Join the 2026 Army Navy Policy Conference Dec. 11 at Fordham University, connecting veterans and leaders in business, finance, technology, and beyond.

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, October 27, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The 2026 Army Navy Policy Conference today announced Veteran Debt Assistance (VDA) as its Presenting Partner. The event takes place Friday, Dec. 11, 2026, at Fordham University's Lincoln Center campus.

The conference is built for the moment after the uniform comes off. It brings veterans, student veterans, ROTC cadets and military families into the same room as investors, operators and public leaders for a day of practical conversation on building careers and businesses, managing capital and planning for what's ahead.

The program opens with remarks from Secretary Patrick J. Murphy, the 32nd Under Secretary of the U.S. Army and the first Iraq War veteran elected to Congress. Additional speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.

VDA was founded with a simple but urgent mission: to help those who've served our nation overcome the burden of debt and
regain financial independence. Its financial tools, education and resources are free for veterans. As Presenting Partner, VDA will also host the Risk panel, moderated by Secretary Murphy.

“Too many veterans carry debt out of the service and into civilian life, and they shouldn't have to figure it out alone,” said Angel Torres, President of VE Solutions, on behalf of Veteran Debt Assistance. “Being part of the Army Navy Policy Conference puts free, practical financial tools in front of the veterans, students and families who can use them, and keeps financial stability in the same conversation as careers, business and leadership.”

Torres added that the risk panel is meant to be practical: “The next six to twelve months will bring real pressure on household budgets and small businesses. We want veterans to leave the room knowing what to watch for and where to turn before it becomes a crisis.”

“This conference is about the next mission,” said Secretary Murphy. “Veterans learned to lead when the stakes were high. They're bringing that into business, finance and public life, and our job is to put them in the room with the people who can open the next door. Having VDA with us as Presenting Partner, and Fordham as our host, makes that possible.”

Gerry Byrne, a 1966 Fordham graduate and Marine Corps veteran of Vietnam who founded Veterans Week NYC and Veterans on Campus NYC, serves as honorary chair.

“Fordham has been sending its graduates into uniform for generations, and welcoming them
home,” said Byrne. “What I learned in the Marine Corps and on this campus carried me through a career in business. This conference gives today's student veterans and cadets something I wish every one of them had: a network that shows up for them, right here in New York.”

Panels
The program features six panels built around the paths veterans take after service. The Finance panel will look at how capital moves and how veterans earn a seat at that table, and the Entrepreneurship panel brings together founders who left the service and built companies on the other side. A Tech & Defense Tech panel will examine building for national security, from what gets funded to what gets fielded, and a Media panel will explore who tells the military community's story. The Sports panel will take on identity, performance and purpose when the uniform comes off, and the Risk panel, hosted by VDA, will cover what the first six to twelve months after service can bring. Past conferences have featured Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Under Armour founder Kevin Plank, Johnson & Johnson's Alex Gorsky and Gen. James McConville, the 40th Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army.

Tickets are $50, with discounted pricing for students and veterans.

Register on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-warrior-class-army-navy-conferencetickets-2000901536358 .
Sponsorship opportunities remain available; contact Genine Fallon · g9@patrickjmurphy.com · (513) 236-4839

About the Army Navy Policy Conference
Held each year on the Friday before the Army-Navy Game, the Army-Navy Conference brings leaders from the military, government, sports and business together with students and veterans for a day of dialogue on leadership, service and resilience. Now in its fifth year and hosted by Patrick J. Murphy, Genine Fallon, Dan Kunze and Sitreps, the conference began at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and has since convened at MIT, Georgetown University and Johns Hopkins University before coming to Fordham this year.

About Veteran Debt Assistance
Veteran Debt Assistance (VDA) is committed to empowering veterans and their families through financial education, trusted resources, practical budgeting tools, and community support rooted in an understanding of military and veteran culture. Recognizing that the financial challenges of military service and the transition to civilian life can be unique, VDA provides accessible, relevant financial education to help veterans make informed financial decisions, overcome debt, and build lasting financial stability and independence.

Media contact
Genine Fallon · g9@patrickjmurphy.com · 513-236-4839

Genine Fallon
Taking the Hill LLC
+1 513-236-4839
g9@patrickjmurphy.com