The IVAW Report

IVAW has had a busy summer, as our membership continues to grow by leaps and bounds.  While both political parties become more and more absorbed in the presidential race, IVAW continues our hard work at the grassroots level, building a GI resistance movement that is doing more to end the Iraq occupation than the politicians ever will.  We now have 48 IVAW chapters and over 1,250 members across the country.

Four of these chapters are on military bases, and we expect to have four more active duty chapters before the year ends. Many GIs are strongly against the war, but have no outlet for their resistance, no safe space to express their views outside of the base.  For the first time in our history as an organization, 25% of new members are active duty troops, which tells us that enlisted GIs are stepping up more than ever to end this war.

State of the Union Military Base Tour
Throughout the month of August, IVAW is on the road on a GI outreach tour that is taking us to 8 military bases.  We need your help to cover expenses essential to our work to reach the troops.  To sponsor a leg of the tour, or help us cover other tour expenses go to our website, and make a donation.

Our six-member base tour crew has already visited Ft. Drum, NY, Ft. Bragg and Camp Lejeune, NC, and Ft. Stewart, GA. They are sharing Winter Soldier testimony, informing GIs of their rights to speak out, and offering legal information and workshops on how to navigate the Veterans Administration.

The cost of this GI outreach tour is considerable.  We need funds to:

• Cover fuel, food and housing for our 6-member base tour crew.
• Produce outreach materials to reach active duty GIs.
• Hold BBQs and small concerts for GIs.
• Pay for local advertising to publicize the tour.  
• Please donate now to sustain this tour through mid-September.

Support War Resisters who are Facing Persecution and Prison
Last month, 25-year-old U.S. Army PFC Robin Long became the first war resister since the Vietnam War to be forcefully deported from Canada.  He was handed over to military authorities in the U.S. and is currently being held in the El Paso County Jail, near Colorado Springs, Colorado, awaiting a military court martial, scheduled for early September.  Robin could face three years confinement, forfeiture of pay, and a dishonorable discharge from the Army if found guilty. 

Like so many others, Robin’s recruiter promised him a non-combat position within the U.S. Army, but he was deployed to Iraq anyway.  Regarding his decision to resist, Robin explains, “I made the best decision. Regardless of what hardships I go through, I could have put Iraqi families through more hardships. I have no regrets.”  IVAW’s Colorado Springs chapter has been active in support of Robin, recognizing war resistors as a key part of the GI resistance movement.  IVAW member, Garrett Reppenhagen, praised Robin, declaring “I support Robin Long because he is a Soldier of Conscience. There is a huge propaganda campaign in this country to get young men to join the military. He bought the hype. He signed up for a promised [non-combat] job, but it turned out not to be so. He decided to go to Canada and follow his conscience instead.”

What you can do to support Robin:

1. Take a few minutes to send a letter of support to Robin:

Robin Long, CJC
2739 East Las Vegas
Colorado Springs CO 80906

Robin is allowed to receive hand-written or typed letters only. His letters will be reviewed, so please do not write anything inflammatory that might get him in trouble.  Do NOT include postage stamps, drawings, stickers, copied photos or print articles.  However, you may send Robin a money order for commissary items (postage stamps, toothbrush, shirts, paper, snacks, etc.).  The money order should be in U.S. funds made out to "Robin Long, EPSO".  The sender’s name must be written on the money order.  Robin cannot receive packages of any type from private citizens.  But, you may order a book for Robin from either Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble and have it shipped directly to him from either of these companies.  They know the procedure for delivering books to inmates.

2. Donate to Robin’s legal defense.

James Burmeister was serving in Baghdad when his humvee was caught in an IED explosion and he was hit in the face with shrapnel.  Suffering from the physical and emotional wounds resulting from his injury, and his experiences working with "bait and kill" teams in Iraq, James went to Canada and was AWOL until earlier this year when he decided to return to the U.S., turn himself in, and move on with his life.

He hoped that the military would offer him an Other Than Honorable discharge, especially in consideration of his injuries suffered in Iraq.  James believes that he is suffering from traumatic brain injury, which would explain his recurring seizures.  However, he has found real medical treatment an impossible maze to navigate.  The military instead offers him various anti-psychotic drug cocktails.  James was sentenced to six months at the Fort Knox Regional Confinement Facility and received a bad conduct discharge.

What you can do to support James:
Write James a letter of support in the stockade:

James Burmeister
Box A
Fort Knox, KY 40121

Moral support is such an important way to support war resistors like James and Robin.  They need to know that they have not been forgotten, and that their sacrifice is recognized.  Please take a few moments to write them a simple note of support today.

Jeremy Hinzman, the first U.S. war resister to apply for refuge in Canada has been ordered deported by September 23rd.  Jeremy has lived in Canada with his wife for the past four years, and they have two young children.  This decision contradicts a motion passed by the Canadian Parliament on June 3, which calls on the government to allow U.S. war resisters to apply for Permanent Resident status.

What you can do to support Jeremy:
Contact Stephen Harper, the Prime Minister of Canada, and Diane Finley, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, and express your concern about Jeremy’s deportation.  You can make these points when you contact them:

They should respect Parliament, and implement the June 3rd motion in support of war resisters staying in Canada;
82% of Canadians oppose the Iraq war; 64% of Canadians in an Angus Reid national poll want war resisters to stay in Canada;
Jeremy Hinzman and his family have established a life in Canada for over 4 years; they should not be deported because they oppose the Iraq war, which is illegal and immoral.
The Right Honorable Stephen Harper
Phone (613) 992-4211
E-mail: pm@pm.gc.ca

The Honorable Diane Finley
Ottawa office (613) 954-1064
E-mail: finley.d@parl.gc.ca

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Thank you for your continued support,

Kelly Dougherty
Former Sergeant, Army National Guard
Executive Director
Iraq Veterans Against the War: http://ivaw.org