For the fourth year, Veterans Talking to Veterans’ Stronger Together Summit will bring together veterans, their families, veteran coaches in community and connection at the National Museum of Military Vehicles in Dubois, Wyoming from July 31 through August 2, 2026.

The Stronger Together Summit started as a smaller, community-driven event but has grown into something more defined. This gathering is a model for how veterans can be supported at the community level, consistently and over time. The goal this year is to reach 1,000 attendees, expand awareness of VTTV as a nonprofit, and strengthen the network of people and organizations who are working to support veterans throughout the larger community.

“This event continues to grow because of the people who show up and continue to lead with intention,” says VTTV Founder Julie Elledge. “There is something powerful about veterans coming together in one place, reconnecting with a sense of purpose, and realizing they are part of a community that is moving forward together.”

This Is What the Work Looks Like

Veterans Talking to Veterans is built on a simple idea that is often overlooked. Veterans do not need more disconnected resources. They need structure, consistency, and connection with people who understand their experience. That is what the coaches trained through Mentor Agility provide every week. Group coaching that supports veterans across the areas that shape daily life, including mindset, physical health, relationships, and purpose. This event is an extension of that work.

Over the course of the weekend, organizations such as AARP, the American Red Cross, Wyoming State Parks, and Wyoming Health Fairs will be present, not as static exhibitors, but as active participants in the broader ecosystem of support. The expectation is interaction, not just information.

The Community Dinner Changes the Dynamic

This year introduces something new that emphasizes conversation and connection. On Saturday evening, the event will host its first community dinner in partnership with the Robert Irvine Foundation, led by celebrity chef Robert Irvine, and the Wyoming Hunger Initiative, led by Wyoming’s First Lady, Jennie Gordon. While it is a large-scale meal designed to serve hundreds, it brings a new layer of connection to the weekend. When people sit down together without an agenda or a program to follow, conversations start, barriers come down, and connections begin to take shape in ways that are difficult to manufacture in more structured settings. 

The Wyoming Hunger Initiative, founded by Wyoming First Lady Jennie Gordon, will be graciously donating the meat for the evening, a contribution that reflects nearly eight years of sustained leadership and commitment to addressing hunger across the state. This initiative has been both practical and far reaching, grounded in local partnerships and a clear understanding of what rural Wyoming communities need. We are deeply grateful for that generosity and for the example it sets. 

“The dinner brings everything together,” says VTTV Executive Director Ryan Elledge. “You have veterans, families, partners, and community members in one place, sharing time and conversation in a way that doesn’t happen often enough. That is where relationships start to form, and that is what carries the work forward after the weekend ends.”

The dinner is expected to reach capacity at 600 attendees, and early reservations are strongly encouraged.

Graduation Is the Point of Expansion

Saturday afternoon will mark the graduation of the newest cohort of Veterans Talking to Veterans coaches, and this is where the VTTV model scales. Each coach leaves training with a commitment to lead ongoing group sessions in their community. These VTTV gatherings are consistent, structured support for veterans and their families, and that is where true long-term impact happens. The ceremony will include remarks from Governor Mark Gordon, Tim Sheppard of the Wyoming Veterans Commission, Robert Irvine, and Julie Elledge. 

Non-Denominational Service and Pancake Breakfast

Sunday morning closes out the weekend with a non-denominational service led by Reverend Paul Crips of the Episcopal Church serving at St. Christopher's Episcopal Church in Cheyenne, Wyoming and Conrad Washington, formerly with the Department of Veterans Affairs, Center for Faith-Based and Community Engagement. The service is open to all and designed to be inclusive, offering a simple space to gather before heading home. It is followed by a community pancake breakfast ($11), giving attendees one more opportunity to connect, continue conversations, and close out the weekend together in a straightforward and welcoming setting. 

An Open Invitation

The Stronger Together Summit 2026 is open to veterans, families, community members, and organizations who want to be part of something that is continuing to take shape in a meaningful way.

Registration for the public is now available at: Public Registration VTTV Summit

Registration for vendors is now available at: Vendor Registration VTTV Summit

If you have been part of this in the past, you already understand what makes this event different, and if you have not, this is the year to see it for yourself. There is a place for you here at the table, in conversation, and in the kind of community that is built when people show up with a willingness to engage.