Welcome to the Unified Arizona Veterans (UAV) Website. The UAV was founded by the Big Three VSO’s, the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, and Veterans of Foreign Wars in December of 1981, as a consortium supporting veterans and their families residing in Arizona. Since then the UAV has grown to over 50 member organizations representing over a half million veterans calling Arizona their home.
We support our fellow veterans and their families by acting as one united and powerful voice advocating for issues to both the Executive and Legislative Branches of the State of Arizona. Just as importantly, we act as a two-way conduit for veteran related information affecting our individual VSO member organizations.
We have an excellent working relationships with the Arizona U. S. Senate and House of Representatives Offices and their Staff. Along with VAMC’s (Phoenix, Tucson, Prescott) and VARO (Phoenix).
In 2001, we founded the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame (AVHOF), the second Veterans Hall of Fame in the United States. We annually select outstanding state veterans who have made significant personal contributions to their community, state, or nation. These clearly exceptional veterans are then submitted for the Governor’s approval for induction into the Veterans Hall of Fame which is held October of each year.
During the 2014 Governors Race, the UAV Legislative Committee sponsored a debate at the Burton Barr Library Auditorium in Phoenix with over 200 people in attendance.
In August 2015, UAV co-hosted with the Republic of China (Taiwan) Veterans Association of Phoenix, and the American Legion Judge Thomas Tang Post 50, a WW-II VJ Day 2015 celebration 70 years of peace. We honored 53 living WW-II veterans for their service. The 53 included 11 Chinese-American Veterans, two U. S. Marine Corps Navajo Code Talkers, two Tuskegee Airmen and 38 other U. S. Military men and women. In addition, the UAV co-hosted the U. S. Global Leadership Coalition’s “ Forum on Global Leadership: What’s at Stake for Arizona”.
In 2016, we established our Scholarship program to provide assistance to veterans enrolled in an on – campus program leading toward a Bachelors or Masters Degree. In 2020, we extended the program to include separate scholarship programs for Native Americans and for 100% Disabled Veterans and their immediate family members, and for families of Veterans killed in action or by an act of terror.