West Virginia has launched a new initiative to attract veterans to the Mountain State.
Through the Ascend Heroes program, veterans would receive $12,000 to move into one of six “Ascend communities” throughout West Virginia, according to Gov. Patrick Morrisey.
Once they make the commitment, veterans have six months to move to one of the communities.
With its rolling hills, spacious valleys, flowing rivers and lush forests, West Virginia provides peacefulness and serenity attractive to many veterans. Morrisey also believes Ascend Heroes will provide a significant spark for the state’s workforce.
The program was created through a partnership with the state, West Virginia University and the Wing 2 Wing Foundation, which promotes business, educational and environmental opportunities across the state. Since the overall launch in 2021, not specifically targeted to veterans, the initiative has attracted 1,400 new residents.
Less than 1.8 million call West Virginia home and the state’s population has declined steadily in the past 20 years. According to USA Facts, from 2015 to 2025, the Mountain State’s population dipped by 4.3 percent, ranking dead last among all 50 states.
“This is incredible because it’s going to help us build strength in West Virginia,” Morrisey said in a statement. “I know I spent a lot of time talking about the fact that West Virginia has to grow population. We have to increase the workforce. These are the number one challenges that we have. This program is designed to address those very issues.”
State on the Upswing
Besides being a veteran, another stipulation is that participants must either have a job lined up or work remotely. Along with $12,000, the program offers free outdoor recreation and gear.
Marshall University President Brad D. Smith, who co-founded the Wing 2 Wing Foundation with his wife, Alys, said veterans taking the leap to West Virginia would be joining an “upward-moving state.”
“The thing I love about our service men and women is they run towards problems because they see them as opportunities,” Smith, a West Virginia native, told WSAZ in Charleston. “And we are a state on the rise. We have a lot of hard-working people here who are leaning in and creating the next great chapter for our state. And the first two letters of our state say everything a military person wants to hear: WE, the power of ‘we.’”
The six “Ascend communities” are Charleston, the state’s capital and largest city, Morgantown area, Greenbrier Valley, Eastern Panhandle, Greater Elkins and New River Gorge.
Ascend West Virginia is especially focusing on attracting remote workers who can work from anywhere and still enjoy the state’s amenities and affordable cost of living, 15 percent lower than the national average.
“With the minds of visionaries, Brad and Alys Smith made a transformational investment in ‘Almost Heaven’ that is changing the landscape of remote work forever,” according to the program’s website. “Ascend WV was born with the mission of sharing West Virginia’s unbeatable quality of life with remote workers just like you.”
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