President Obama Says the Right Things for Vets, Now We Need Results

CONTACT: Chrissy Stevens (212) 982-9699 or chrissy@iava.org  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, August 2, 2010 Follow IAVA on Twitter.com/IAVAPressRoom President Obama Says the Right Things for Vets, Now We Need Results National Conversation Should Focus on Veterans As Much As Iraq Drawdown New York- Today, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the nation’s first and largest non-partisan, nonprofit organization representing veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, issued the following statement in reaction to President Obama's speech at the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Conference in Atlanta, Georgia: "Today, President Obama said a lot of the right things about veterans affairs, but Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are looking for results. We want more than respect and promises; we want outcomes. In the last two years, the President, Congress and the VSO community have made solid progress for veterans, namely, advanced appropriations, the New GI Bill, and improved PTSD rules. But now is not the time for pats on the back. We need the President to look ahead and put the pedal down to implement real results before the fall. The situation facing new veterans is urgent. On President Obama’s watch, veteran unemployment has steadily risen, the VA disability backlog remains unacceptably high and suicide rates continue to skyrocket. Veterans need to know that the President isn’t just talking about these issues, but that he is working tirelessly to deliver tangible results. And we hope the media focuses on those results as thoroughly as they do the details of the Iraq drawdown. In today’s speech, we hoped that the President wouldn't only talk about job training for vets, but that he would call on Congress to pass a jobs bill; that the President wouldn’t just talk about suicides, he would tell us how he is going to address the rise; that instead of celebrating funding the GI Bill, he would insist Congress support the badly needed upgrade package before the election recess; and that instead of simply talking about supporting the troops, that the President would issue a clear call to action to the American public. We know what can be done when America works together. The Iraq and Afghanistan veterans community is here to help. Now is the time for the President to lead and implement the historic results that our veterans deserve.” See IAVA’s recent statement on visiting the White House to meet with President Obama here. To arrange an interview with IAVA Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff, Iraq veteran Tom Tarantino who attended the DAV speech in Atlanta, or another member veteran, contact Chrissy Stevens, 212-982-9699, Chrissy@iava.org Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) is the country's first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and has more than 180,000 veteran members and civilian supporters nationwide. Its mission is to improve the lives of this country's newest generation of veterans and their families.