Mission Roll Call is a non-partisan movement providing veterans a strong and unified voice to reach national leaders and communities around the nation.
MRC’s Objective
Pinkston was commissioned to conduct a study of Americans’ attitudes on veterans issues to both inform MRC's strategy for engaging the American public and to provide content for ongoing marketing and communications programs. The survey explored perceptions of veterans, issues of concern, such as care for Veterans with PTSD and reduction of the suicide rate, debunking myths around veterans' contributions and/or burden to the community, and tracking support for legislation and policies affecting veterans' wellbeing.
Pinkston's Approach & Results
Taking responses from a nationally representative sample of nearly 2,000 U.S. adults, Pinkston's survey generated valuable insights regarding perceptions of veterans’ contribution to the community, what should be included in veterans benefits, care for veterans facing physical and mental health challenges, and government policy related to veterans issues and military actions.
The results made apparent that while the American population is supportive of veterans, it is generally believed that the government has not done a good job of helping veterans deal with a wide range of serious issues such as suicide prevention, affordable housing, transition into civilian life, and health care. The survey also revealed a generational gap between younger and older generations in terms of their proximity to the military. Individuals over the age of 35 were 14% more likely to know a veteran or someone who was currently serving compared to an individual under 35, underscoring a trend of younger people being less informed and motivated around various veterans issues.
The research continues to be valuable for MRC, as it not only informed the organization's messaging and advocacy approach, but also provided fodder for content development and multichannel outreach.
