Obama’s Drawdown Creates Surge of New Veterans

NEW YORK – Today, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the nation's first and largest nonprofit group for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, issued the following statement in response to President Obama’s announcement of a troop drawdown in Iraq.

IAVA Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff said, “Whether it is 16 months or 18 months, the strain on our troops and their families will be tremendous. What no one is talking about is how our country will support these tens of thousands of troops when they do come home.  The President’s new plan will create a “surge” of new veterans coming home in 2009 and 2010.  Our duty to these brave men and women doesn’t end when they leave the battlefield and America must do more to support them as they return home. The new GI Bill must be properly implemented, mental health resources must be expanded, and we must account for the toll the economic crisis will have on new veterans and their families. No veteran’s ‘welcome home’ should come in the form of an unemployment check.

This week the President also released his budget for veterans, which represents a strong step towards supporting our returning troops.  But it will take more than just the government to support our veterans; every American has a responsibility to support those who’ve served.  IAVA has done its part by launching a historic outreach campaign anchored by the groundbreaking website CommunityofVeterans.org.  At this site, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans can connect with one another and find critical mental health, education and employment resources to help with the transition home. It is support systems like this that will give returning veterans the heroes’ welcome they deserve.”

To see IAVA’s Full Statement on the 2009 Fiscal Budget and implications for veterans visit: http://iava.org/press-room/press-releases/iava-issues-statement-white-houses-2010-fiscal-budget

To see more information on IAVA and the Ad Council’s Veterans Support Campaign or learn more about CommunityofVeterans.org:   http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/adcouncil/34661/

To arrange an interview with IAVA Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff, please contact Chrissy Stevens, (212)982-9699 or Chrissy@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.