Championing - Be Connected

Championing for Arizona's 500,000+ Mil/Vet/Fam Community

Be Connected is the cornerstone program in Arizona for supporting the needs of our state’s 500,000+ service members, veterans, and their families. The Be Connected program is offered by the Arizona Coalition for Military Families, ACMF. Founded in 2009, ACMF works collaboratively with public and private sector partners in communities, across the state and at the national level to advocate for the needs, concerns, and interests of service members, veterans, and their families.

ACMF leads a variety of efforts to cultivate and engage an ever-expanding community of people and organizations to strengthen how we collectively care for, serve, support, employ, educate, and assist service members, veterans, and their families. Including:

The flagship Annual Statewide Symposium
A no-cost, statewide confidential Support Line
Topical Webinars & Panel Discussions
VA Be Connected Mental Health Summit

National Advocacy

2025 BiPartisan Arizona Delegation: Be Connected Letter of Support
2022 Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs’ Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program
2021 Testimony Before the U.S. Senate, Committee on Veterans’ Affairs: VA and DoD Collaboration | Video Testimony
2021 House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity
2017 Legislative Brief: Senator John McCain
2011 Roundtable: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
2010 Roundtable: The White House

Office of the Arizona Governor

National Initiatives

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) Warrior Built | Program Video
2021 Abraham Lincoln Pillars of Excellence Award
Governor’s and Mayor’s Challenges to Prevent Suicide
Joining Community Forces Initiative
VHA National Community Partnership Challenge | 2018 Award Winner

State & Local Initiatives

Awards & Honors

2023: National MOAA Distinguished Service Award | Photos of Event
2023: Conference and Coining with POTUS | Tempe, AZ
2022 Office of the Chief Army Reserve | Proclamation
2022: Anthem Awards | We’re on a Mission Campaign
2019: New York Times Feature | Suicide Prevention Program with Bipartisan Support
2019: Signing of the President’s Executive Order for the PREVENTS Suicide Prevention Initiative at the White House
2019 U.S. Air Force | Letter of Appreciation
2019 VA | Certificate of Appreciation
2019 Yuma | Certificate of Appreciation
2019 418^th Quartermaster Battalion | Certificate of Appreciation
2018 VA | Certificate of Appreciation
2018 VA | Certificate of Appreciation
2018 VA | Certificate of Appreciation
2018 VA | Letter of Commendation
2018: Be Connected Recognized as a Winner | National VA Community Partnership Challenge
2018 – 2020: National Governors’ and Mayors’ Challenges to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans & Their Families
2017 VA | Certificate of Appreciation
2017 State of Arizona | Proclamation | Arizona Veteran Career Year
2017 State of Arizona | Letter of Support | Arizona Roadmap to Veteran Employment
2016 State of Arizona | Commendation
2016 Veterans Conference | Certificate of Appreciation
2016 State of Arizona | Letter of Support |Arizona Roadmap to Veteran Employment
2015 City of Tempe | Thank You Letter
2015 State of Arizona Proclamation | Veteran Employment Month
2015 City of Phoenix | Certificate of Appreciation
2013 Exelis | Letter of Appreciation
2012 City of Phoenix | Thank You Letter
2012: Well After Service: Veteran Reintegration and American Communities
2012: Nicola Winkel was invited to be a part of the Insight interview series by m/Oppenheim
2011: Working Group in support of the Joining Community Forces
2011: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff panel on Warrior and Family Support
2011: SAMHSA Veterans Policy Academy
2011: Veteran Employment Roundtable with Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs

Presentations

2024: VA/DoD Suicide Prevention Conference: Public/Private Partnership: From Concept to Action | Portland, OR
2024: The Bridge Forum | Phoenix, AZ | Photo | Agenda
2023: Bicameral/Bipartisan Veterans Affairs Committee | Washington D.C.
2023: Arizona Veterans Employment Council | Phoenix, AZ
2023: Veterans Caucus | Washington, D.C.
2023: Senator Sinema’s Round Table on Small Business | Phoenix, AZ
2023: Governor’s Roundtable Discussion – Faith Based Organizations | Phoenix, AZ
2020 – Present: Annual VA Be Connected Community Mental Health Summit | Arizona
2010 – Present: Annual Statewide Symposium in Support of Service Members, Veterans & Their Families
2019: VA/DoD Suicide Prevention Conference| Nashville, TN
2019: National League of Cities | Washington, D.C.
2017: VA/DoD Suicide Prevention Conference | Denver, CO
2017: American Association of Suicidology Conference | Phoenix, AZ
2014: NADCP 20th Annual Training Conference: Strategies for Developing Strategic Community Partnerships in Support of Justice-Involved Veterans | Anaheim
2014: Veterans Court Southwest Symposium & Workshop: – Military Culture and the Justice Involved Veteran | Tucson, AZ
2014: SAMHSA Implementation Academy | Baltimore, MD
2014: National Guard Bureau Joining Community Forces Workshop | Panel Discussion | Camp Dawson, WV
2013: National Conference on Volunteerism and Service & Military Summit | Washington, D.C.
2013 | SAMHSA Veterans Policy Academies | Washington, D.C.
2012: HERO Initiative, City of Phoenix Mayor’s Office | Phoenix, AZ
2012 – 2019: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration – Veterans Policy Academy | Washington, D.C.
2012: VA/DoD Suicide Prevention Conference | Washington, D.C.
2012: National Conference on Volunteerism and Service | Chicago, IL
2012: Defense Leadership Conference | Briefing to National Guard Adjutant Generals
2011: Office of the Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs: Family and Employer Policy and Programs (FEPP) Directorate | Washington, D.C.
2011: Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: Senior Military Spouse Forum | Washington, D.C.
2011: Office of the Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs: Family & Employer Programs and Policies Briefing
2008: International Congress on Counseling | Istanbul, Turkey
2006: International Conference on Violence, Abuse & Trauma | San Diego, CA
2006: International Counseling Conference | Brisbane, Australia