VT recently published two notices related to Iraq Veterans Against the War’s (IVAW’s) plan to kick off Operation Recovery their campaign to defend GIs’ and veterans’ right to heal.
Military Families join Operation Recovery: Stop the Deployment of Traumatized Troops.
Sign the Petition for Operation Recovery – STOP deploying injured troops!
Thus far, in only about a week IVAW has managed to get 1,650 supporters to sign the Iraq Veterans Against the War’s Pledge to support Operation Recovery.
IVAW needs just 350 more signatures to meet their goal of 2,000 by October 7.
Posted by Robert L. Hanafin, Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired, GS-14, U.S. Civil Service-Retired, Veterans Issues Editor, VT News Network
Sign the Pledge today.
Just six days from now, Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) will travel to Washington, DC to publicly announce Operation Recovery: Stop the Deployment of Traumatized Troops campaign. On that day, October 7, this nation will enter its tenth year of war in Afghanistan — marking ten years of untold suffering for the Afghan people and silent pain for our troops.
With their Operation Recovery Campaign, IVAW will bring to light the private stories of trauma that an overwhelming number of veterans and GIs are coping with as they are sent again and again to continue these wars. And we will hold those responsible for deploying traumatized troops accountable.
Will you help?
If you have not already signed the pledge, you can do so now, by clicking here.
Mental Health problems among our military are overwhelming
Published medical studies in 2008 and 2010 estimate that 20-50% of all service members deployed to Iraq and/or Afghanistan have likely suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In real numbers this means 350,000 to 900,000 are dealing with PTSD.
And a recent Army Times article states, “At least one in six service members is on some form of psychiatric drug. And many troops are taking more than one kind, mixing several pills in daily “cocktails” – for example, an antidepressant with an antipsychotic to prevent nightmares, plus an anti-epileptic to reduce headaches…” It further cites that the Department of Defense spending on psychiatric drugs used by the active duty military has risen by 75% since 2001.
These numbers provide an outline of the picture of today’s American military and what it must do to continue the occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan indefinitely. But next week in Washington, real veterans will be present to tell their personal stories and put a human face on the trauma they and thousands of others endure.
Knowing that 2,000 people like you are standing with them will mean a lot.
Sign the Campaign Pledge today.
If you have already signed the Pledge, please spread the word to your friends, family, and colleagues.
We can’t do this without you. Make a gift today to support the important work of this campaign.
In Solidarity,
The Campaign Team
Iraq Veterans Against the War is a 501(c)(3) charity,
and welcomes your tax deductible contributions
Readers are more than welcome to use the articles I’ve posted on Veterans Today, I’ve had to take a break from VT as Veterans Issues and Peace Activism Editor and staff writer due to personal medical reasons in our military family that take away too much time needed to properly express future stories or respond to readers in a timely manner.
My association with VT since its founding in 2004 has been a very rewarding experience for me.
Retired from both the Air Force and Civil Service. Went in the regular Army at 17 during Vietnam (1968), stayed in the Army Reserve to complete my eight year commitment in 1976. Served in Air Defense Artillery, and a Mechanized Infantry Division (4MID) at Fort Carson, Co. Used the GI Bill to go to college, worked full time at the VA, and non-scholarship Air Force 2-Year ROTC program for prior service military. Commissioned in the Air Force in 1977. Served as a Military Intelligence Officer from 1977 to 1994. Upon retirement I entered retail drugstore management training with Safeway Drugs Stores in California. Retail Sales Management was not my cup of tea, so I applied my former U.S. Civil Service status with the VA to get my foot in the door at the Justice Department, and later Department of the Navy retiring with disability from the Civil Service in 2000.
I’ve been with Veterans Today since the site originated. I’m now on the Editorial Board. I was also on the Editorial Board of Our Troops News Ladder another progressive leaning Veterans and Military Family news clearing house.
I remain married for over 45 years. I am both a Vietnam Era and Gulf War Veteran. I served on Okinawa and Fort Carson, Colorado during Vietnam and in the Office of the Air Force Inspector General at Norton AFB, CA during Desert Storm. I retired from the Air Force in 1994 having worked on the Air Staff and Defense Intelligence Agency at the Pentagon.
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