Tennessee Department of Veterans Services

VISION To make Tennessee the national leader in serving veterans and their families. MISSION Our mission is to serve veterans of all eras through passionate advocacy, informative outreach, and an honorable final resting place. STATEMENT OF VALUES The core values define "who we are," our culture, and how we care for Veterans and eligible beneficiaries. Our values are more than just words – they affect outcomes in our daily interactions with Veterans and eligible beneficiaries and with each other. Taking the first letter of each word—TRUST, RESPECT, ADVOCACY, COMMITMENT, EXCELLENCE—creates a powerful acronym, "TRACE." The term The definition of "TRACE" is finding or discovering by investigation. The acronym will remind each TDVS employee of the importance of their role to be laser-focused on finding those Veterans and their families who require our vital services. These core values come together as five promises we make as individuals and as a TEAM to those we serve. - Trust: Maintain the trust and confidence of all with whom I engage. Protect and cherish that trust with those Veterans and their families we support. - Respect: There is no higher calling or more noble mission than to serve the Veterans and their families who sacrificed so much for the freedoms we enjoy. Treat all of them, partner agencies, stakeholders, and my fellow TDVS teammates with dignity and respect. - Advocacy: Be truly Veteran-centric by identifying, fully considering, and appropriately advancing the interests of Veterans and other beneficiaries. - Commitment: Work diligently to serve Veterans and other beneficiaries. Be driven by an earnest belief in TDVS's mission. Fulfill my individual, leader, and collective organizational responsibilities. - Excellence: Adhere to the highest professional standards. Strive for the highest quality and seek continuous improvement. Be thoughtful and decisive in leadership, accountable for my actions, willing to admit mistakes, and rigorous in correcting them.