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IAVA | December 21, 2018

Read: 2018 Advocacy Big Wins

We’ve been pushing all year on our 2018 Big 6 priorities in DC. There’ve been hundreds of wins, but as we look back and reflect on 2018, we’ve rounded out our biggest accomplishments where we’ve pushed issues into the national spotlight and made huge wins for the post-9/11 generation.

So here they are, the top 5 biggest wins IAVA’s DC Team has seen in 2018:

  1. We caught the nation’s attention and made America take notice of the post-9/11 generation. From an activation on the National Mall around veteran suicide, to national media attention and awareness on burn pits and GI Bill benefit problems. And we served as thought leaders in media for the community, illuminating the issues most pressing to veterans for the public.
  2. We’ve Stormed the Hill four times! Twenty-seven Stormers from around the country descended on D.C. to advocate and push for support for and passage of our top priorities for post-9/11 vets. And we’ve added 262 total cosponsors to IAVA-backed legislation in 2018. See our full list of wins on Capitol Hill and supported legislation HERE.
  3. We’ve submitted testimony to Congress five times this year (and submitted an additional four state-level testimonies in New York State Assembly and NYC, where IAVA is headquartered) about topics including suicide prevention to burn pits to GI Bill benefits. We’ve consistently voiced IAVA members’ concerns to top lawmakers across the country.
  4. We fielded 5 flash polls and 1 Member Survey, collecting over 20,000 responses from IAVA members throughout the year on topics ranging from the State of the Union, to VA Leadership, and the NFL Anthem protests, IAVA Members sounded off loud and clear at every opportunity. Save the date for January 30th, 2019, as we roll out the results of the 2018 Member Survey.
  5. We’ve thrown some kick ass events. We rocked out with 80s tribute band, The Legwarmers, and showed that veterans know how to have a good time. And we honored trailblazers like Leo Shane and Representative Brian Mast for their work on behalf of the veteran community. We’ve held numerous press conferences calling attention to burn pits and toxic exposures with Members of Congress and partners in the veteran community.

We’re signing off for the holidays to spend time with family and friends and recuperate after a year of pushing hard on the most pressing issues facing the post-9/11 generation. But we’ll be back in 2019 stronger and better than ever. There’s more ahead. The issues are still there, and the stakes are still high. We call them the Big 6 for a reason, because year over year, these are the issues you tell us that matter most. So stay tuned after the new year as we get ready for an impactful 2019. Onward!

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