As a senior research director at NORC and a military Veteran, I’ve witnessed firsthand how research can transform policies and programs that serve our Veteran community. But I’ve also seen just how critical trust is to making that research effective and meaningful.

The challenge isn’t just methodological—it’s deeply personal. It’s completely understandable for Veterans to ask: Will this research actually help us? Will our voices be heard? And perhaps most importantly: Can we trust the researchers conducting this work?

I understand the wariness. In the past, some institutions have promised support without delivering meaningful outcomes, and some research efforts have gathered Veterans’ stories without showing us the impact. So, Veterans’ caution is based on real experiences.

At NORC, we don’t just study Veterans—we partner with them. Veterans serve on our study advisory boards. We hire Veterans as research staff. Our research questions come from Veteran-identified priorities, not academic curiosity.

This commitment to authentic partnership is why I’m so excited about our newest initiative: the Veterans Insight Panel, created in partnership with RAND Corporation. This isn’t just another research panel—it’s a revolutionary approach to ensuring every Veteran’s voice is accurately represented and heard.

What makes this panel different is our comprehensive recruitment approach, including direct outreach to Veteran populations who are often missed in traditional research. Our survey designers and Veteran advisors work together to create clear, respectful questionnaires on topics such as health, employment, education, and community engagement.

When Veterans are involved as partners rather than just subjects, the research becomes more culturally competent, methodologically sound, and ultimately more useful. We bring our experience that helps identify the right questions, understand context that might be missed, and interpret findings in ways that resonate with Veteran communities.

For research organizations, building trust with Veterans requires demonstrating value through action. This means:

• Involving Veterans as co-creators in research design and interpretation
• Clearly demonstrating how findings drive policy and programs
• Recognizing and harnessing Veterans’ leadership, experience, and diverse expertise
• Acknowledging and leveraging the leadership skills and diverse expertise that Veterans bring
• Creating transparent pathways from research participation to real-world impact

For my fellow Veterans, your voice matters. Your participation in research isn’t just data collection—it’s intelligence gathering for a mission that could help or even save someone you served with. Veterans have every right to expect transparency, respect, and meaningful results. At NORC, we’re committed to delivering all three.

Research at its best is a collaborative endeavor. When done right, Veterans research doesn’t just gather data—it creates the evidence base for programs and policies that honor our service and support our transitions and ongoing needs. Every study is a mission, and every Veteran who participates is helping to complete that mission for those who come after.