MILITARY-CONNECTED DESTINATION™ EXECUTIVE BRIEFING CENTER
Building America's Next Generation of Military-Connected Destinations™
Building America's Next Generation of Military-Connected Destinations™
A New Framework for Destination Development, Community Capital, Strategic Partnerships, and Permanent Community Assets
The Military-Connected Destination™ Framework introduces a transformative approach to community and destination development by recognizing military-connected populations as strategic assets rather than temporary populations to be served. Developed through years of research, stakeholder engagement, community dialogue, professional collaboration, and practical implementation, the framework provides communities with a roadmap to strengthen economic vitality, workforce development, tourism, civic engagement, education, and quality of life through intentional investment in military-connected people.
Whether you represent a destination marketing organization, sports commission, convention and visitors bureau, military installation, local government, university, nonprofit organization, or private sector partner, this Executive Briefing Center provides an introduction to a national movement designed to redefine how communities engage one of America's most resilient and globally connected populations.
A PERSONAL WELCOME
Welcome, and thank you for taking the time to explore the Military-Connected Destination™ initiative.
Communities across America are searching for new strategies to strengthen their economies, attract and retain talent, increase civic engagement, and create lasting quality of life. At the same time, millions of military-connected children, military spouses, veterans, military brats, caregivers, educators, and military-serving organizations continue to contribute extraordinary leadership, resilience, adaptability, and global perspective to the communities they call home.
Yet too often, these contributions remain disconnected from long-term destination strategy.
The Military-Connected Destination™ Framework was created to change that.
This initiative represents an invitation to think differently about military-connected populations, not simply as beneficiaries of services, but as enduring partners in community transformation. We believe that when communities intentionally invest in military-connected people, they build stronger economies, more resilient institutions, deeper civic engagement, and greater opportunities for everyone.
We are honored to share this vision with you and invite you to become part of this growing national movement.
Adrienne L. Schaffer, Esq.
Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)
Founder & Executive Director
Military Children's Six Foundation
Dr. Marubian Affinii, PhD
Military Brat • Veteran • Psychologist
Architect, Military-Connected Destination™ Framework
Communities Are Competing for the Future
Today's communities compete every day to attract investment, employers, workforce talent, visitors, sporting events, conferences, educational opportunities, and economic growth. Success increasingly depends on the ability to create places where people choose to live, work, learn, invest, and build their futures.
At the same time, military-connected populations represent one of America's most experienced, resilient, and globally connected communities. They bring leadership, adaptability, cultural awareness, technical expertise, volunteerism, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement to nearly every region of the country.
Despite these strengths, military-connected populations are rarely integrated into comprehensive destination development strategies.
The Military-Connected Destination™ Framework addresses this gap by providing communities with a practical model for transforming military-connected engagement into long-term community value.
THE CHALLENGE
Military-Connected People Are Community Assets
Military-connected communities contribute far more than military service alone.
They contribute leadership.
They contribute innovation.
They contribute education.
They contribute entrepreneurship.
They contribute volunteerism.
They contribute workforce excellence.
They contribute civic leadership.
They contribute cultural diversity.
They contribute global awareness.
When communities intentionally align these strengths with local priorities, they unlock opportunities that extend far beyond traditional military support programs.
The Military-Connected Destination™ Framework provides the structure to make that possible.
THE OPPORTUNITY
INTRODUCING A NEW DISCIPLINE
Military-Connected Destination™ Development
The Military-Connected Destination™ Framework represents an emerging discipline within destination and community development.
Rather than focusing exclusively on programs or events, the framework integrates military-connected engagement into long-term strategies for:
Destination Development
Community Development
Tourism
Sports and Special Events
Workforce Development
Education
Economic Development
Community Development Corporations
Public-Private Partnerships
Civic Leadership
Research and Innovation
The result is a comprehensive approach that helps communities build measurable, sustainable, and permanent value.
WHY BRAT CORPS®
Brat Corps® was established to create the lifelong home base that military brats and military-connected communities have never had.
Through years of listening, learning, collaborating, presenting, researching, and engaging with military-connected children, military brats, veterans, military spouses, educators, healthcare professionals, installation leaders, nonprofit organizations, businesses, civic leaders, and destination professionals, one recurring message became unmistakably clear.
Communities wanted more than individual programs.
They wanted a framework.
They wanted collaboration instead of fragmentation.
They wanted lasting partnerships instead of temporary initiatives.
They wanted measurable outcomes.
They wanted a strategy capable of connecting military-connected populations with the broader goals of community prosperity.
The Military-Connected Destination™ Framework is Brat Corps®' response to that need.
The Seven Foundations of a Military-Connected Destination™
Every Military-Connected Destination™ is built upon seven integrated pillars:
Community Capital™
Strengthening relationships, trust, collaboration, and social infrastructure that support long-term community success.
Destination Leadership™
Developing leaders who unite organizations around shared priorities and measurable outcomes.
Destination Readiness™
Preparing communities with the capacity, partnerships, and infrastructure necessary to support military-connected populations.
Destination Events™
Creating events that generate lasting economic, educational, workforce, and civic value beyond attendance.
Return on Partnership™ (ROP™)
Measuring the long-term value created through collaboration rather than focusing solely on financial return.
Permanent Asset Development™
Building enduring human, institutional, intellectual, social, physical, and economic assets that continue creating value for future generations.
Military-Connected Destination™ Certification
Recognizing communities that demonstrate measurable excellence in military-connected destination development.
THE FRAMEWORK
WHY DESTINATION PROFESSIONALS SHOULD CARE
The Military-Connected Destination™ Framework provides destination leaders with practical tools to:
Strengthen community competitiveness.
Increase workforce attraction and retention.
Enhance sports tourism strategies.
Expand event legacy planning.
Foster cross-sector partnerships.
Improve community resilience.
Build stronger relationships with military installations.
Create measurable economic and social impact.
Position communities for long-term growth.
Rather than viewing military-connected populations as separate constituencies, the framework integrates them into the broader strategy for destination excellence.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
The Military-Connected Destination™ Framework reflects years of engagement with military-connected children, military brats, military spouses, veterans, caregivers, educators, destination professionals, installation leaders, nonprofit organizations, businesses, government agencies, researchers, and community stakeholders.
Its development has been informed by recurring themes identified through community conversations, presentations, stakeholder engagement, surveys, collaborative planning sessions, organizational partnerships, professional experience, and emerging best practices in community and destination development.
This framework represents a synthesis of those collective insights into a practical, scalable model for strengthening communities through intentional military-connected engagement.
NATIONAL INITIATIVES
The Military-Connected Destination™ movement is supported through a growing portfolio of national initiatives, including:
Military Child World Expo™
A national platform that convenes military-connected children, families, educators, healthcare professionals, community leaders, businesses, and policymakers to advance collaboration, innovation, and opportunity.
Brat Corps®
America's first lifelong community dedicated to military brats, connecting generations through belonging, leadership, mentorship, workforce development, advocacy, and community engagement.
Battle of the Bases™
A national esports and leadership championship that combines competition, technology, workforce pathways, and community connection for military-connected youth and adults.
Brat Corps Community Development Corporation™
The implementation engine for Military-Connected Destinations™, focused on building Community Capital™, strengthening partnerships, developing permanent assets, and supporting destination certification.
EXPLORE THE FRAMEWORK
Continue your journey by exploring:
The Military-Connected Destination™ Executive Journal
Community Readiness Assessment
Community Capital™ Executive Diagnostic
Return on Partnership™ Framework
Permanent Asset Development™ Model
Destination Certification Pathway
Executive Leadership Resources
Research and Publications
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Military-Connected Destinations™ are not built by a single organization.
They are built by leaders who recognize that collaboration creates stronger communities than competition alone.
Whether you represent a destination marketing organization, convention and visitors bureau, sports commission, military installation, local government, chamber of commerce, university, school system, healthcare organization, nonprofit, corporation, or military-connected family, your leadership has the potential to shape the future of destination development.
We invite you to explore the framework, engage in the conversation, and help build communities where military-connected people are recognized not only for their service and sacrifice, but also for their leadership, innovation, resilience, and lasting contributions to civic and economic prosperity.
Together, we can build America's next generation of Military-Connected Destinations™.
Help Shape the Future.