IAVA: A legacy of winning
Select a year from the list below to learn about IAVA’s impact during that time.
2021
The momentum was strong, and IAVA continued to fight and win for the veteran community.
2021: IAVA IS MAKING HISTORY
IAVA-BACKED VETERAN JOB RETRAINING BILL INCLUDED IN $1.9 TRILLION PANDEMIC PACKAGE
The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, a Congressional response to the COVID-19 pandemic also includes the IAVA-backed Veterans Economic Recovery Act that will provide up to 12 months of retraining assistance for veterans who are unemployed due to the pandemic. The one-year of retraining program also includes a generous housing allowance.
While this signed legislation funds 17,500 eligible veterans, more must be done and IAVA calls on Congress to expand this program to at least 35,000 veterans.
2021: A Historic Year for Advocacy
IAVA Applauds Repeal of Military Transgender Ban
“IAVA has strongly opposed the ban since its enactment in 2017, and as the leading post-9/11 veteran empowerment, advocacy and support organization, we firmly stand in support of our transgender troops and veterans and in support of equality,” said IAVA CEO Jeremy Butler.
READ MOREVeterans Coalition for Vaccination
IAVA joined five other leading veterans organizations in creating the Veterans Coalition for Vaccination (VCV), a coalition aiding local and state officials in distributing the COVID-19 vaccine nationwide.
LEARN MOREIAVA celebrated new life-saving provisions in the NDAA for 2021
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021 became law on January 1st, 2021, and is incredibly important as it includes numerous life-saving provisions, from increased mental health care for National Guard and Reservists, to focused pandemic care for those exposed to burn pits and other toxic exposures.
READ MOREIAVA's Big 6 Priorities Got a Re-Boot
Launching a six-week campaign to highlight top issues facing post-9/11 veterans, IAVA took a deep-dive into the issues in February and March.
IAVA key priorities are in the NDAA for 2022
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022 was signed into law on December 27th, 2021, and a number of KEY PRIORITIES for post-9/11 veterans were included in this omnibus legislation. Of particular note:
While much work still needs to be done to strengthen these provisions, they are significant victories to be celebrated!
READ MOREEvents: Bringing Veterans Together
VIRTUAL FLY-IN
On Monday, March 22nd, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) kicked off our annual advocacy event. Dubbed the IAVA Virtual Fly-In, this year’s event was held virtually through carefully orchestrated online conferences, safely connecting IAVA members from across the country to Congress through Zoom, Facebook Live and other digital platforms.
Veterans in Action
THE PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER
Following the failed insurrection attempt of January 6, 2021, 38 organizations, including IAVA, released a joint statement on the peaceful transfer of power. Read Here.
EQUITY IN THE VETERAN COMMUNITY
Advancing Equity: the Black Veteran Community’s Road to Recovery, an op-ed authored by IAVA’s CEO, Jeremy Butler, originally ran in the USA TODAY publication on February 24, 2021.
FACEBOOK LIVE – LGBTQ NON-DISCRIMINATION
IAVA has always advocated for equal opportunity for all who choose to serve in the U.S. military, and on March 11, 2021, IAVA CEO Jeremy Butler joined LGBTQ military advocates Nic Talbott, Bree Fram and Jennifer Levi to talk about how inclusion and diversity make the military stronger.
Video Highlight
"The Veterans Coalition for Vaccination"
In keeping with the times, IAVA facilitated several veteran-interest Facebook Live events in 2021. The online discussion on Wednesday, February 24th, was particularly well-received when IAVA’s CEO, Jeremy Butler, hosted Team Rubicon’s Jake Wood and Dr. Kavita Patel to discuss the Veterans Coalition for Vaccination (VCV)..
IAVA History
Select a year from the list below to learn about IAVA’s impact during that time.
