Veterans Call Out Creeping Militarism In Colorado

For Immediate Release Friday, November 4th, 2016 Contact: Alan Pitts (723) 925-5337

“Veterans Call Out Creeping Militarism In Colorado”

On Saturday November 5, 2016, Military Veterans from Colorado and New Mexico will be speaking about their military experience with militarism. Throughout the history of the United States, the military industrial complex (MIC) has had increasing influence on US policy, siphoning resources from all communities and especially hurting communities of color.

“The military industrial complex extends from traditional military weapon and vehicle manufacturing to pharmaceutical and energy companies. These corporations impact American elections and decision makers on a daily basis to promote US involvement in escalation in armed conflicts throughout the world”. - Garett Reppenhagen, US Army OIF Veteran

Veterans, including Native and African American veterans will demonstrate the harmful impacts of the MIC by speaking to their personal experiences in the military and their experience as a veteran after they completed their service to our country.

“Since 1996 our government has been transferring excess military equipment to our local police forces, this equipment is being used to police inner city communities populated by black and brown people. It's being used to bully and annihilate neighborhoods, for committing virtually non-existent to petty transgressions”. -Crystal Cravens IVAW member and US ARMY veteran

This event is part of Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) Drop the MIC Tour, with 10 stops around the country this fall/winter IVAW is mobilizing to push back against the destructive MIC starting with pushing President Obama to end the 1033 Program, which passed military equipment on to local communities and schools.

In the past few years, due to the constantly expanding nature of U.S. military actions, Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) has transitioned from focusing on the individual wars to a more strategic approach to the work. We focus on the root cause that underlines both the occupations by U.S. military abroad and the violence perpetrated in our communities by police right here at home: militarism. IVAW’s mission is to build a service member and veteran led movement that ends militarism by transforming ourselves, military culture, and American society.

Saturday, November 5th 1:00-3:00pm Tim Gill Center for Public Media 315 E Costilla St. Colorado Springs