USAA Launches “Honor Through Action,” a $500 Million Commitment to Uplift and Empower the Military Community
Each year, Veterans Day serves as a moment for the nation to collectively express gratitude to the service members who have worn the uniform and to the families who support them. But while tributes and thank-yous are sincere, their impact often fades once the holiday passes. Recognizing the need for consistent, year-round support, USAA is launching a transformative national movement called “Honor Through Action.” This initiative aims to shift appreciation from symbolic gestures to meaningful, measurable, and lasting support for veterans, active-duty service members, and their families.
The initiative reflects USAA’s century-long commitment to the military community. Founded in 1922 by Army officers seeking financial security for service members, USAA has grown into one of the most recognized and trusted financial services organizations serving military families. Now, with the launch of Honor Through Action, USAA is reaffirming its core identity and expanding its mission to meet the evolving needs of today’s military community.
A Mission Rooted in Service and Commitment
“For more than a century, USAA has advocated for those who serve,” stated Juan C. Andrade, president and CEO of USAA. “Honor Through Action reflects our shared responsibility to act and help the military community thrive in every aspect of life – personally, professionally and financially. Supporting those who serve is not just what we do – it is who we are. It is how we take care of our own.”
This initiative is fueled by a bold commitment: a $500 million investment over the next five years. The funding will support partnerships, programs, advocacy efforts, and community initiatives designed to strengthen the lives of veterans and their families. By leveraging collaborations across private businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government institutions, USAA is aiming to generate tangible improvements that extend far beyond temporary aid.
Three Pillars of Impact: Careers, Financial Security, and Well-Being
Honor Through Action focuses on three interconnected areas that deeply shape the lives of military families.
1. Meaningful Careers for Veterans and Military Spouses
Transitioning from military service to civilian employment continues to be a significant challenge. While service members leave the military with leadership experience, technical knowledge, discipline, and resilience, many still struggle to find roles that match their skill sets in the civilian workforce.
According to data from the Transition Assistance Program, fewer than one in five service members feel fully prepared to secure employment after leaving the military. And even when they do secure jobs, retention is a major concern—average tenure for transitioning veterans in civilian roles is often less than a year.
Military spouses face even greater employment barriers. Frequent relocations, deployment cycles, child-care burdens, and employer bias contribute to a military spouse unemployment rate that remains four times higher than the national average.
To address these challenges, USAA’s initiative will:
- Support job readiness and career transition training
- Expand mentorship and networking opportunities
- Encourage employer partnerships to increase veteran and spouse hiring
- Promote skills development programs aligned with industry needs
- Build local support networks for military-connected job seekers
By strengthening employment opportunities, USAA aims not just to help individuals find jobs—but to help families build sustainable, fulfilling careers that support long-term stability.
2. Strengthening Financial Security
Financial confidence is essential to well-being, yet military families frequently face unique financial pressures such as relocation costs, deployment-related expenses, unpredictable schedules, or the challenges of starting careers later in life.
The 2024 USAA Military Financial Well-Being Index highlights ongoing strain. While many military families remain optimistic and resilient, rising living costs, inflation, and economic uncertainty have intensified the need for strong financial planning tools and education.
Honor Through Action will help empower military families through:
- Accessible, high-quality financial education resources
- Tools and advisory support for saving, budgeting, and long-term planning
- Programs tailored to the financial realities of military transitions
- Guidance to help families prepare for deployments, relocations, or switching careers
The goal is to not only provide information, but also build lasting financial confidence that allows military families to feel secure and prepared in both predictable and uncertain times.
3. Enhancing Overall Well-Being
Honor Through Action builds on USAA’s existing Face the Fight® initiative, which addresses one of the most urgent challenges facing the military community: veteran suicide. Each day, veterans face mental health struggles that are often tied to transition stress, lack of support networks, physical health challenges, or the emotional toll of service.
USAA will expand efforts to:
- Increase support for mental and emotional health services
- Provide resources for caregivers and families supporting veterans
- Strengthen community connection and social support networks
- Support physical health and rehabilitation programs
- Assist in preventing and addressing veteran homelessness
Well-being is comprehensive. It includes community, purpose, belonging, and access to support when challenges arise. Honor Through Action seeks to ensure that veterans and families never have to navigate these challenges alone.
“This work is essential—not only for the military community, but for the health, strength and security of our nation,” Andrade noted. “Meaningful careers empower financial security – and together, those create the foundation for overall well-being. We want USAA to lead by example and inspire others to act because taking care of those who serve is a shared responsibility.”
Unlike many single-organization initiatives, Honor Through Action is intentionally structured to create collective momentum. By uniting the public sector, private companies, nonprofits, veterans’ organizations, and local communities, USAA hopes to spark broader cultural change—an expectation that supporting the military community is something we actively do, not something we simply acknowledge.
To raise awareness, USAA is partnering with veterans and civilians nationwide to share real stories that highlight the joys, challenges, strengths, and complexities of military life. These stories aim to help the public understand not just what service members have done in the past, but what they continue to experience every day.
“The best way to celebrate veterans is to listen, act and invest in their future,” Andrade said. “That is exactly what we are doing by elevating their voices – not just today, but every day moving forward.”
Honor Through Action is more than a campaign. It is a movement designed to transform appreciation into commitment, compassion into support, and words into measurable outcomes. It is USAA’s invitation to communities across America to take part in building a stronger, more supportive future for those who have served.
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