CONTACT: Gretchen Andersen (212) 982-9699 or press@iava.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Georgia Veterans Unite During Ongoing Scandal within the Department of Veterans Affairs
CEO in Atlanta urges President to take action with the VA and combating veteran suicide
Atlanta, GA (June 16, 2014) –
Following last week’s Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) audit
release, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) CEO and Founder
Paul Rieckhoff will be speaking at Points of Light’s 2014 Conference on
Volunteering and Service on Tuesday, June 17 at 8:30 am at the Georgia
World Congress Center. That afternoon at 12 pm, Rieckhoff will also meet
with local post-9/11 veterans in Atlanta, Georgia at Park Bar Atlanta
discussing their experiences with the VA and any wait times they have
experienced. Rieckhoff will also be talking about IAVA’s eight-step plan for restoring confidence within the VA, and the Campaign to Combat Suicide.
Local vets can RSVP here to the luncheon. Press is invited to attend.
In
early June Rieckhoff, joined by IAVA veterans from across the country,
unveiled eight steps the Obama Administration and Congress can take now
to restore confidence in the Department of Veterans Affairs. IAVA urges
Congress and the President to enact all of the recommendations from the
plan.
“As
we continue to learn more about the scope of wrong-doing at the VA, it
is imperative veterans know that they are not alone,” said Rieckhoff.
“Atlanta, like so many cities across the country, is on the front lines
of our fight to improve the lives of post-9/11 veterans and their
families. We urge leadership in Atlanta to step up for vets and follow
our eight-step plan to restore faith within the VA as well as encourage
lawmakers to pass the SAV Act.”
There are more than 700,000 Georgia veterans, including more than 110,000 who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Atlanta
veterans face a number of critical challenges. In Georgia, as well as
across the country, suicide is a top concern for new veterans: at least
22 veterans die by suicide every day.
More
than 283,000 veterans are stuck in the VA backlog, including more than
14,000 in the Atlanta regional office, who are waiting more than 125
days for a claim. The average wait time here is 174.7 days.
As part of the "We've Got Your Back: IAVA's Campaign to Combat Suicide" IAVA
is calling on Congress to pass comprehensive legislation expanding
mental health care for veterans and ensuring that they have extended
access to that care. IAVA is pushing for bipartisan support for The
Suicide Prevention for America's Veterans Act (SAV Act) - historic
legislation introduced in March by U.S. Senator John Walsh of Montana,
the first Iraq War combat vet to serve in the Senate.
No Senators from Georgia have signed onto the SAV Act.
IAVA
is also demanding President Obama issue an Executive Order that
addresses the problem that often plagues coordination of records and
care between the Department of Defense and the VA and to appoint a
National Director of Suicide Prevention.
Points of Light’s 2014 Conference on Volunteering and Service
WHAT: Paul
Rieckhoff will deliver remarks at the annual Points of Light’s 2014
Conference on Volunteering and Service, where leaders from nonprofits,
business and government come together to build and lead a more powerful,
more vibrant volunteer sector. To learn more visit http://www.volunteeringandservice.org/.
WHO: Paul Rieckhoff, IAVA CEO and Founder
WHEN: Tuesday, June 17 at 8:30 am EST
WHERE: Room A409, Georgia World Congress Center in Building A, 285 Andrew Young International Blvd., NW, Atlanta, GA 30313
IAVA Membership Luncheon
WHAT: Paul Rieckhoff will attend a membership luncheon with post-9/11 Atlanta veterans
WHO: Paul Rieckhoff, IAVA CEO and Founder
Atlanta Post-9/11 veterans
WHEN: Tuesday, June 17 at 12 pm EST
WHERE: Park Bar Atlanta 150 Walton St NW, Atlanta, GA 30303
Note to media: Please contact press@IAVA.org to schedule an interview with Paul Rieckhoff.
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (www.IAVA.org)
is the nation's first and largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization
representing veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan and has more than 270,000
Member Veterans and civilian supporters nationwide. Celebrating its
tenth year, IAVA recently received the highest rating - four-stars -
from Charity Navigator, America's largest charity evaluator.
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veterans
