On The Fifth Anniversary of the Iraq War National Veterans Foundation Releases Report “Iraq And Afghanistan Veterans In Crisis

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On The Fifth Anniversary of the Iraq War National Veterans Foundation Releases Report “Iraq And Afghanistan Veterans In Crisis

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A study recently released by the National Veterans
Foundation reports that the United States Government is shortchanging veterans
benefits to the military veterans that have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

            The report,
“Iraq
and Afghanistan Veterans in Crisis,” compares the benefits received by WW II,
Korean, and Vietnam War veterans to today’s veterans who have served in the
middle-east in order to keep this country safe from terrorists. 

            “This
Administration’s claim that it supports the troops is more rhetoric than fact,”
states Shad Meshad, founder and president of the National Veterans
Foundation.  “It is a national shame that
today’s war heroes should receive less help and support than veterans of
previous wars and conflicts.  Today’s
veterans are being shortchanged and the impact will be felt for generations to
come.”

            “Today’s GI
Bill is becoming a skeleton of its original intent. Throughout the years the
country’s commitments to veterans have begun to erode.  This study shows that the funding cutbacks,
especially during the time of the current Administration, will have a
devastating effect on long-term economic and moral health of the country,”
states Sean Lunde, a researcher at the William Joiner Center for the Study of
War and Social Consequences at the University of Massachusetts Boston and an
Army medic in both Iraq and Kosovo.

       The report
addresses the issues of housing, education, healthcare, transition assistance
and employment and entrepreneurship.

       The
highlights of the report states that: 

• Today’s
  veterans have 1500% less funding for their education when compared to WWII
  veterans
• Between
  30 and 40 percent of veterans returning from Iraq
  and Afghanistan
  will have debilitative mental health issues, including depression, PTSD
  and anxiety disorders
• The VA
  failed to allocate $100M in funding earmarked for mental health
  initiatives between 2005 and 2006
• Veterans
  represent only 11% of the population, but comprise 26% of the homeless
  population
• Half
  of the Iraq and Afghanistan
  veterans have incomes below the federal poverty line
• Initial
  data shows 22,000 veterans losing seniority on their jobs, 11,000 being
  denied prompt reemployment and 15,000 losing health insurance
• There VA
  has over 408,000 pending disability claims, and the average claim is
  taking 181 days to process

       The report
is damaging to the commitments initially outlined in the Serviceman’s
Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly referred to as the GI Bill, passed by
President Franklin D. Roosevelt.  The GI
Bill resulted in a growing and well educated middle-class that brought
unprecedented prosperity in the 1950’s. 

      National Veterans Foundation is a
501 (c) (3) human services organization.   Since 1985, it has run the only nationwide
help-line for veterans and their families that providing crisis intervention,
benefits information, resource referral, and emotional support.  For more information call toll free at 1-888-777-4443
or visit www.nvf.org.