Top Ten Actions the New President Must Take to Support Our Troops and Veterans

In this election year, the presidential candidates disagree over everything from the economy to the Iraq war to how many houses they can remember to own. But one issue that should be bridging the partisan divide is the importance of caring for our veterans coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan. Both Senator McCain and Senator Obama have pledged their support for our troops and new veterans -- but will they put their money where their mouth is? IAVA is working to make sure they do.

Over the past two weeks, IAVA has been on the ground in Denver and Minneapolis-St. Paul for the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. We have brought a team of our top veterans from around the country to meet with delegates and convention guests to raise awareness about the most critical issues facing the 1.7 million Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and highlight our historic fight for the new GI Bill.

IAVA is nonpartisan, and does not endorse political candidates. Instead, we're making sure that our message is being heard -- veterans' issues must be at the top of the agenda for both political parties and the new Administration.

This week, we released our list of the top 10 veterans' issues that the next president, Democrat or Republican, needs to address starting Day One. IAVA's number one priority for the next president is to ensure mandatory and confidential mental health screenings for all returning troops. Other critical actions include providing adequate care to wounded service members and ending homelessness among veterans. For the full list of actions, click here.

But we could use your help getting the word out to the presidential candidates. Please take a minute to sign IAVA's open letter asking Senators Obama and McCain to pledge that, if elected, they will enact the recommendations we've made.

Honoring our nation's veterans is not a partisan issue. No matter who the next President is, there will be nearly 2 million veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan that are owed the best from us. And together, we can send a strong message to both candidates to make veterans' issues a top priority.

Update: Last week, we held a care package event in Denver with our local IAVA members, and were joined by Michelle Obama and her family, Jill Biden, Colorado First Lady Jeannie Ritter, Iraq veteran Tammy Duckworth, and Medal of Honor recipient Paul Bucha.

All those in attendance showed real commitment to our men and women serving overseas, devoting several hours of their time to sending hundreds of our troops a little piece of home. On behalf of all the troops in Iraq who will be receiving these care packages, I would like to say thank you.

We'll be conducting a similar event here in Minnesota today, and we're expecting the same level of support from the GOP. Keep your eyes on www.iava.org for all the latest info on our presence in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Follow Paul Rieckhoff on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PaulRieckhoff

Comments

[swampthing]

12:47 PM on 09/04/2008

Although I otherwise agree that our soldiers are treated like crap, I just read the suggested top 10 issues and will not sign for one reason alone:
#7 says "Create Tax Incentives for Patriotic Employers". In this age of excessive, blind and hypocritical "patriotism," the last thing we need is some government types deciding which businesses get to carry the lucky, tax-decreasing label of "patriot." That's a guaranteed disaster.

[sposton]

11:25 AM on 09/04/2008

The number one thing they should do is stop sending our troops to fight needless wars. Those who serve ought to be honored and taken care of regardless of our personal position on war.

[Berettasskeeter]

11:46 PM on 09/04/2008

So, who gets to decide which are needed and which are needless wars? You? Me? Paul? Or the elected leaders of our country? Do you have the knowledge, experience, and intestinal fortitude to make the decision, either way?
Semper fi

[AcitizenNJ]

10:43 AM on 09/04/2008

Mr. Paul Rieckhoff,

I'm sorry to disagree with you but it's not what the lone president needs to do but the senate, the congress, and the American people has to mandate the president actions on this issue. Our military along with the working class citizens that make up the majority of our military for far to long have been used as if a commodity to conduct a business function. Neither the democrats or the republicans have been willing to pay the same price that they ask of our military.

[nikky]

10:15 AM on 09/04/2008

YOU ARE SO RIGHT AND A DRAFT COMING UP IF HE GETS IN OFFICE

[dadw5boys]

05:22 AM on 09/04/2008

I am sickened by the Bush Adminstration putting Military Contractors ahead of Soldiers.

Pay these brave men and women the same as Black Water Employees!

[army193]

01:50 AM on 09/04/2008

A Strange thing is happening here. John McCain a POW with over 20 of service has a bad record on supporting the troops and is for torture...Obama that never served in the arm forces was for the GI bill has voted for more money for Veterans/Veterans Administration and wanting to end a war in Iraq that would save life's of our Soldiers, but must fight a war in Afghanistan that was started by George Bush and John McCain that for 5 years has let enemy regroup and become stranger that in fact will cost more death of our Soldiers in Afghanistan make no mistake when Bush and McCain agreed to invade a country that hadn't attack or the ability to do so...We will lose more of our Soldier than we should had. For my brothers and Sister in our military, I would hope the American people will choose Obama for the sake of them if for nothing else. Yes there must be more but just saying they deserve a Commander-in-Chief that will not be trigger happy.

[Berettasskeeter]

12:12 AM on 09/05/2008

You might remember that there were TWO reasons McCain voted against most of the veterans bills: they were expensive, with which I disagree, and; they were loaded with pork-barrel spending by the Democrats. I agree with him on the second reason. Being a veteran myself, I still don't want a bad bill!
Semper fi

[deminmo]

11:26 PM on 09/03/2008

Tonight the VP candidate talked about her family and how McCain
was the candidate who had served America, how he saw the victory
possible in Iraq ect. But no mention of veterans getting the health
care they deserved. The Republicans have campaigned on no raised
taxes, and no suggestion on how to pay for anything. I sent out the
letter to both, and I have so far heard nothing on the issue in either
campaign speech. My guess is, no change from status quo.