Skip to main content

ATTENTION: This site is no longer active but remains as an archive.

Iraq Veterans Against the War has become About Face: Veterans Against the War. About Face can be found at aboutfaceveterans.org

Iraq Veterans Against the War

Join IVAW

Donate to IVAW

  • About
    • Founding of IVAW
    • Mission, Values, and Vision
    • War in Afghanistan
    • Why We Are against the Wars
    • Resolutions
    • IVAW Timeline
    • Board of Directors
    • Advisory Committee
    • Staff
  • Events
  • Campaigns
    • Operation Recovery
    • Winter Soldier
      • Breakdown of the Military
      • Civilian Testimony
      • Corporate Pillaging
      • Cost of War at Home
      • Crisis in Veterans Healthcare
      • Future of GI Resistance
      • Gender and Sexuality
      • Legacy of GI Resistance
      • Racism and War
      • Response to DoD
      • Rules of Engagement
      • Press Coverage
      • Press Releases
    • Right to Heal
  • Members
  • Resources
    • AWOL
    • Active Duty
    • Conscientious Objector
    • Depleted Uranium
    • History of Resistance
    • IRR Reactivation
    • Lariam
    • PTSD
    • Profiles of Resisters
    • Resources for Veterans
    • Stop Loss
    • Women's Resources
    • Mesothelioma
  • Press
  • Contact
    • Press
    • Speaker Request

Telling Our Stories

published by Matt Howard on 02/14/13 1:17pm
Posted to: 
Staff

IVAW Members are speaking out about their experiences in the military. They are shedding light on the stigma around mental health care, the economic factors that motivated their enlistment and the questionable methods of waging war in our current era.

LA Chapter President Cameron White spoke about the economic drivers compelling our foreign policy, the usage of drones, and questionable practices at Guantanamo Bay with 'The Young Turks' recently. "We have suspended habeas corpus for those that aren't U.S. citizens...our country is by and large numb to that...we need to reevaluate that values system and how we treat people that aren't U.S. citizens whether they are combatants or not" said the former Marine. 

 
Curtis Sirmans, member of IVAW's Volunteer Organizing Team just recently separated from the Army and described the challenges of asking for medical care from the military to HuffPost Live. "Soldiers are encouraged by their lower level leadership and their peers not to get help because of stigma. If you go to get help you get chastised by your peers. It really discourages people from getting help", said the former Infantryman. Curtis is now a committed leader in IVAW and has been instrumental in our testimonial collection process at Fort Hood. Check out the clip here.
 
Bay Area Chapter leader Jason Matherne also had an opportunity to speak to Huff Post Live recently and described the economic circumstances motivating his enlistment in the Navy. Jason said "I came from a working class family...I paid off my [college] debt by serving. A lot of people I served with were in the military because they were trying to get money for college or paying back money for college." Jason explained that the current enlistment model is at its root an economic draft "You have recruiters going into neighborhoods on the low side of the socioeconomic scale promising everything under the sun..." The video is here.
 
We are getting the word out there that other veterans and service members are not alone in this fight! Stigmatization for seeking care for mental health, and recruiting practices that target working class communities and communities of color have no place in our society.  If you are a Post 9/11 veteran that wants to speak to these issues and more, let us know at media@ivaw.org.

IVAW Statement on Syria Strikes

April 12, 2017 Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) condemns in no uncertain terms the bombing of Sharyat airbase in Syria six days ago by Donald Trump’s administration. As veterans of the unending and expanding wars...

See You in May Chelsea

Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) would like to extend our congratulations to Chelsea Manning, as we anxiously await her release from military prison on May 17, 2017.  We appreciate that President Obama chose to commute...
IVAW National's picture

IVAW Tells the Army Corps of Engineers: Stand Down at Standing Rock

Ashton Carter Secretary of Defense 1000 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 20301-1000 General Mark A. Milley Army Chief of Staff 200 Army Pentagon Washington, DC 20310-0200 Lieutenant General Todd T. Semonite...

Iraq Veterans Against the War #NoDAPL Statement of Solidarity

Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) comes together in solidarity and resistance with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, the Oceti Sakowin (The Great Sioux Nation), and the thousands of water warriors defending their land and...
IVAW National's picture

Iraq Veterans Against the War Statement on Orlando Massacre

We grieve for those who lost their lives Sunday morning in a bigoted, hate-fueled attack in Orlando, Florida. People - mainly Latinx and Black people - were targeted and killed simply because they were members of the LGBTQ+...

Lakbay Lumad Solidarity Statement

As the members of the Lakbay Lumad delegation near the end of their time in the U.S., we stand in solidarity with the indigenous leaders from the Philippines here to expose U.S.-sponsored violence against their...

Pages

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • …
  • Next ›
  • Last »

Supporter Newsletter!

Donations

Make a single donation or become an IVAW sustainer by making your donation a recurring one. Please consider making your generous gift right now.
Donate Online Today!

Speaker Request

Please be advised that we get many speaker requests, but regret that we are sometimes unable to fill them.
Speaker Request

Joining IVAW

Iraq Veterans Against the War is open to Active Duty, National Guard and Reservists who have served since 09/11/2001.
Join IVAW

Navigation

  • About
  • Events
  • Campaigns
  • Committees
  • Chapters
  • Members
  • Resources
  • Contact