Are you sick of Donald Trump and his cronies ruining this country with their divisive politics and disastrous spending? Or maybe you’ve had enough of the Democrats and liberals who will stop at nothing to stop the president’s “America First” agenda. You might even see a new way forward for the country through socialism, libertarianism, or even Elon Musk’s emerging America Party.
No matter what your political views might be, aspiring veteran politicians can learn how to run a campaign, raise funds, and earn votes at Syracuse University’s Veterans Program for Politics and Civic Engagement.
While there’s no doubt that many veterans (if not all) hold deep-seated political beliefs, running for political office is far more challenging than it seems, even at the local level. There’s a lot to consider. Who will manage your campaign? How will you interact with potential voters? Do you have the support of the local Democratic or Republican parties? How in the world are you gonna pay for any of this?
It might seem like a mystery to someone on the outside looking in, but that’s what the Veterans Program for Politics and Civic Engagement (VPPCE) is designed to do: demystify the mysterious in a practical, useful way – even if you don’t know which office you want to run for.
Syracuse University’s D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families is a bipartisan institution whose sole goal is to help service members, veterans, and their families improve their lives through research-driven programs and the thoughtful implementation of that research. It offers programs for female veterans, budding veteran entrepreneurs, and employers seeking veteran talent.
Produced in partnership with Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, this political program isn’t designed to flood the halls of Congress with one party or another; it’s designed to help aspiring veteran politicians achieve their goals.
The program is designed to direct veteran politicians in four phases. The first phase is an ideation section for military-connected people with a strong interest in serving in a public office. The ideation phase helps participants understand their motivations and determine which office best suits their goals.
Phase II is the most significant part of the program. It’s an intense training regimen that will actually help a determined veteran politician plan a political campaign. It consists of ten weekly sessions (after business hours), as well as one public speaking workshop. Attendees also have the option of attending on campus. Each future candidate will present their campaign plans at the end of the training program – and will walk out with a campaign plan in their hands.
The remainder of the VPPCE training program is for candidates who are either actively running for office or who won their elections and now must get down to the business of governing. Phase III teaches candidates how to interact with voters and manage their campaigns. To sign up for Phase III, candidates must be in an active campaign, have a campaign manager, and have a campaign plan.
In Phase IV, the program provides leadership training for elected officials as they transition into office and manage their relationships with the public. There is no charge for Phases I, II, and IV, but anyone traveling to participate on campus will have to pay their own way.
For more information or to apply for the Veterans Program for Politics and Civic Engagement, visit the IVMF’s Training Program for Veterans and Military-Connected Individuals website.
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