Olivia Negro’s Internship with the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States
/Olivia Negro, a senior at Ursinus College studying Politics and Educational Studies, spent the summer interning at the National Legislative Services (NLS) department of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW), where she had a front row seat to the passing of the PACT Act and all of the tireless policy work behind-the-scenes.
My name is Olivia Negro, and I am a senior at Ursinus College studying politics and educational studies. This past summer, I had the opportunity to intern at the National Legislative Services (NLS) department of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW). The NLS is the VFW’s federal-level advocacy arm, and the NLS team works tirelessly on behalf of the members of the VFW to secure veterans with the rights and benefits that they deserve after coming home from the battlefield, sometimes with physical wounds, invisible scars, or both. My internship was amazing in all senses of the word, but the best part of working with the VFW NLS was getting to know the staff and their inspirational stories of courage and perseverance. I had the privilege to work with veterans from almost all branches of the U.S. military and learn about their experiences and unique positions within American society and history.
During my time with the VFW NLS, I worked with my supervisor, Deputy Legislative Director Tammy Barlet, on a couple of different projects focusing mostly on the intersections of veterans’ affairs, public health, and federal policymaking. I spent a majority of my time developing a systematic review of the scientific literature on the effects of periodontal disease on maternal health and wellbeing in the hopes that the research could help develop an argument for legislation that would cover women veterans’ dental care for the duration of their pregnancy. I also worked on tracing the history of a particular bill-turned-law that addressed the connection between the birth defect of spina bifida and veterans exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. Throughout my internship, I was fortunate to receive many opportunities to meet with professionals both within and outside of the VFW to learn about the world of veterans affairs and federal policymaking. All of the directors at the VFW NLS were kind enough to spend time with me every week to help me improve my understanding and advocacy capabilities, too.
The most incredible story I was able to witness unfold before my eyes while I was in Washington, D.C. this summer was the advocacy efforts leading up to the final passage of the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our PACT Act of 2022. The first weekend I arrived in D.C., my roommates and I attended a rally out by the RFK Stadium to learn about the devastating health effects caused by burn pits that soldiers were ordered to use while on military campaigns abroad. The next week, I was walking the halls of the Senate Hart building surrounded by professional Veteran Service Organization (VSO) advocates meeting with Senate staffers and advocating for the passage of the PACT Act. The Act itself took many unexpected turns this summer, including its freeze in the Senate caused by the decision of several senators who changed their vote. In order to continue to put pressure on Congress to actually pass the PACT Act, the VSO coalition then resorted to a Senate “Fire Watch” in which veterans from all over the U.S. sat outside the Capitol until the PACT Act would be passed. Throughout these weeks, I came within feet of Jon Stewart, the veterans’ PACT Act advocate and famous comedian, and 9/11 first responder and activist John Feal who both joined in on the advocacy work due to the PACT Act’s similarities to the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund that was extended to 2092 thanks to their advocacy work. This was an incredibly emotional and moving experience as I got to know veterans who were impacted by burn pits and were finally able to see this legislation realized in the names of their fallen brothers and sisters in arms. I will never forget speaking with them and doing my little part in supporting these people who put their lives on the line for our nation.
My internship with the VFW NLS was a true gift and honor. I learned a lot by doing and seeing the legislative process firsthand from the advocate’s point of view. I have never learned so much in such a short amount of time while also making memories and connections that I will cherish for my entire life.
My advice to future WII interns is to take every opportunity that comes to you! You’ll never know who you’ll meet, what you’ll learn, or how the experience will make you a better student, citizen, and professional. I definitely got a little bit out of my comfort zone this summer, and I have grown because of it!
My (mostly food) recommendations for future interns:
Nando’s! There’s one in Pentagon Row!
Nighthawks Trivia with the intern cohort on Tuesday nights were a ton of fun!
Get the Harris Teeter VIC card and save a ton of money on groceries
The Smithsonian Zoo!
If you don’t have a car, consider purchasing a small cart to bring with you to the grocery store—my roommate got one and it was super helpful!
Grazie Grazie out on the Wharf has the best chicken cheesesteak that I have ever had, and you can trust me—I’m from Philly! Order the Fantasia Nancy :)
