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.Â
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
- A Faith-Based Community Network
- No-cost Training Opportunities
- A Community-Based Helper Network
- Be Connected Faith Summit
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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
- 2011Â Roundtable: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
- 2010 Roundtable: The White House
Office of the Arizona Governor
- Policy Primer: Veteran Workforce Initiatives
- AZHiresVets: Doubling State’s Veteran Workforce
- Arizona’s Commitment to Supporting Veterans
- Veteran’s Day Message
- Navajo Code Talkers Day
- Arizona – Home Base for America’s Veterans
- Government That Works for Arizonans | February 2022 Media Coverage |Â May 2022 Media Coverage
National Initiatives
State & Local Initiatives
- Suicide Mortality Review Team
- Arizona State University Research
- West Valley Veteran Success Center
- Veteran, Wife Receive New A/CÂ
- Protective Booties for Service Dogs
- Gilbert Military Family Receives New A/C
- Bob Woodruff Foundation Grant Assists Veterans
- Community Veteran Engagement Board | Be Connected Community Network
- Supporting Veterans in Northern Rural Arizona
- Bringing Water to Hopi Nation VeteransÂ
- Statewide Effort to Connect Veterans Wins Award
- Career Support for Women & Minority Veterans
- Veteran Employment Efforts During COVID-19
- Transportation for Veterans in Rural Areas
- Arizona PEREVENTS Forum: September 18, 2020
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 418th 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. Â
- 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 | Â 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