VCOC Legislative Mission

The Virginia Council of Chapters (VCOC) is the coordinating organization for the Military Officers Association of America in Virginia. There are over 40,000 MOAA members in the Commonwealth and the VCOC provides the forum for the 18 MOAA chapters in Virginia to develop common policies and objectives. Our Richmond Area Chapter is one of these member chapters of the Virginia Council of Chapters.

Just as MOAA members served in leadership roles on active duty, they continue to serve in leadership positions in veteran service organizations (VSOs), and on many Virginia boards and commissions that address veterans' issues. The VCOC benefits from this diverse experience as it works to support the needs and concerns of veterans throughout the Commonwealth and act as a proponent for uniformed services, retiree, survivor and veterans' issues at the state level. The VCOC holds a seat on the Joint Leadership Council of the Board for Veterans Services. This coalition of 23 veterans organizations is united to "speak with one voice" in promoting issues which support active-duty, Guard, Reserve, retirees, survivors and all veterans in the Commonwealth. The VCOC and its Richmond Area Chapter play key roles in the development of the legislative platform of the Joint Leadership Council (JLC).

Each January in past years, representatives from the 18 MOAA chapters in Virginia converged at the Virginia General Assembly for the "VCOC Storming the Hill."  During this day-long event, Virginia MOAA members meet with their state Senators and Delegates to advocate VCOC's state legislative objectives and acquire patrons and co-patrons for bills to support these objectives.  In the past few years with major rennovations to the General Assembly building and pandemic virus precautions, VCOC chapters have joined in the JLC Day on the Hill.

The 2023 JLC Day on the Hill was scheduled for January 18th as an opportunity for General Assembly members and leaders from the Executive Branch to speak to the JLC about veteran and military-related issues for the upcoming General Assembly Session.

Information on how you can participate legislative affairs will be regularly published in the chapter newsletter.

State Legislative Goals

Legislation supporting the military community introduced in the 2022 Virginia General Assembly included the following objectives adopted by the Joint Leadership Council of Veterans Service Organizations (JLC), representing 23 Veterans Service Organizations:

JLC 2023-01 Expand Tax Relief for Surviving Spouses of Military Service Members to also include "Died in the Line-of-Duty"

JLC 2023-02 Real Property Tax Exemption Effective Date

JLC 2023-03 Removal of Age Requirement Income Tax Subtraction

JLC 2023-04 Appropriate $400,000 (GF) for State Veterans Cemeteries; Eliminate Spouse/Dependent and Guard/Reserve Burial Fees

JLC 2023-05 Virginia National Guard Park Adminssion

JLC 2023-06 Virginia National Guard Income Tax Exemption

In 2021 & 2022 due to COVID 19 pandemic precautions, RACMOAA, along with other VCOC chapters, met virtually with legislators to discuss the initiatives and garner their support throughout the General Assembly Session. 

For the current status of the initiatives, click link JLC Matrix Update.

MOAA National Legislative Goals

Please be sure to sign up for The MOAA Newsletter online for updates.

Stay tuned by visiting the MOAA's Legislative Action Center.