IVAW, VVAW, VFP Veterans Day Memorial and Speak Out

We are Iraq Veterans Against the War.

We are service members and veterans. 

We are determined that America Will Be.

We are the 99%. 

 

We take heed of Dr. King's words as we stand for the health of our land and "protest and dissent" systemic economic exploitation and the ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. As veterans and service members, in the ranks of the 99%, we are tasked to fight wars that profit only the 1%. Today, we stand with the Occupy Movement because it is our brothers and sisters in arms, our families, and our communities that suffer physically, mentally, and economically under the weight of two protracted wars that have crippled our communities, our healthcare systems, our military, our economy, and the communities of so many Afghans and Iraqis. 

 

Furthermore, within this exploitative system, the experience of women service members is compounded by the rampant sexism within the military. 1 in 3 women report Military Sexual Trauma from sexual assault and/or harassment. Because of this, women have an increased likelihood of experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Additionally, there is often little support for women service members who are parents. Moreover, women are subjected to gender discrimination and are scrutinized above and beyond their male counterparts. 

 

Here in Chicago the Women's Clinic at the Jesse Brown VA continues to neglect the needs of the women veterans. And at Fort Hood, Texas, where the Operation Recovery Campaign's organizing team has been focusing its efforts, it has been reported that there is only one counselor who specializes in Military Sexual Trauma on a base of over 50,000 soldiers and their families.