action was a part of "Team Koch" increasing its game via a "Veterans Astroturf Operation in 2018." CVA Action supported Republicans and opposed Democrats in the midterm.<ref name=cvaaction/> The PAC serves as the action arm of CVA and describes its work as being "committed to electing champions for positive policies that promote the wellbeing, prosperity, and self-sufficiency of not only veterans, but also their families and their communities. But it doesn’t stop there. Veterans across the country have fought to preserve America’s prosperity" CVA Action describes its founding goals as "to build the broad coalitions in Washington needed to make them a reality. Our vision is to build movements of millions around policies that lead to a society of mutual benefit – where people succeed by helping others improve their lives – and to break the internal and external barriers that prevent people from realizing their potential."<ref> CVA Action About, [https://concernedvetsaction.com/], CVA Action, Accessed June 20th, 2023 </ref>

===In 2018:* CVA Has a 'Seat at the Table'==Action launched an ad campaign against U.S. Senator Jon Tester (MT-D). Republican challenger Matt Rosendale ultimately lost to Tester.<ref name=cvaaction/>In * CVA Action also announced a post on its website"six-figure" direct ad mail campaign to support U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis (R) in his campaign for governor of Florida. DeSantis, who supported CVA touted that it has a "seat at 's efforts to begin privatizing the table with VA while in Congress, won the Trump administrationrace against Democrat Andrew Gillum."<refname=cvaaction/>Katy Abram, [https://cv4a* CVA Action paid for a direct mailer campaign for Rep.org/icymiTed Budd (R-cva-has-a-seat-atNC) and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-the-table-with-the-trump-administration/ ICYMI: CVA HAS A SEAT AT THE TABLE WITH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION], ''Concerned Veterans for America", April 10, 2018WA).<ref name=cvaaction/ref> In particular, CVA reports that Trump is receptive to CVA's push to privatize the Veterans health care, "The Trump administration has been open to the idea of 'VA Choice,' allowing veterans to access private care in their communities."

===Former CVA Employees in Trump Administration===As of April 2018:<ref>PropublicaBy 2022, [https://projects.propublica.org/trump-town/organizations/concerned-veterans-[Americans for-america Concerned Veterans for AmericaProsperity Action]], ''Trump Town'', April 2018.</ref>*Darin Selnick (former Senior AdvisorAFP Action), Veterans Affairs*William Joseph Turenne (former Director), Department of Energy*James Bwas acting as the super PAC for CVA. Wilkinson Jr. (former Regional Director), Department CVA Action is now listed on the FEC as an "alternative business name" of Transportation*Richard AAFP Action. Youngblood (former Ohio State Director), Department of Housing and Urban Development<ref name=gibson/>

'''<big>2015</big>'''<ref name===Core Financials==="2016 990">Vets for Economics Freedom Trust, [https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/453593119/201812279349302026/IRS990 2016 IRS 990], organizational tax filing, August 15, 2018.</ref>* Total Revenue: $15,935,321* Total Expenses: $16,372,550* Net Assets: $-37,523

As of April 2018:<ref>Concerned Veterans for America, [https://cv4a.org/national-staff/ National ===Field Staff], organizational website, accessed April 2018.</ref>*Dan Caldwell, Executive Director*Nathan Anderson, Deputy Executive Director*Shannon Hough, Special Projects Manager===

As of June 2023:<ref name ===Field Staff==="staff"/>*Sam Rogers, Strategic Projects Advisor, Wisconsin*Frank Bullock, Strategic Director, South Carolina*Leo Garcia, Strategic Director, Nevada*Ben Rangel, Strategic Director, Texas*Nate Banks, Strategic Director, Colorado*Chris Enget, Strategic Director, Montana*Jose Ramos, Strategic Director, North Carolina*Jimmie T. Smith, Coalitions Director, Florida*Brian Fay, Strategic Director, Florida*David Huston, Grassroots Engagement Director, Florida*William Huff, Grassroots Engagement Director, Florida*Edrys Leyva, Grassroots Engagement Director, Florida*Jessica Villarreal, Grassroots Engagement Director, Texas*Osvaldo Gutierrez, Grassroots Engagement Director, Texas*William Thomas, Grassroots Engagement Director, Texas*Kandace Raymond, Grassroots Engagement Director, Texas*Kit Amidzich, Grassroots Engagement Director, Wisconsin*Gregory Shaw, Grassroots Engagement Director, New Mexico*Michael Pounds, Grassroots Engagement Director, Ohio*Ian Robinson, Grassroots Engagement Director, Ohio*Michael Pichichero, Grassroots Engagement Director, Ohio

Former field staff (As of April 2018:<ref>Concerned Veterans for AmericaJune 2023)*John Byrnes, [http://cv4a.org/staff/ North Carolina Coalitions Director*Tom Greer, New Mexico Field Staff], organizational website, accessed July 6, 2016.</ref>Director