National Association for Black Veterans — NABVETS
NABVETS was created in 1969 by African American veterans returning from Vietnam, who saw the inequality in access to benefits, services, and recognition for themselves. Its mission keeps that founding commitment — addressing the challenges and disparities experienced by Black veterans — while, in its own words, "proudly opening its doors and services to all Veterans."
- Founded: 1969, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Status: A nationally certified veterans service organization and VA claims representative (NABVETS’ own description). NABVETS does not claim a congressional charter on its own site
- Headquarters: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Size: NABVETS does not publish a membership total on its own site (NOT-STATED); it states it has more than 100 chapters across the United States, including Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic
- Website: nabvets.org
Who it serves
Membership, in NABVETS’ own words, “is open to honorably discharged veterans, active service members, and associate members who support the mission of the organization.” Membership is not limited to Black veterans — the associate route is open to supporters, and NABVETS describes itself as “serving ALL Veterans and their families.”
Family eligibility as such is NOT-STATED on NABVETS’ national sites — there is no auxiliary and no family-membership category named there. The door a family member is offered is associate membership as a supporter of the mission. What is stated, repeatedly, is that NABVETS’ services serve “veterans and their families.”
What it does
- Claims assistance — advocacy and assistance with VA benefits and claims through its network of regions, state commands, chapters, and Accredited Veterans Service Officers — its doors and services open to all veterans.
- Benefits connection — helping veterans reach healthcare, housing, education, employment, and other earned benefits.
- Advocacy — strategic advocacy with Congress and federal and state administrations on the disparities Black and minority veterans face, including homelessness and the empowerment of low-income and minority veterans.
- Community and legacy — outreach through more than 100 chapters, leadership development and mentorship, and preserving the history and legacy of Black and minority veterans.
How a family uses it
- Start at nabvets.org — national headquarters (Milwaukee): 414-367-9103 — and find your state command or chapter.
- Any veteran can knock: NABVETS’ service officers work for all veterans, and its chapters are built to connect a veteran — and his family — to benefits, housing, and work.
- If you are family and want to stand inside the organization, ask about associate membership.
Facts on this page are drawn from NABVETS' own published materials (nabvets.org and nabvetsnational.org), checked October 2026. Membership and program rules change; the organization's own sites govern. Corrections: care@bowmanwebservices.com.