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2010 Legislative 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. Those are values that any employer would like to see in new employees - and those are the values that make veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan our country's next greatest generation. Yet America’s newest veterans face serious employment challenges. In 2010, the unemployment rate for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans was a staggering 11.5 percent, leaving over 239,000 combat veterans struggling to find jobs in the most severe economic recession in decades.

    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.    

  • Support Caregivers of Wounded Warriors
    Signed by the President into law
    Several thousand veterans are returning home from OIF and OEF with serious injuries that require years of care and recovery.  Many will never fully recover.  Family members have had to act as primary advocates and caregivers through out the treatment and recovery process, often leaving their education, career or retirement to care for an injured loved one. Last year, IAVA helped spearhead passage of the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 to help our nation's full-time caregivers for wounded veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan.
  • Ease the Transition Home
    Legislation Pending
    More than 2.2 million Americans have served in Iraq or Afghanistan. When they return home, they require medical treatment, a smooth transition from DoD to the VA and support for their families.
  • Prevent Suicide Among Troops and Veterans
    Legislation Pending
    On July 5, the White House announced a change in policy regarding sending condolence letters to families of troops who committed suicide in combat zones. Cases of suicide in the United States will remain unrecognized. Read IAVA's statement in response to the policy reversal here. For more information about the change in White House policy, click here Since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan began, over 3,400 servicemen have committed suicide. One active duty service member commits suicide every 36 hours, and the rates have nearly doubled for National Guardsmen and Reservists. Suicide rates among veterans are likely even higher. The rate of suicide has increased every year since the wars began, with over 300 cases in 2010. The fact is that military suicides have become an epidemic that can't afford to be ignored any longer.

    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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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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