A Culture of Excellence at MVJ

At Military Veterans in Journalism, we’re building more than a career pipeline — we’re building a culture. One rooted in respect, shared purpose, and high standards. It’s a culture where people feel valued, where all perspectives are welcomed, and where our mission to elevate the voices of the military-connected community is at the center of everything we do.

Veterans, military families, and supporters come from every corner of America – from cities, suburbs, and rural communities; from every background, belief, and identity. Together, they represent the full spectrum of American life, and we believe our work must reflect that.

Excellence is how we operate. It shapes how we treat each other, how we collaborate, and how we lead. At MVJ, excellence means:

  • Valuing the lived experiences of those who’ve served, supported, and advocated
  • Creating space for open, thoughtful collaboration
  • Building a professional community where everyone feels they belong
  • Maintaining the highest standards of purpose and professionalism
  • Leading with compassion, humility, and integrity

We are committed to cultivating a professional community where all those who’ve served — whether in uniform, in family support, or in advocacy — have the opportunity to grow, lead, and thrive. That commitment shows up in our policies, our programs, and the relationships we build.

Opportunity for All

We strive to ensure that all career, training, and leadership opportunities at MVJ are transparent, accessible, and open to everyone in our community — including military spouses, caregivers, and those who have supported veterans in journalism and beyond. We promote clear, mission-aligned hiring practices.

Community-Driven Leadership

Our work is guided by those who understand the military and journalism worlds firsthand. That includes veterans, family members, and longtime supporters who bring a wide range of insights, experiences, and ideas to the table. Their voices help shape our programs, inform our strategies, and drive our mission forward.

Culture of Belonging

Camaraderie and connection are core to our identity. We aim to build a culture where every person — regardless of type of service, discharge status, or military experience — feels welcomed, respected, and empowered to contribute.

Growth Through Reflection

We actively listen, adapt, and invest in our own development. Through feedback, team learning, and regular review of our practices, we ensure that our internal culture grows alongside the evolving needs of our community.

Creating a culture of excellence requires more than values — it takes consistent, intentional action. At MVJ, we work to expand access, improve representation, and support advancement in real, measurable ways.

We take practical steps to ensure our workplace and programs remain open, transparent, and reflective of the community we serve. These include:

  • Posting salary ranges with every job opportunity
  • Training hiring teams to identify and minimize bias in the evaluation process
  • Actively recruiting through affinity groups and professional networks
  • Creating pathways for leadership development through mentorship and coaching
  • Ensure our web pages, documents, forms, and other relevant items are accessible to all users in compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, including implementation of text-to-speech functions
  • Hosting learning sessions that help our team deepen cultural understanding and improve communication
  • Conducting regular internal reviews to identify gaps and improve accessibility across our materials and platforms
  • Welcoming feedback from our community and using it to guide growth

Additionally, we have worked and will continue to work with peer affinity groups such as the Asian American Journalists Association, National Association of Black Journalists, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, the Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists, and Native American Journalists Association. We will continue to learn from their leadership in ensuring the media world represents our nation.

These are small steps, but they add up. They help ensure that everyone — whether they’ve served in uniform, supported on the home front, or advocated from the sidelines — has a clear path to contribute and lead.

The veteran community is not a monolith — and journalism shouldn’t be either. Our goal is to build a media industry that better reflects the full spectrum of American life, starting with the people who’ve served it.

By creating a culture of excellence grounded in respect, inclusion, and shared mission, we help ensure that every veteran has a path forward — and a voice that’s heard.

Culture is not a statement — it’s a practice. And we’re proud to practice it every day with the people who make this mission possible.

If you’re a veteran, a military family member, or a supporter who believes in the power of journalism to inform, inspire, and create change — there’s a place for you here.

Let’s build something better, together.

Military Veterans in Journalism has several publicly-accessible policies and procedures for accountability in our work. Please see below for access to PDF versions of these policies.

A Snapshot of the MVJ Community

Our community reflects the richness and complexity of the military-connected experience. These charts offer a glimpse into the varied backgrounds — including race, gender, military branch, disability, and more — that make up the MVJ network of veterans, military families, and supporters.

Click on each of the charts below to view as a larger image.

MVJ Members by Branch of Service

47.3% served in the Army; 17.5% served in the Navy; 17.5% served in the Marine Corps; 15% served in the Air Force; 1.5% served in the Coast Guard; and 1.1% served in the National Guard.

MVJ Members by Type of Service

70.8% served on active duty; 14.9% served on more than one type of duty; 6.9% served in the Reserves; 5.8% served in the National Guard; and 1.6% are military spouses.

MVJ Members by Racial Self-Identification

61.7% identify as white; 13.4% identify as Black or African American; 10.5% prefer not to identify; 6.1% identify as another identity not included on the list; 4.9% identify as Asian; 3.2% identify as Native American or Alaska Native; and 0.2% identify as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.

MVJ Members by Hispanic or Latinx Self-Identification

71.8% of members do not identify as Hispanic or Latinx; 23.3% do identify as Hispanic or Latinx; and 4.9% prefer not to identify.

MVJ Members by Gender Self-Identification

66.4% identify as male; 32.7% identify as female; 0.5% identify as gender non-binary; 0.3% prefer not to disclose their identity; and 0.2% identify as transgender.

MVJ Members by Service-Connected Disability Self-Identification

55% do have a service-connected disability; 37.8% do not have a service-connected disability; and 7.2% prefer not to disclose their disability status.