This major election year was an opportunity for IAVA to lead in a big way, bringing veterans’ issues to the forefront of political discussions on every side.
From female veteran suicide prevention to ensuring that servicemembers and veterans were not penalized for a government error, IAVA fought for and won protections for veterans.
IAVA and NBC News made history co-hosting the first ever Commander-in-Chief Forum, a national televised event that attracted nearly fifteen million viewers. The forum gave presidential candidates the opportunity to answer questions from veterans focused on national security, military affairs, and other timely veterans’ issues.
On Memorial Day weekend, IAVA contributed to a full slate of activities at the USS Intrepid in NYC. In particular, IAVA staff and members encouraged attendees to #GoSilent for a full minute on Memorial Day. #GoSilent is IAVA’s unique initiative to engage the public in honoring fallen soldiers.
A 2015 study found that women who have served in the military die by suicide at nearly six times the rate of those in the civilian population.
IAVA advocated for and celebrated the passage into law of the Female Veteran Suicide Prevention Act, legislation that specifically addresses suicide prevention for women veterans.
When news of the scandal broke in October, IAVA led the campaign to #PayThemBack and demanded the government fix an error that was forcing soldiers and veterans to repay bonuses provided to them in good faith.
After IAVA launched the #PayThemBack campaign, Congress passed legislation that would force the Pentagon to right this wrong.
“IAVA’s One-on-One support”
Since its launch in late 2012, IAVA’s Rapid Response Referral Program (RRRP) has helped thousands of veterans and family members get on track to meeting their goals through connections to quality resources and benefits. In this special feature video from January 2016, Yahoo! Studios highlighted IAVA’s one-on-one support program.
