DISPATCHES FROM UNDER THE HOOD Part One by CivSol Member Rushelle Frazier

This is a repost from a July 2012 Civilian-Soldier Alliance blog post from Rushelle Frazier. At the time Rushelle was a CivSol Resident Organizer in Killeen, TX.  

July 3 - July 12, 2012

Greetings from sunny Killeen, Texas! My name is Rushelle Frazier. I am a poet, visual artist, and CivSol member from Decatur, Tennessee by way of Worcester, Massachusetts. I volunteered to work for the next two months on the Operation Recovery campaign at For Hood in Killeen, Texas.

I have been against the wars and skeptical of the reasons the US government gives for instigating/continuing the conflict for as long as I can remember. Growing up in a working-class town, I saw firsthand how the poverty draft in this country sweeps up poor kids to feed the war machine. I first found out about Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) and Operation Recovery through my partner, who is an IVAW member and ten-year veteran of the Army. Watching Winter Soldier testimonies and hearing the stories of veterans I've befriended through the organization renewed my resolve to lend whatever efforts I could muster to help the GI rights movement and promote awareness at home of US actions abroad.

What impressed me about CivSol was that it is an antiwar organization that does not just siphon money to the Democratic Party. It's been my experience that the antiwar groups have been either just top-down fundraising machines, or groups so hung up on personal dietary preferences and fashion that it alienates whole segments of the population. CivSol works to bring awareness and call to action the most diverse array of people it can, trying to develop as many kick-ass organizers possible, through teach-ins, workshops, and regular 'ol face-to face conversations, borrowing from a number of successful movements in our history.

I can best compare my role as a resident organizer at Under the Hood to that of some multi-purpose puzzle piece: I help work on the campaign through doing outreach. I am helping UTH with programming and holding the space open for those who need it. I assist CivSol and IVAW by doing the groundwork for a podcast format for chapters and GI coffee shops to fundraise and promote our campaigns.

My second day in Killeen was July 4th, and I hit the ground running. Local members of IVAW tabled and held a teach-in at an Occupy Austin event on the lawn of the capital building. I gave a short delivery about the role the civilian community can play in the GI rights movement. We had an audience of around twenty-five. After a member of our group had to deal with police officers (apparently the correct use of sidewalk chalk on state property counts as criminal mischief), it became obvious that we need a legal rights workshop so that we all know what our options are when dealing with police. Currently, I am searching for local law collectives that would be interested in giving a teach-in for our community. Ribs and Rights is an event Under the Hood hosts every Thursday. The name says it all: we host a potluck-style cookout free and open to community members. Over the meal, we talk about some aspect of the legal system. In light of the Fourth, we read the Declaration of Independence. A lively discussion followed.

Last Friday, ally and Guest Organizer Drake Logan gave a suicide intervention workshop. Only one couple showed up, but they walked away with some valuable information that they said was helpful in moving forward. The night was not well attended, but the fact that even one couple benefited from the effort made it worth the time. The dust is dying down from my arrival here, and I feel like I am settling into a productive work pattern. My mornings start at 11 with a check-in and general schedule notes meeting with Maggie Martin and Aaron Hughes, IVAW members and my fellow Resident Organizers.

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, we generally do outreach outside the PX (food court and shopping center) at Fort Hood during lunchtime. It consists of approaching low-ranking soldiers to talk about Operation Recovery, getting contact information through a pledge signing to schedule a house visit or a longer conversation over the phone.

Despite the training I've received in Killeen and my familiarity with the campaign, speaking to audiences during Right to Heal stops, approaching soldiers on base has been much more daunting a task than I expected. Today was my third time, and I only just now am getting over my "beginner jitters". I do my best to keep my belief in the work at the front of my mind during these times.

It is the close of my second week here, and I honestly have much to learn here. Fortunately, I have a great support network. From weekly check-ins with members from the CivSol steering committee, to conversation with previous resident organizer LT, the guidance of Lori Hurlebaus, director of UTH, Maggie Martin and Aaron Hughes, I have a buffet of good advice close to home.