The True Cost of Advocacy: When Change Comes with a Price Tag
I am what I call a “Free-Range” Legislative Advocate — a private citizen who tries to represent the entire Military Community. That includes Active Duty, National Guard, Reserve, Veterans, their Families, and — most importantly to me — the Surviving Spouses and Dependents.
This community spans every era and branch of service, every gender, religion, and political persuasion. We are as diverse as America itself, but our shared experiences bind us. And yet, representation for our community too often comes from those who are paid to speak on our behalf - lobbyists, professional organizations, or nonprofit boards bound by rules and politics that can silence uncomfortable truths.
That’s where “Free-Range” Advocacy comes in. I don’t answer to a board or a donor. I am not sanctioned. I walk the halls of Congress, often alone, to remind elected officials of their moral obligation to the people who have served this country — and to the families who continue to bear that cost long after the uniforms come off.
But let’s be honest: independence isn’t free.
The Price of Presence
Advocacy has a very real cost. Passion may open doors, but it won’t cover travel, hotel rooms, or registration fees to get to those doors. If you want to be taken seriously, you have to show up — in person, in D.C., in Austin, or wherever decisions get made.
Let’s break that down:
Airfare: $500–$1,000 (and that’s being optimistic)
Hotel in D.C.: $400–$600 per night
Meals and Taxi/Uber: $150–$250
Conference or event registration: $300–$600
Printing, materials, and attire: $100–$200
That’s easily $1,500–$2,500 per trip. And that’s just to get in the room.
Now multiply that by a few trips a year, add fuel and materials for local outreach, and sprinkle in the cost of being available 24/7 — and you’ve built yourself a volunteer career that quietly drains your savings account.
The Membership Paywall
Even belonging to the community you serve comes with a price tag. Most organizations that “represent” military families require memberships — not to exclude, but to sustain their operations. Still, those costs add up fast.
American Legion: about $45 per year
Gold Star Spouses of America or Gold Star Wives: $45–$50
AUSA (Association of the U.S. Army): $40–$75
Quad-A (Army Aviation Association of America): $50–$95
Other service-branch associations or auxiliaries: another $30–$50 each
By the time you add local chapter dues and “recommended donations,” you’re looking at $300–$500 annually — just to stay informed, invited, and included. This does not include the cost of political organizations or attending political events (for both sides).
These military community organizations do valuable work, but their missions are guided by boards, donors, and politics.
A “Free-Range Advocate” can tell the truth without waiting for permission or funding approval. That freedom matters — but it’s expensive.
The Hidden Costs of Caring
Behind every email, every policy proposal, and every meeting, there’s a stack of receipts. Printing, Wi-Fi, research tools, subscriptions, and a caffeine habit that could rival NASA’s fuel budget.
There’s no reimbursement. No per diem. No paycheck. Just an unwavering belief that this work must be done — and that independence is worth the price.
The Paywall on Progress
Here’s the hard truth: access is for sale.
The more expensive it is to be in the room, the fewer authentic voices make it there. The people most affected by policy decisions are the ones least able to afford to influence them.
When advocacy becomes a luxury sport, progress starts catering to the privileged.
Representation of the Military Community should not be limited to lobbyists, nonprofits with D.C. offices, or organizations whose leaders are bound by board votes and donor expectations. We need advocates who aren’t afraid to speak plainly, ask hard questions, and stay loyal to people — not politics.
The Burnout Budget
Financial strain fuels burnout faster than opposition does. It’s hard to push for change while wondering how you’ll pay for next month’s bills. Many of us have maxed out credit cards or borrowed just to make it to “the meeting that might make a difference.”
We don’t talk about that part enough. Society romanticizes “sacrifice” until it becomes standard operating procedure.
A Better Way Forward
If advocacy truly matters, it must be funded like it matters. That means travel stipends, grassroots grants, and partnerships that include independent advocates in budgets — not just photo ops.
Goodwill starts movements. Money sustains them.
Until that happens, I’ll keep doing what I’ve always done: splitting rooms, flying standby, and walking the halls of Congress on behalf of every member of the Military Community who can’t afford to. As I can afford to.
Because freedom isn’t free — and neither is the fight to protect those who’ve already paid for it.
— said by Tori Seals, because someone had to say it
