OSU Barometer Article, Veteran’s Day, 2008
On this day Veteran’s Day it is important to not only acknowledge the brave men and women who have fought for the United States military, but also to acknowledge the courage of veterans that have fought and are fighting against immoral and unjust military actions. Because of their first hand experience to the atrocity that is war, veterans have a substantial role to play along side student and community activists in bringing peace and justice to the world front and in aiding their local communities toward a better future.
The recent presidential election is not only exciting, but brings forth a promise and a certain hope with it. Millions of Americans from all backgrounds and belief systems voted in an election that held the highest voter turnout in history. A significant step for a democratic system that has become largely disenfranchised after the last two elections. It is important now that we make sure that the changes we have voted for will be implemented.
Iraq Veterans Against the War is a veteran support and activist group that has been formed by veterans in response to the illegal actions our government has taken in Iraq and Afghanistan. Currently there are over 1300 members nation wide with chapters in 48 states. IVAW calls for the immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces in Iraq; compensation, structural and humanitarian, to the Iraqi people as well as the removal of corporate pillagers who would hinder the efforts of Iraqi’s trying to create their own future; and, full benefits, including health care and other means of support for veterans.
Currently the formation of IVAW Oregon is underway and members are working hard toward fulfilling their obligations to the communities they are living in. One of the preeminent goals of IVAW Oregon is to provide Truth in Recruitment to prospective military recruits, which includes providing alternatives to military service to high school and college students. Veterans are able to provide first hand accounts of what they were promised by recruiters and what actually happens.
Nearly everybody, because of the millions of tax dollars the military spends on advertising contracts, understands why the military wants them to join. Few people realize that about a third of women report being raped in the military, over two-thirds of ethnic groups report racism, veterans are twice as likely to commit suicide and are four to five times more likely to be homeless than civilians who are their peers, and only 5.6 percent of veterans are able to utilize all the money in their GIBill. By exposing these, among other truths, IVAW Oregon hopes to weaken the pillar of militarism that has swept America and redistribute the almost 500 billion dollar reported annual military budget (an amount of money that almost the rest of the world combined utilizes for military expenditure) to community sensitive issues such as health care and educational programs.
The implications of global warfare and empire building are of very real concern to Oregon communities as they drain our resources, harm the environment, and put millions of lives at risk in an effort to make corporate elites even richer. If you are a veteran who has served on or after 9/11 in any form or function within the U.S. military you are eligible to join IVAW for activism work or simply for a support group to talk about issues such as PTSD among peer vets. For more information on IVAW, Counter-Recruitment, Peace Activism or to request a speaker E-mail Benji at corvallisivaw@gmail.com.
