MVAA takes home three CMPRSA Awards for communications work supporting Michigan’s veteran population
LANSING, Mich. – The Central Michigan Public Relations Society of America (CMPRSA) recognized and awarded the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) for their communications efforts supporting Michigan's veteran population. The MVAA took home three PACE awards for their DD-214 for Free Campaign, State of Michigan Veteran Benefits Campaign and Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Annual Report.
“The MVAA Strategic Communications team does an exceptional job of turning complex information into clear, accessible messages that reach veterans and their families where they are,” said MVAA director Terry J. Sabo. “These awards are a well-deserved recognition of their creativity, professionalism and commitment to telling the MVAA story. Their work not only elevates our agency, but more importantly, helps veterans understand and access the benefits and resources they have earned through their service.”
CMPRSA is a chapter of the world’s largest organization for public relations professionals, the Public Relations Society of America, and hosts the annual PACE Awards — mid-Michigan’s highest honor of public relations. Non-profit organizations, corporations and public and private agencies who have successfully addressed a topic with exceptional skill and creativity are recognized with one of three awards: Pinnacle (first place), Excellence (second place) and Achievement (third place).
The MVAA received the Achievement Award for their DD-214 for Free Campaign. The initiative encourages veterans to connect with the MVAA to obtain a free copy of their military discharge document. The concept was developed after the MVAA’s Michigan Veteran Resource Service Center shared a common complaint that they heard from veterans — unscrupulous companies were taking advantage of veterans by charging as much as $300 to obtain and forward a copy of the veteran’s DD-214, a service provided for free by the MVAA. Having access to a copy is necessary to secure many of the benefits veterans earn with their service, everything from obtaining a veteran designation on their driver’s license and veteran discounts at retail stores up to U.S Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Disability and Compensation claims.
In total, DD-214 for Free content was viewed more than 24 million times, driving a 297% increase in DD-214 website traffic and a 26% monthly increase in DD-214 cases from July – October 2025. DD-214 demand remains higher than pre-campaign levels, indicating an increased public awareness of the MVAA and this vital service.
The MVAA also took home the Excellence Award for their State of Michigan Veteran Benefits Campaign. Veterans and their dependents seeking state benefits often must navigate through multiple webpages, links and organizations to find available benefits, which makes the process tedious and challenging to locate consistent, up-to-date information. Becoming the first state in the nation to create this one-stop resource, the MVAA built a webpage with compiled benefits information organized into drop-down tabs, which received 1,924 views from May 11 to June 30, 2026. Also during this campaign period, 17,500 contact cards featuring a QR code were distributed among community partners and veterans to spread awareness about the new webpage.
“Veterans should be able to access their earned benefits with ease,” said MVAA senior communications representative Natalie McCorvie. “We are honored that Michigan is the first state to offer this resource, and these benefits provide another reason why Michigan is a great place for veterans to live affordably, raise their families and retire.”
Lastly, the MVAA won the Excellence Award for their FY 2025 Annual Report. MVAA’s FY 2025 Annual Report covers the period from Oct. 1, 2024 through Sept. 30, 2025, and details the agency’s efforts to support Michigan’s more than 486,000 veterans and their families. This report provides tangible evidence of the MVAA’s commitment to support Michigan’s veteran community.
Veterans can request a copy of their discharge documents by submitting a DD-214 Request Application. If you have questions about the application, please contact 1-800-MICH-VET (1-800-642-4838) or email MVAAResourceCenter@michigan.gov.
A complete list of Michigan veterans benefits can be found on the MVAA’s State of Michigan Veteran Benefits webpage.
Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency – The MVAA is the central coordinating agency, providing support, care, advocacy and service to veterans and their families. As a state agency, the MVAA works to identify and break down barriers veterans face in employment, education, health care and quality of life, to make Michigan a great place for veterans and their families to call home. More information about the MVAA is available at Michigan.gov/MVAA or by reading our FY25 Annual Report.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
