Vets Town Hall

Once a year, Congressman Moulton hosts a Vets Town Hall in Marblehead, Massachusetts. In this special event, veterans across eras and branches of service who served in any capacity can come together to share their stories of service and sacrifice with their communities. The Congressman opens the Town Hall with remarks of his own.

The 2024 Vets Town Hall will be held on 11/11 at 1pm in Marblehead’s Abbot Hall. If you are interested in speaking at the event, please call the office at 978-531-1669.

What is Vets Town Hall?

Whether they wish to share a story of pride, grief, joy, or reflection, this gathering offers a platform for veterans to stand before their neighbors and friends and speak openly about their military experience before, during, or after their service. Each speaker is welcome to address the audience for up to ten minutes to ensure they have ample time to tell their story.

This event is not about politics. It is not a space for debate on the political justifications or consequences of war. Instead, it’s a platform for veterans to offer insight into the realities of service, without judgment or interruption. There is no question-and-answer period, no political agenda—just voices of veterans, raw and unfiltered. The emotions shared at these events are profound and wide-ranging. What remains constant, however, is the power of hearing from these brave men and women and coming to better understand their experience in service.

Non-veterans are encouraged to attend, listen, and connect with those who have served our country.

The History of Vets Town Hall

Vets Town Halls are a continuation of an age-old tradition in storytelling, where those who have gone off to war share the wisdom and burdens their experience bestowed on them after returning home.

The specific concept of Vets Town Hall was first brought to life by Congressman Moulton, a Marine combat veteran, and Sebastian Junger, a journalist and author. Inspired by Junger’s 2015 Vanity Fair article on post-traumatic stress among veterans, the Congressman held the first Vets Town Hall in 2015, where veterans serving in wars spanning from World War II to the War on Terror shared their experiences.

Since then, the Congressman has made the Town Hall an annual tradition, and local leaders and Members of Congress across the country have followed his lead to hold Vets Town Halls in their own communities.

Why They Are Important

The Congressman believes those who have not served have just as much to gain by attending the event as the veterans who do.

By allowing veterans to share their stories with their neighbors and friends, he hopes those who haven’t served can better understand the service and sacrifice of the veterans who have. For our speakers, he sees it as an opportunity for them to reconnect with the very people they risked their lives to protect.

Bridging the Gap

The Congressman’s long-term goal with Vets Town Hall is to see one held in every community across America, creating a space for veterans and communities to connect and to heal together.

Every event is as unique as the community it is held, yet each helps advance the underlying goal of bridging the gap of understanding and connection between those who have fought and those who they fought for.

Vets Town Hall helps give Veterans Day the meaning it deserves, centering it as a day of reflection, dedication, responsibility, and opportunity.

We hope to see you at Vets Town Hall.