Pros
Sometimes you get free perks that are neat like merch and events. (Mostly) people who genuinely love vets and want to improve their outcomes. The DC office is doing some of the most effective, impactful legislative work for Post-9/11 vets. Every single post 9/11 vet has that office to thank for the Post 9/11 GI Bill.
Cons
**They have no money and haven't for a long time.** They've always mismanaged it. Spending on things that are unnecessary while skimping on the important impactful stuff. I can't believe there hasn't been a scandal yet. I'll be really surprised if they make it through the next fiscal year. **They have no good relationships in the veterans space.** Every contact I tried to make had some horror story about Paul. They didn't want to work with me because they didn't trust IAVA because they didn't trust Paul. I had to work so hard to build relationships and then had my legs cut out from under me when directives "from above" would make it so I could keep up my end of the bargain. **They don't help vets.** They've been around long enough that vets know that they don't actually provide services. RRRP is a totally new thing. Up until then, IAVA didn't provide ANY SERVICES to ANY VETERANS. But RRRP is a tiny team who has no hope of helping the millions of vets who need to be connected to resources. The work these RRRP Case Managers do is important and effective, there just aren't enough of them to make a dent into the real need. If IAVA had started RRRP early and efficiently steered all its resources to this program, it would be an amazing organization that I'd be proud to have on my resume. **IAVA doesn't really have members** They have a massive email list, yes. But these are not people who care about IAVA. They don't come out to events. They don't sign petitions. They don't call their congresspeople. They don't organize into local groups. They don't hang out in internet forums together. Just free perks like events, tickets, and the occasional big giveaway. Those events are only in NYC and LA where the big corporations are, so if you're not a vet in those areas, you figure out pretty quick that IAVA isn't doing anything for you. Even vets in the area can barely be counted on to show up at IAVA events. They know that they're being used for show. **IAVA is a horrible place to work** Be prepared to work long hours with no resources. Be prepared to pay out of pocket for tons of your own expenses. Be prepared to have your manager ask you to cancel your vacation. Be prepared to work to have Paul Reickhoff ruin your programs with outlandish, expensive, unnecessary last minute changes. Be prepared to have your spirit crushed by all this. Paul Reickhoff is a horrible boss, in general. He puts on an impassioned, relatable, affable face vets and to the media. But he is a nightmare to work for. Yelling at staff. Angry late night emails. Unreasonable demands. Inexplicable, catastrophic last minute changes. That's why they have so many openings right now. It's not because they're growing, it's because they are SHRINKING. Turnover is so high that it's a public joke that he'll even make in staff meetings. When I escaped, it was like waking up from a nightmare.