Veterans Reflect on 10th Anniversary of Afghanistan War

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, October 7, 2011

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Veterans Reflect on 10th Anniversary of Afghanistan War

After decade, more important than ever to remember the fallen and invest in those returning home

NEW YORK - Today, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the nation’s first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, issued the following statement to mark the 10^th anniversary of the beginning of the war in Afghanistan. 

“Ten years ago we went to war in Afghanistan. As our country reflects on the past decade, it’s critical that we not only remember our fallen, but we also support the troops returning home everyday. For too many new veterans, the war doesn’t end when they come back – that’s when the battle really begins. The average unemployment rate for new veterans in 2011 so far is over 12 percent. Mental health injuries are being reported at unprecedented levels. And in 2010, we lost more service members to suicide than to combat," said IAVA Founder and Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff.
 
“Nearly half of Post-9/11 combat vets polled in a recent Pew Research Center study think the government is failing to provide the services they need to transition home effectively. In the shadow of Vietnam this is totally unacceptable. When we went to war, we made a commitment to serve our country. Over 2.3 million of us have upheld that oath through the longest war in our nation’s history, and we're returning ready to continue our service at home. A decade later, we need our country to double down on its own commitment and invest in this New Greatest Generation so we can help lead America into the future.”

If you are a member of the media who wishes to arrange an interview with IAVA Founder and Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff or an IAVA Member Veteran, please contact Isabel Black at (212) 982-9699 or isabel@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 200,000 Member Veterans and civilian supporters nationwide.

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