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IAVA in Washington

IAVA in Washington

 

From March 26 through March 29, IAVA stormed Capitol Hill with 26 of our Member Veterans. We met with lawmakers, told our stories and urged them to pass targeted legislation. IAVA called on Congress to join us in the fight against veteran unemployment by protecting the education benefits that make college and vocational training possible, and by enhancing training for veteran entrepreneurs.

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⌵ 2012 POLICY PRIORITIES ⌵

  • Employ the Next Greatest Generation
    Bills Endorsed by IAVA: H.R. 2433, H.R. 865, H.R. 1570, S. 146, S. 951
    Loyalty. Discipline. Respect. Leadership. These are values that any employer would like to see in new employees—and these are the values that make new veterans our country's new greatest generation. Yet America’s newest veterans face serious employment challenges. In 2011, the average unemployment rate for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans was a staggering 12.1 percent. To address this critical issue IAVA helped pass the VOW to Hire Heroes Act, the only employment bill to emerge from Congress and be signed into law by the President in 2011. The bill encourages veteran hiring through tax incentives and prepares service members for the transition to civilian careers by addressing civilian credentialing and licensing issues; reforming and making mandatory the Transition Assistance Program (TAP); and allowing transitioning service members to gain job experience and complete apprenticeships before leaving active duty.

    Careers After Combat: Employment and Education Challenges

    Each year, over 300,000 troops complete their military service. Between the often-difficult transition to civilian life and the struggling American economy, these new veterans are facing an uncertain economic future. Issue Report Image:   

    Maria Canales

    Maria Canales joined the active duty Army in 2002.  While stationed in Germany she worked as a Finance Specialist and a Financial Management Technician.  When she deployed to Iraq, Maria provided financial support to her unit.    

  • Prepare Veterans for Employment by Protecting Education Benefits
    Stay tuned in 2012
    The Post-9/11 GI Bill is one of the most significant achievements for veterans in the last 50 years. Through October 2011, almost a million veterans and their family members had used or were using the program to pursue higher or technical education or training in a trade. IAVA led the fight for the Post-9/11 GI Bill from its conception and we continue to fight to maintain its viability and value.
  • Prevent Suicide
    Legislation Pending
    Suicide is one of the most pressing issues facing veterans and active duty service members. In 2011, the Army reported 278 suspected suicides. Since the Army started releasing its suicide numbers publicly in January 2009, 863 soldiers have potentially taken their own lives. The full scope of the problem for veterans is largely unknown. The VA estimates that more than 6,000 veterans—or about 18 per day—committed suicide in 2009 and 950 veterans a month attempted suicide. However, we still have no hard data to confirm this.

    Invisible Wounds: Psychological, Neurological Injuries Confront our Newest Veterans

    As early as 1919, doctors began to track a psychological condition among combat veterans of World War I known as “shell shock.” Veterans were suffering from symptoms such as fatigue and anxiety, but science could offer little in the way of effective treatment. Issue Report Image:   

    Charlotte Brock

    When Charlotte Brock decided it was time to ask for help for her combat stress injuries she was ostracized by members of her unit and eventually removed from her job by her superiors. Unfortunately, the stigma associated with seeking treatment was so persuasive that she says, "If I were to do it again, I would suck it up and deal with it because seeking help only made things much harder."  

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IAVA Issue Reports

IAVA's Issue Reports offer comprehensive overviews of the biggest issues facing veterans. 

Hot Issues

Have you been stop-lossed?

Last summer, Congress passed legislation to compensate servicemembers who were stop-lossed after September 11, 2001. IAVA had been fighting for this provision for over a year, and now those payments have finally become available.

 

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