National Association of Counties

Reports & Toolkits

Operation Green Light for Veterans: County Participation Toolkit

By Rachel Mackey   Jun. 30, 2022
Tags: Veterans Affairs
  • Document

    Operation Green Light for Veterans: County Participation Toolkit

    CONVERTING MUNICIPAL LIGHTING TO GREEN

    Thanks to our partners, you can turn your municipal buildings green using Amazon Business. With a free Amazon Business account, you can order green lights, gel filters or any other products you may need from multiple suppliers in one place. You can see instructions for creating an account here.

    Before converting municipal lighting to green, coordinate with your county Director of Facilities or Building & Grounds to figure out the logistics. Options include using projections, flood lights or wrapping existing lights with a clear green membrane.

    • Amazon Business Ordering Instructions

    SEE HOW COUNTIES ARE PARTICIPATING

    In preparation for Veterans Day, NACo is compiling weekly highlights of counties participating in Operation Green Light for Veterans.

    • View the Interactive County Showcase
    Explore Weekly Highlights
    • October 4
    • October 11
    • October 18
    • October 25

    America’s counties have a long and proud history of serving our nation’s veterans, a legacy that continues to this day as we work with our federal, state and local partners to ensure that the former service members in our communities have access to the resources they need to thrive.  

    This coming Veterans Day, the National Association of Counties (NACo) and the National Association of County Veteran Service Officers (NACVSO) invite the nation’s 3,069 counties, parishes, and boroughs to join Operation Green Light and show support for veterans by lighting our buildings green from November 7 to November 13. By shining a green light, county governments and our residents will let veterans know that they are seen, appreciated and supported. 

    To show support, counties can use this template to pass a resolution declaring your county’s participation in Operation Green Light. 

    OUTREACH RESOURCES

    Below, find materials to assist you in your own grassroots advocacy efforts. We encourage counties participating in Operation Green Light to contact their senators and members of Congress, engage with local news media and utilize social media to show your county’s efforts and encourage participation.

    Printable Flyer

    Download the Operation Green Light for Veterans flyer to spread the word and share key information on how to participate.

    • Printable Flyer

    Resolution Template

    Use this template to pass a resolution declaring your county’s participation in Operation Green Light.

    • Resolution Template

    Sample Press Release

    Use this template ahead of November 7 to spread the word about Operation Green Light and encourage individuals, businesses and non-profits to join in by turning a lightbulb green. Use this template between November 7 and November 13 to announce your county’s participation in Operation Green Light and share photos of municipal buildings lit in green.  

    • Sample Press Release | Ahead of Nov. 7
    • Sample Press Release | Nov. 7 – 13

    Sample Letter to the Editor

    Use these templates to spread the word about Operation Green Light and encourage individuals, businesses and non-profits to join in by turning a lightbulb green.

    • Letter Templates

    Sample Letter to Congress

    Use this template to ask your congressional delegation to support Operation Green Light and advance county federal policy priorities for veterans.

    • Letter Template

    Sample Social Media Toolkit

    Use these graphics and sample social media posts to encourage participation in Operation Green Light and showcase your county’s efforts.

    x z
    Template Posts

    We are excited to announce that [COUNTY] is joining our colleagues across the nation in launching #OperationGreenLight for Veterans, an initiative designed to shine a light on the service of our veterans and their families.

    Now more than ever, our veterans need our support. In a time when our country is divided on so many issues, we can all agree that those individuals who risked everything to protect our country and our way of life deserve our support and gratitude. #OperationGeenLight for Veterans

    As part of #OperationGreenLight for Veterans, [COUNTY] is illuminating our buildings green beginning on [DATE] and we encourage individuals and businesses to join!

    Roughly 250,000 members transition out of the armed services each year. Join #OperationGreenLight for Veterans to help shine a light to support and welcome our veterans home.

    By shining a green light, we aim to let veterans know that they are seen, appreciated and supported. Join us in #OperationGreenLight for Veterans by changing one light bulb in the entryway of your house or business to a green bulb.

    This #VeteransDay, join us in shining a light of hope and support. Join #OperationGreenLight and let’s turn [COUNTY] green for our veterans.
    Graphics
    Twitter Graphics

    Facebook and Instagram Graphics

    ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 

    • NACo Veterans and Military Services Committee
    • NACo Policy Brief: Authorize Resources for County Veteran Service Officers
    • Find a County Veteran Service Officer

    SPONSORS

    SPECIAL THANKS

    Special thanks to the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC), the New York State County Veteran Service Officers' Association (NYS CVSOA) and the New York State County Executives Association (NYSCEA) for launching Operation Green Light in New York state in 2021

    Find resources to help your county participate in Operation Green Light, including information on converting municipal lighting to green, outreach materials and more.
    2022-06-30
    Reports & Toolkits
    2022-11-07

CONVERTING MUNICIPAL LIGHTING TO GREEN

Thanks to our partners, you can turn your municipal buildings green using Amazon Business. With a free Amazon Business account, you can order green lights, gel filters or any other products you may need from multiple suppliers in one place. You can see instructions for creating an account here.

Before converting municipal lighting to green, coordinate with your county Director of Facilities or Building & Grounds to figure out the logistics. Options include using projections, flood lights or wrapping existing lights with a clear green membrane.

SEE HOW COUNTIES ARE PARTICIPATING

In preparation for Veterans Day, NACo is compiling weekly highlights of counties participating in Operation Green Light for Veterans.

Explore Weekly Highlights

America’s counties have a long and proud history of serving our nation’s veterans, a legacy that continues to this day as we work with our federal, state and local partners to ensure that the former service members in our communities have access to the resources they need to thrive.  

This coming Veterans Day, the National Association of Counties (NACo) and the National Association of County Veteran Service Officers (NACVSO) invite the nation’s 3,069 counties, parishes, and boroughs to join Operation Green Light and show support for veterans by lighting our buildings green from November 7 to November 13. By shining a green light, county governments and our residents will let veterans know that they are seen, appreciated and supported. 

To show support, counties can use this template to pass a resolution declaring your county’s participation in Operation Green Light. 

OUTREACH RESOURCES

Below, find materials to assist you in your own grassroots advocacy efforts. We encourage counties participating in Operation Green Light to contact their senators and members of Congress, engage with local news media and utilize social media to show your county’s efforts and encourage participation.

Printable Flyer

Download the Operation Green Light for Veterans flyer to spread the word and share key information on how to participate.

Resolution Template

Use this template to pass a resolution declaring your county’s participation in Operation Green Light.

Sample Press Release

Use this template ahead of November 7 to spread the word about Operation Green Light and encourage individuals, businesses and non-profits to join in by turning a lightbulb green. Use this template between November 7 and November 13 to announce your county’s participation in Operation Green Light and share photos of municipal buildings lit in green.  

Sample Letter to the Editor

Use these templates to spread the word about Operation Green Light and encourage individuals, businesses and non-profits to join in by turning a lightbulb green.

Sample Letter to Congress

Use this template to ask your congressional delegation to support Operation Green Light and advance county federal policy priorities for veterans.

Sample Social Media Toolkit

Use these graphics and sample social media posts to encourage participation in Operation Green Light and showcase your county’s efforts.

x z
Template Posts

We are excited to announce that [COUNTY] is joining our colleagues across the nation in launching #OperationGreenLight for Veterans, an initiative designed to shine a light on the service of our veterans and their families.

Now more than ever, our veterans need our support. In a time when our country is divided on so many issues, we can all agree that those individuals who risked everything to protect our country and our way of life deserve our support and gratitude. #OperationGeenLight for Veterans

As part of #OperationGreenLight for Veterans, [COUNTY] is illuminating our buildings green beginning on [DATE] and we encourage individuals and businesses to join!

Roughly 250,000 members transition out of the armed services each year. Join #OperationGreenLight for Veterans to help shine a light to support and welcome our veterans home.

By shining a green light, we aim to let veterans know that they are seen, appreciated and supported. Join us in #OperationGreenLight for Veterans by changing one light bulb in the entryway of your house or business to a green bulb.

This #VeteransDay, join us in shining a light of hope and support. Join #OperationGreenLight and let’s turn [COUNTY] green for our veterans.
Graphics
Twitter Graphics

Facebook and Instagram Graphics

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 

SPONSORS

SPECIAL THANKS

Special thanks to the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC), the New York State County Veteran Service Officers' Association (NYS CVSOA) and the New York State County Executives Association (NYSCEA) for launching Operation Green Light in New York state in 2021

COUNTIES MATTER FOR VETERANS 

America’s counties are home to 17.5 million veterans, and we are deeply invested in veterans’ health and well-being, often serving as a veteran’s first point of contact in the community for accessing services. Counties support veterans’ access to stable housing, employment and education and critical mental health services that treat trauma and prevent suicide.  

Service-connected benefits In 29 states, counties use local dollars to fund County Veteran Service Officers (CVSOs) to help veterans and their families navigate the complex intergovernmental chain of veterans services and resources. This relatively small workforce is responsible for successfully processing more than $52 billion in compensation, pension, health care and other benefits for veterans each year.  
Mental health supports County governments are uniquely equipped to convene community stakeholders to employ evidence-based public health practices to prevent and reduce veteran suicide at the local level. Annually, counties invest $100 billion in community health systems, including behavioral health services, while we plan and operate community-based services for persons with mental illnesses and substance abuse conditions through 750 behavioral health authorities and community providers. 
Criminal justice diversion Counties across the nation operate Veterans Treatment Courts, through which we can connect justice-involved veterans with programs and benefits that can treat underlying mental health and substance abuse conditions.  
Homelessness prevention Counties and other local public housing agencies use federal HUD-VASH vouchers to provide homeless veterans with housing, provide wraparound case management services and convene community stakeholders to pursue functional zero for Veteran homelessness.   
Absentee ballots America’s 3,069 counties, parishes and boroughs are instrumental in every federal, state and local election – providing key funding, overseeing polling places and coordinating poll workers. Along with overseeing more than 100,000 polling places and organizing nearly 800,000 poll workers, county elections officials work to collect absentee ballots from active-duty military and assist recently separated service members in registering to vote in their new communities.
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    Veterans and Military Services Committee

    The Veterans and Military Service Committee engages NACo and its members to develop and highlight county best practices and policies to promote innovative programs, services and benefits for our nation’s military, veterans and their families.
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    Veterans and Military Services Committee

    <p>The Veterans and Military Service Committee engages NACo and its members to develop and highlight county best practices and policies to promote innovative programs, services and benefits for our nation&rsquo;s military, veterans

    Learn More

Contact

  • Rachel Mackey
    Legislative Director – Human Services & Education | Veterans & Military Services  
    (202) 661-8843

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