Success Story

IAVA Meets the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
April 2 2009

On April 2nd, IAVA Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff and IAVA Member Veterans welcomed Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to a gathering of the Hudson Union Society in New York.

"As Chairman, [Admiral Mullen] has been a driving force in transforming our forces abroad to address a new generation of warfare, while upholding our nation’s sacred trust with its newest veterans and their families on the home front. We are especially pleased that Admiral Mullen has made it his personal mission to combat the stigma associated with seeking treatment for PTSD and other combat stress injuries. In addition to working to eradicate the stigma, he has dedicated tremendous time and effort to increasing servicemembers’ access to appropriate screening and treatment, a number one priority for IAVA and its member veterans. It takes strong leadership to change a culture and Admiral Mullen is the right man to be at the helm doing it. We, and veterans nationwide, are so grateful for his service, vision, and leadership."