At the American Legion’s annual convention last week, it officially kicked off its Base Assessment and Servicemember Experience (BASE) initiative to understand and help solve problems military families face, as Military Times reported.

“Military quality-of-life issues have been in the news a lot, but it’s always in a negative or derogatory way,” said Mario Marquez, director of the Legion’s National Security Division. “And that can have a negative impact on recruitment. We don’t want it to be that way.”

Marquez said veterans are well-positioned to break down any perceived tension between service members and installation leaders.

“This is designed to be similar to a commanding general going to a base and having a town hall. But we come in as a third party that both sides know and trust.”

DOD has already offered support and access to the program, the article noted.

Army Photo by SGT Tyrae Straw