Iraq War Ending, ISV Seeks to Ready America
October 21, 2011 President Barack Obama confirmed plans to withdrawal all U.S. troops from Iraq by January 1, 2012, officially ending the nine-year war that began in the spring of 2003.
”Over the next two months, our troops in Iraq – tens of thousands of them – will pack up their gear and board convoys for the journey home,” Obama said.
Are we ready, America?
“Based on the recent findings by the Pew Research Center, nearly three quarters of our population does not have an understanding of today’s veteran,” said Stephanie Moles, founder and Executive Director of I SUPPORT VETS (ISV). “Now, more than 40,000 men and women will be returning to their communities from combat earlier than expected; and it is necessary that we –the public – educate ourselves to ease their re-entry.”
ISV (www.isupportvets.org) uses a case-based approach to develop online and on-site education programs focused on military cultures and the values veterans bring to communities nationwide. The modules are designed by veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, as well as the Persian Gulf Wars, Bosnia, and Kosovo.
“The veterans of today’s wars have endured experiences no man or woman should have to endure in their lifetime,” said Serena Hayden, a disabled veterans working in support of I SUPPORT VETS. “While the general population will never fully understand our culture, experiences or struggles, they can and should take the time to gain a better understanding.”
The ISV Military Cultures Training provides a basic overview of the Armed Services, describes the military-affected population, addresses the combat experience and explains the common struggles of re-entry into the civilian population. The program enables the audience to understand “battlemind,” the service member’s inner strength to face fear and adversity with courage, so veterans are better received and cared for when they return home.
“As President Obama said, we are about to experience another ‘season of homecomings,’” Moles continued. “Let’s get ready, America!”