The IAVA and the band Drowning Pool have gotten together to push an agenda called This is for the Soldiers. In a nutshell, it is an online petition to Representative Bob Filner, Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, yes, a Democrat, to encourage him to push for the passage of HR 1354, the Lane Evans Bill. The bill would improve benefits for our veterans and require regular reports on our wars overseas. There is also a Senate version called S 117.
As those of you back home know, Lane Evans is a vet and was our long-serving US Representative from Illinois' 17th District. With my grandparents being involved in local politics back in the day, I got to meet him a few times and was very supportive of the Galva Guard during their deployment in Iraq recently. He decided not to run for re-election in 2006 due to complications with Parkinson's, an illness exploited by his evil witch GOP opponent in 2004.
More on him here for those who don't know him, and the text of Senator Dick Durbin's tribute to him on his retirement.
Basically, good man, and a good bill in his name. Get a hold of your congressman and senator to get them to vote on this bill.
IAVA also has a petition you can sign that goes to the Secretary of Veteran's Affairs to increase mental health staffing at VA hospitals. Let your voice be heard.
