Veterans launch Operation Recovery at Ft. Hood

On Memorial Day, I joined supporters of Under The Hood Cafe in Killeen to learn more about the Operation Recovery project now underway at the entrance of Ft. Hood.  Members of IVAW have gathered to bring their concerns directly to the new administrator of the base, General Campbell.  Concerns center on the multiple deployments of soldiers who are clearly suffering psychological and physical injuries that are not being treated adequately in the military.  Members of IVAW have built a watch tower overlooking one of the entrances to Ft. Hood to demonstrate their intent to hold the General accountable and to continue their efforts to meet with him.  See the video above of the press conference held this week by IVAW members at the watch tower.

Above, two of the silkscreened posters that Aaron brought from the Justseeds Artists' Cooperative to help illustrate traumatic injuries resulting from combat and military life.  

Career Fair at Austin CAN! Academy

We were happy to be invited to participate in the Austin CAN! Academy annual career fair along with other tablers and classroom presenters.  Our table was conveniently located right in front of a painting of MLK, and two Austin Community College tables were next to us, representing health sciences and computer sciences (including a robotic car).  We always have some ACC materials at our table, so it was good to be near the ACC folks. 

This year, SOY also participated as classroom presenters.  Hart spoke about SOY and his army experience, and we were honored to be joined by two Americorps members, Katy and Sam, who spoke about their experiences in Americorps -- one of the Sustainable Options that we most frequently promote.
 

Katy's Americorps position is as a caseworker at Casa Marianella, a refugee shelter not far from the CAN Academy, and Sam worked in a six-month wilderness and trail maintenance program in the Pacific Northwest.  Katy and Sam gave very compelling talks, describing what their work entailed and the team-building, learning and personal growth that they've experienced, along with the monetary benefits Americorps provides:  health insurance and a living stipend while in the program, and an educational award at the end.

Hart brought the chin-up bar, which was a popular draw, even for some school staff!  We gave away stenciled folders and also invited students to make their own.  The hallways and classrooms at the CAN Academy are filled with creative art and diagrams.  A mariachi band also arrived and serenaded through the school.

Special thanks to Katy and Sam and to all the students and staff who welcomed us today!

Pull-ups 4 Peace at Reagan HS

We were glad to make a return visit to Reagan HS today.  We tabled just outside the cafeteria doors during their single lunch period.  This was TAKS testing week, and it felt like students and teachers were happy to put that behind them.  Students tried out the pull-up bar.  Top number for chins among students (men and women tried it) was 11, I believe.  Hart did 17!  Hey -- Peacebuilding keeps him PeaceStrong!

We were told about Reagan's student/community garden, which is beautiful -- and will be included in  Austin's Community Garden Tour this weekend.

Chinning up for peace at Akins HS

Hart and I had a good visit today at Akins HS.  We tried out our new chin-up bar!  If the Marines use chin-up bars to convey a certain message about strength, then our message is that making peace takes strength and discipline, too, but of a different kind.  Not a discipline that is based on following orders, but discipline that is built from within.  It takes discipline to use nonviolence in conflict situations rather than resorting to violence in response.  Peace force one ... Peace force two .... Peace force three...!
Soon after lunch began, a school administrator told us that we could not use the chin-up bar indoors, so for the second lunch, we moved our tables outside the cafeteria and tabled there, which worked out well.  We also invited students to do the penny poll and to stencil their own folders at the peace wheel end of the table, and many did! 
    

SOY table at Eastside Memorial HS

Hart and I had a good day at Eastside Memorial HS on Friday, March 11.  At the International School at Eastside, students represent many different countries of origin, as shown in a tile mosaic above. Students who stopped at our table tended to linger, talking with us about our materials and their thoughts about war, peace, school, etc.  Some said they planned to attend the march and rally planned for the next day by educators from around the state -- which attracted thousands to the capitol, calling on legislators to fully fund our schools.  Students are our future! 

Military sexual trauma

This statement was issued by Iraq Veterans Against the War on March 8, International Women's Day:

In honor of International Women's Day and Women's History Month, Iraq Veterans Against the War honors those women who are organizing to end the wars, and all women who have paved the way before us.


We also want to use this month as a platform to raise awareness about the particular ways war and militarism impacts women, and thereby, our larger community. As a start, today we launched an internal petition within IVAW condemning Military Sexual Trauma (MST). MST is defined by the military as "any lingering physical, emotional, or psychological symptoms resulting from a physical assault of a sexual nature, or battery of a sexual nature."1 This encompasses a range of experiences, from sexual harassment to unwanted sexual contact (including stalking and rape), and both women and men in the military can experience it.

See IVAW's Statement on Military Sexual Trauma and share it with your friends.

Military Sexual Trauma is widespread and under-reported

Studies indicate that 22% - 33% of all women in the military report experiencing Military Sexual Trauma.2 There is also some evidence that women experiencing MST are at higher risk for developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of their MST.3 The Pentagon reported that 2,923 cases of sexual assault occurred in the U.S. military during 2008, about 63% of which were cases of rape or aggravated sexual assault. But with the Pentagon's estimate that 80% of military sexual assault goes unreported, real numbers are likely much higher.4

It's About Human Rights

MST affects the entire military and veteran community and is not just a women's issue. It's about the rights we all have as human beings to live and work in an environment free from harassment, abuse, or violence. But often times, within the military, sexual harassment and assault is treated as a joke, perhaps because it is perceived as only affecting women. Claims against perpetrators of sexual violence often are ignored, and these same sex offenders are even promoted! Victims often are expected to continue working with their assailants.

IVAW's Operation Recovery campaign aims to stop the deployment of troops who are dealing with un-treated trauma, including Military Sexual Trauma. While Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury are forms of trauma that are gaining wider recognition, MST remains in the shadows. But Operation Recovery hopes to help change that, by removing the stigma associated with all of these forms of trauma and by organizing for our right to heal.

We are also pleased to report that our sisters in the Service Women's Action Network (SWAN) have filed Freedom of Information Act Requests from the Veterans Administration and the Department of Defense to obtain information on the prevalence of MST and how the military treats MST claims. SWAN has also initiated a lawsuit against the military on behalf of 17 MST survivors. Their efforts will go a long way in our own campaign to stop the deployment of those suffering from MST.

Iraq Veterans Against the War is mobilizing to take on Military Sexual Trauma within our community and in our grassroots organizing efforts. This is a commitment we take seriously. We hope you share our statement on Military Sexual Trauma with your friends and colleagues.

In Solidarity,

Iraq Veterans Against the War Staff

Aaron, Amadee, Bryan, Chantelle, Jason, Joe, Jose, and Sarah

Sources:

1 www.military.com/benefits/veterans-health-care/sexual-trauma

2 www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/newsletters/research-quarterly/v20n2.pdf

3 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1513167/

4 http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2009/03/mil-090317-afps06.htm

photo from San Antonio International Women's Day March, 2011 by editor

March 12, Youth Slam

From the Texas Youth Word Collective:

Is there a teen you know who is waiting to WOW the world?

**They Speak: Citywide Youth Poetry Slam**

Last chance to qualify for this season's Slam Off and a chance to compete in San Francisco in July as part of Austin's official team at the Brave New Voices Youth Poetry Festival and Slam.

WHO: Teens ages 13-19 can compete + all ages of youth and the adults who support them to cheer on the slammers!

WHEN: Saturday, March 12th - 2pm FREE writing workshop; 2:30pm slam signup; **3-5pm SLAM**

WHERE: Ruta Maya World Headquarters (coffee shop and performance venue) - 3601 South Congress Avenue, Austin TX

COST: FREE for slammers; $5 for audience members