About UsVeterans 4 America First Institute

Honoring the country’s commitment to our Veterans and Military while keeping America First and protecting our freedoms.

Veterans 4 America First (V4AF) Institute was launched on August 17, 2021. The Institute provides public education and grassroots engagement, government oversight, and public policy research and advocacy all focused on putting Veterans and America First.

Focus areas include protecting and expanding America First VA healthcare reforms; economic opportunity; protecting Veterans’ legal rights, including under the First and Second Amendments; effective management of and accountability at the VA and DOD; and a strong military, with a focus on the impact of VA and DOD political policy making on our military’s readiness and warfighting capabilities.

Board of Directors

Peter O'Rourke Founder - Air Force & Navy Veteran

Peter O'Rourke

President, Founder - Air Force & Navy Veteran

Former Secretary (acting) and Chief of Staff of the Department of Veterans Affairs; established and led the VA’s Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection.
Darin Selnick Founder - Air Force Veteran

Darin Selnick

Founder - Air Force Veteran

Former Member of the White House Domestic Policy Council; Senior Advisor to the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs; and Member of the Commission on Care.
Camilo Sandoval Founder - Air Force Veteran

Camilo Sandoval

Founder - Air Force Veteran

Former Senior White House Advisor & Head of Presidential Transition Team for the U.S. Department of the Treasury; Former Senior Advisor and Chief Information Officer (Exec-in-Charge) for the Department of Veterans Affairs; Former Senior Advisor for Artificial Intelligence (Policy) and US Federal Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for the White House Office of Management & Budget (OMB).
Jason Beardsley Founder - Army Veteran

Jason Beardsley

Founder - Army Veteran

Former Special Assistant in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and Senior Advisor to the VA Secretary.
Reed Rubinstein Founder

Reed Rubinstein

Founder

Former Deputy Associate Attorney General for the U.S. Department of Justice, General Counsel for U.S. Department of Education, and attorney for the victims and survivors of the Fort Hood terror attack.
Michael Caputo

Michael Caputo

Army Veteran

Former Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, Department of Health and Human Services. 

Advisory Board

Amber Smith

Amber Smith

Army veteran

Former Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of Defense.
Dr. Paul Lawrence

Dr. Paul Lawrence

Army Veteran

Former Senate Confirmed Under Secretary of Benefits, Department of Veterans Affairs.
Matthew Flynn

Matthew Flynn

Army National Guard

Former White House Cabinet Secretary, Acting; Senior Department of Defense Official.
MG (R) Bert Mizusawa Army Veteran

MG (R) Bert Mizusawa

Army Veteran

Former Senior Advisor to the CIA.
John Ullyot, Marine Corps Veteran

John Ullyot

Marine Corps Veteran

Former Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and NSC spokesman, former Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs.
James Gfrerer Marine Corps Veteran

James Gfrerer

Marine Corps Veteran

Former Senate Confirmed Assistant Secretary for Information And Technology and Chief Information Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs.
Drew Trojanowski, Army Veteran

Drew Trojanowski

Army Veteran

Former Special Assistant to the President, Domestic Policy Council.
James Baehr Marine Corps Veteran

James Baehr

Marine Corps Veteran

Marine Corps Veteran Former Special Assistant to the President, Domestic Policy Council.
John Wagner

John Wagner

Army Veteran

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs.

Let's Work Together!

To preserve and expand our nation’s commitment to our Veterans, Military, and their families. 

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Meaghan Mobbs Executive Director, Army Veteran, M.A., MPhil

Meaghan Mobbs

Executive Director, Army Veteran, M.A., MPhil

Meaghan Mobbs, M.A., MPhil is a West Point graduate, Afghanistan Veteran, and former Army Captain. A clinical psychology PhD candidate and Predoctoral Fellow at Columbia University, her research and work revolves around better understanding the transition off active duty, the heterogeneity of the Veteran experience, and societal impacts of an all-volunteer force. She is a former advisor to the Trump-Pence campaign on veteran and military family issues. A Independent Women Forum’s Visiting Fellow, Meaghan also serves as a Presidential appointee to the United States Military Academy, West Point, Board of Visitors and is a George W. Bush Veteran Leader Scholar and Tillman Military Scholar.
Amber Smith Communications Director, Army Veteran

Amber Smith

Communications Director, Army Veteran

Amber Smith’s career consists of over 15 years of experience in senior levels of government, a presidential administration, strategic communications, public affairs and the military. She is the former Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of Defense (Outreach), former Special Assistant in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and was an advisor on the Department of Veterans Affairs presidential transition team. A combat veteran, Amber flew multiple tours as a light attack / reconnaissance helicopter pilot and air mission commander where she led missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. She is the bestselling author of the book Danger Close.