Stephen Colbert, Brian Williams, Norah Jones and... Aaron Mankin?
In a night full of stars, it was the humble kid from Arkansas who stole the show.
In 2005, Retired Marine Corporal Aaron Mankin was seriously wounded in Iraq when an IED destroyed his vehicle, fatally wounding six other Marines. He escaped alive, but with horrific burns over a quarter of his body, and a disfigured face. Six years and nearly 60 surgeries later, he is now a spokesperson for UCLA's Operation Mend -- the revolutionary program that saved his life.
And last night, after receiving IAVA's 2011 Veteran Leadership Award at the Fifth Annual Heroes Gala in New York City, Aaron left the whole room at the historic Cipriani 42 speechless and inspired -- and there wasn't a dry eye in the house.
While the night belonged to Aaron and the nearly 2.3 million other veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, IAVA's Gala served as just a prelude to the biggest day of the week -- 11/11/11.
With the Iraq War set to end soon and the Afghanistan War entering its second decade following the death of Osama bin Laden, this may be the biggest and most important Veterans Day for our community ever.
So we're celebrating in a big way. From Atlanta to San Francisco and Dallas to Chicago, hundreds of IAVA Member Veterans and supporters will be leading marches and events all across the country. And in New York City, at our country's largest Veterans Day parade, nearly 500 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans will be marching up Fifth Avenue behind Aaron, reminding the country that they are the New Greatest Generation. They served bravely overseas, and now, they're ready for their opportunity to serve at home.
Earlier this year, IAVA launched our Combat to Career campaign to help create and facilitate those opportunities. We set an ambitious goal of lowering the absurdly high new veteran unemployment rate by 11/11/11, by working with both the public and private sectors. Though vet unemployment isn't going away anytime soon, we have been making big dents in it throughout the year.
On the private sector side, IAVA hosted our first of many Smart Job Fairs, where we brought hundreds of vets out to meet with employers who were ready and able to hire veterans, properly resourced them with GI Bill trainings and resume workshops, and helped them create networks of peers.
And we ensured that Washington stepped up to play their part by pushing for comprehensive jobs legislation -- and huge progress is happening on that front. Just yesterday, the Senate passed the VOW to Hire Heroes Act in a bipartisan and unanimous show of support for new vets.
Bipartisanship? Clear action? A unanimous vote? That's not something you see every day in this Congress.
The fight isn't over yet -- now we're making sure the House votes to stand with the Senate, and gets the bill to the President's desk as soon as possible. With new veteran unemployment rising for the second straight month -- and still significantly higher than the civilian rate -- the time to act is now.
Just as the private sector and Washington have been stepping up, we need Americans to do as well. Less than 1% of Americans have served in Iraq or Afghanistan, and they're counting on the other 99% to ensure their sacrifice and service are never forgotten.
You can help by funding the fight. This Veterans Day, show your support for those who served by making a donation to invest in America's New Greatest Generation. Or text IAVA to 20222 to donate $10 from your cell phone.
New veterans are an investment for the entire country. They represent exactly what America needs right now to rebuild its economy and propel its future: leadership, resilience and a commitment to serve. They're a generation who can turn our country around -- and who can lead America into the future.
The New Greatest Generation is America's future. And that's why we should invest in their potential -- not just on Veterans Day, but every day of the year. And it starts on 11/11/11.
Cross-posted at IAVA.org
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All this propaganda and political posturing has created a two tier citizenship. Vets get medical care and pensions that others don't. Vets get preferred hiring, parades, propaganda, monuments, and more special treatment than anyone else. I'm sick of it.
What about doctors, teachers, police, firefighters, rescue workers, inventors, innovators, and people that make lives better for everyone? Just because they didn't kill under state orders for some political insanity, are they second class citizens?
You state what about "police" who "make lives better for everyone". Yet, are not policemen just soldiers we hire to protect us from criminals so we may live our lives free from harm?
Yes, "Wars are about political force turned violent". But, it is the nature of man to protect his property, his family, his neighborhood, his community, his country and even his planet from forces that seek to destroy his way of life. The sad truth is that mankind has yet to learn to live in peace.
At some point, we will stop glorifying war. At some point, we will hold our leaders accountable for fighting unneeded wars of choice. But, I'm not holding my breath.
Susie Littler & Roxanne Vetter and Gwendoln & Michae l Wiegenstein done to you
It took them 6 years to tell me, as we phone you up and all what they told us was that you & Mum went back home (England)
We all Love you & think about you alot
Marqus & Vickie
but My 3 - Sisters Look their Dad (Richard Howar Fischer) in a Back - Room
and took his Social Security Check
ai did not know as I Live in Arkansas 72543 and me Dad live in Cathedral City, California 92234-3674
I found out what my 3- Sisters done to their Dad it took my 3 Sisters to tell me on September 22,2006
and here are thieit Name,
Susie E (60) & Ralph D.(50) Littler - (aka Sue, Susan,) (aka Fischer, Baker, Zilske)
Truckee, California 96161
Roxanne Marie (58) Vetter (aka - Fischer, Vetter, Laub,)
iIncline Village, NV. 89451-7457
Gwendoln Ann (53) & Michael J Wiehenstein (aka - Mike,) (aka - Fischer,)
(aka - Gwen, Gwend, Gwenline,)
Palm Sprins, California 92262-0126
they are (Very Evil People) and they know how to" Lie Vey good"
God Bless Americans
Thank you,
Richard H.Fischer Son
marqus
Ps it took 6 years, keep a eye open on yyour Mum & dad my dad (Richard Fischer was 76 years old)
Why?
my Sisters wand their Dad "Money: (Fischer - Trust)
I think we should not confuse three wars, two of which were legally prosecuted and generally were warranted. This third one substitutes for good diplomacy and statesmanship. That's not the fault of our soldiers, nor is it the fault of the general population which has not been asked to sacrifice much in pursuit of the fighting and its hazy ambition. We aren't the greatest generation: there are some members of that bunch still around who should not have their efforts, their sacrifices, their pain diminished by a poor comparison. As for the rest of us, we have no right to tag along on anyone's coat tails who actually served in those dangerous places.
Richard Yarnell
Beavercreek, OR
The notion of pronouncing the current crop of soldiers, serving as their masters direct in two misbegotten wars, Iraq and Afghanistan, should not be equated with what Brokaw has proclaimed, "The greatest generation." For one thing, the soldiers then, only a part of that effort in the 40's, weren't, for the most part, professional soldiers. Most were late volunteers or conscripts who fought because they chose to defend our allies and then ourselves, or because they had to. And they performed very well, defeating three enemies who'd had a lot of time to prepare. That's where the non soldier contingent of the "Greatest Generation" comes in. It's all the people who adjusted their lives in order to ramp up a manufacturing engine, a war machine at home that had not existed at near the level it would take to support our European allies and then our own military effort. Their sacrifices, while possibly less deadly, were just as real and sustained. (Continued in next post)
In his book, he described the workings of the military-industrial complex and, after retiring from service, became a popular speaker at meetings organized by veterans, pacifists and church groups in the 1930s.
This should be required reading for every high school student!
other fellows twice.
Following Korea, our returning soldiers were virtually ignored and Korea became the "forgotten war". In my war, soldiers returned home to be spat upon and cursed for their part in war. Strange that the draftees were blamed for the decisions of Johnson and Nixon. With the small wars in between then and now, veterans were little thought of and easily dismissed. After 9/11, the tone changed to one of "support the troops", which, unfortunately became only "support the wars". Again, our leaders, bush (the lessor) who lied us into unneeded war, and Obama, who escalated unnecessary war, were not held accountable. Flowery speeches about our "heroes" were made while cuts to their pay, housing, health care, benefits and retirements were either planned or accomplished .
At some point, we will stop glorifying war. At some point, we will hold our leaders accountable for fighting unneeded wars of choice. At some point, we will care for those that have served their country. At some point, no veteran will go to bed homeless. But, I'm not holding my breath.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/06/world/asia/us-general-fired-over-remarks-about-karzai.html?_r=1
“So much for Shona Ba Shona,” one Western official said afterward, referring to the slogan of NATO forces here, which means “Shoulder to shoulder.”
President Karzai has angered American officials on other occasions, as well, threatening to join the Taliban if they kept pressuring him, labeling NATO forces “occupiers,” and even once demanding publicly that NATO leave Afghanistan immediately. He has also wept while making speeches — most recently when he held a toddler wounded in an airstrike, and thrust him toward Lt. Gen. David M. Rodriguez, then the top American operational commander.
On such occasions, his spokesmen have taken pains to claim that
General Fuller was responding to remarks made by President Karzai a week earlier in which he told a Pakistani interviewer that Afghanistan would come to Pakistan’s aid if attacked by the United States.
“Why don’t you just poke me in the eye with a needle! You’ve got to be kidding me,” General Fuller said. “I’m sorry, we just gave you $11.6 billion and now you’re telling me, ‘I don’t really care?’ ”
General Fuller also described President Karzai as erratic and inarticulate.
It was the second time f that a senior American general lost his job over remarks made to a journalist. In June 2010, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal was forced to resign by President Obama