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On this Anniversary Remember War is Trauma

published by Aaron Hughes on 03/19/12 5:00pm
Posted to: 
Volunteer Organizing Team

Today is the ninth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. The military occupation of Iraq is over, but the war continues in the untold pains and traumas of the Iraqi people and in the hearts and minds of those service members and veterans that have survived it. It is often here in the unseen trauma that war is most devastating.

With that in mind Iraq Veterans Against the War and Justseeds are proud to release War is Trauma: a portfolio that highlights the unseen traumas of war. We invite everyone to go to the new War is Trauma website to download, print, and post these graphics everywhere and anywhere to help highlight the too often hidden psychological tolls on the Iraqi people and veterans. In this military climate that continues to stigmatise service members who come forward about their unseen trauma, outbursts of destruction will continue to happen.  Last week’s tragedy in Afghanistan where sixteen more innocent civilians were massacred is just one of the most recent examples. Robert Bales, the Army Staff Sergeant named in the Afghanistan murders was reportedly on his fourth deployment, had TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury), had been wounded twice, and had seen a fellow soldier lose a leg the day before. Like Robert Bales whose three previous deployments were in Iraq, many of the troops now in Afghanistan have previously served in Iraq. Many arrive already suffering from Military Sexual Trauma, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and/or Traumatic Brain Injury. The military is in the midst of a suicide epidemic. Active duty service members are committing suicide at a rate of one every 36 hours. There have been at least 2,129 military suicides since 2001 and a least 4,194 veterans have died of self destructive and reckless behaviors. The trauma we and our fellow service members and veterans have experienced is often connected with the trauma that we have inflicted upon civilians. On this anniversary please take a moment to:

  • Reflect upon those Iraqi civilians suffering from the trauma we have inflicted, the unknown number of dead and wounded Iraqis#, and the Iraqi refugees and internally displaced.
  • Reflect upon the lives of the 4,457 service members who died over the course of the war, the 2,333,973 service members who have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan over the last ten years, the 1,002,106 service members that deployed twice or more, and the 385,711 veterans that are now suffering from mental health conditions.

IVAW members in chapters across the country, in San Francisco, Olympia, WA, Chicago, and Washington DC to name a few, will be observing the Anniversary in various ways and one thing is certain, the events of this last week have cast a pall over an already somber occasion.

IVAW member Hart Viges and Susan Van Haitsma

Reflections on Outreach with Sustainable Options for Youth

Akins High is a school with a wall of honor with pictures of students in the Military, a large JROTC, and many students with family in the Military. Susan, Tami and I recently visited Akins High and it was an epic day. In...

Weather won't effect the IVAW Convention

Healing the Wounds, IVAW Convention 2012 is less then a week away. If plan to attend and still haven't registered, please do so today. Here on the east coast, where the convention committee is busy preparing for next...
Andrew Wright's picture

Thank you for the opportunity to serve in our struggle

As many of you know, I recently stepped back from my position as the West Region Field Organizer for IVAW.  I remain a member of our Washington IVAW Chapter and plan to strengthen the continuing work of Operation Recovery at...

Current issue of The Veteran now online

THE VETERAN is the newspaper of Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Inc. In 1971 and 1972 it was published as 1st Casualty. From 1973 to 1975, it was published as Winter Soldier. In 1975, it became THE VETERAN. THE VETERAN ...

The legacy of 11 years of war in Afghanistan

Part 1 of 3 clips To mark the 11th anniversary of our invasion of Afghanistan this weekend, Democracy Now! featured this interview about the mental crisis facing veterans and active duty service members.  Included in the...

SUPPORT GI RESISTERS: Two war resisters facing hardship in canada and deportation

Rodney Watson and Kimberley Rivera, both who where featured in the War is Trauma portfolio, need your support. 1. Write the Canadian Immigration Minister and ask him to let Kimberley Rivera stay 2. Write solidarity letters...

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