Celebrating A Historic Year for Vets; IAVA Rings NASDAQ Opening Bell on NYE

CONTACT: Michael Houston 917-697-6406FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, December 30, 2008   IAVA Celebrates Historic Year for Veterans; Rings NASDAQ Opening Bell on New Year's Eve   NEW YORK - Tomorrow, New Year's Eve, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the nation's first and largest nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, will ring the opening bell at the NASDAQ Stock Exchange in New York City. IAVA Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff will be joined by 50 veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for the ceremony. The ceremony begins at 9:00 AM (ET) on the opening stage at 4 Times Square. The ceremony is OPEN to the media. To attend, please RSVP to Michael Houston at michael@iava.org.   "I am honored to participate in NASDAQ's opening bell ceremony and thankful for the recognition NASDAQ has given America's newest generation of heroes," said IAVA Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff. "2008 was a landmark year for new veterans, but as we welcome a new year with a new era of leadership in Washington, we must continue to ensure that veterans' issues are a priority - both in our nation's capital and in communities across the country."   Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have reason to celebrate this year. In 2008, IAVA led the fight for a new GI Bill and won, ensuring an affordable education for the 1.7 million Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. The passage of the "Post-9/11" GI Bill represented the single largest increase to veterans' education benefits in 60 years. We also saw historic increases to VA funding this year, and for the first time since September 11th, the VA budget was passed on time.   Also in 2008, IAVA, in conjunction with the Ad Council, launched a groundbreaking Public Service Advertising (PSA) campaign to ease the transition for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The campaign's website, CommunityofVeterans.org, offers the first social networking site exclusively for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, and includes resources on issues like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The momentum of the campaign has already been enormous and we anticipate even greater success in 2009.   And 2009 promises to be an even more important year for new veterans and their families. IAVA looks forward to working with the new Administration and VA Secretary nominee General Eric Shinseki. In particular, IAVA will push for an advance-funded VA, for disabled veterans to receive the benefits they have earned, and for all troops to get the mental health screening and treatment they deserve.   To arrange an interview with IAVA Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff or any other IAVA member veteran, please contact Michael Houston at (917) 697-6406 or Michael@iava.org   Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (www.IAVA.org) is the country's first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and has more than 125,000 veteran members and civilian supporters nationwide. Its mission is to improve the lives of this country's newest generation of veterans and their families.   ###