Truman National Security Project — Defense Council
Serves: Nationwide, DC
National security leadership institute whose Defense Council cohort is composed largely of veterans and frontline civilians with ongoing professional interest in defense and intelligence, some still serving and others working in business, medicine, and policy. Truman recruits, trains, and positions its members — more than 2,000 across 16 chapters in 47 states — to lead on national security issues, providing skills training, seminars, a national network, and pathways into policy and public leadership. Admission is competitive and by application, with roughly 100 to 150 new members admitted each year across three cohorts. Openly progressive in orientation, and included here specifically to balance the conservative-leaning veteran leadership programs on this map — the Navigator is nonpartisan and maps veteran-serving leadership pipelines across the full political spectrum. A 501(c)(4) membership organization; dues-based, with financial aid available. Develops veteran policy leaders rather than delivering direct services.