Iraq Veterans Against the War
Encyclopedia
Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) is an advocacy group
of active-duty United States military personnel, Iraq War veterans, Afghanistan War veterans, and other veterans who have served since the September 11, 2001 attacks
who are opposed to the U.S. occupation of Iraq. The organization advocates immediate withdrawal of all occupation forces in Iraq
, reparations
to Iraq so that the Iraqi people can control their own lives and future, and full benefits, especially adequate health care
(including mental health
), and other support services for returning servicemen and women.
, who was later punished under the Stolen Valor Act, was briefly part of the group before it was discovered he had fabricated his military past. IVAW promptly expelled him and instituted a verification policy. However, in 2009, it was determined that another member by the name Rick Duncan had lied about being in the military. In 2009 a then time member Kristofer Goldsmith exposed James Morriss as another fake Veteran. James had claimed to be a member of the 101st with a deployment to Afghanistan. In a video he is heard saying that his was ordered by his Commanding Officer to shoot an unarmed child.
The group was founded in July 2004, at the annual Veterans for Peace
convention in Boston
by seven veterans: former Executive Director Kelly Dougherty (U.S. Army), Tim Goodrich (U.S. Air Force), Mike Hoffman (U.S. Marine Corps), Alex Ryabov (USMC), Jimmy Massey (USMC), Isaiah Pallos (USMC), and Diana Morrison (U.S. Army). In August 2007 the group elected Camilo Mejia
chairperson of its board of directors. but is no longer on the Board.
IVAW currently has 61 chapters around the United States; one in Toronto, Canada, made up of war resister
s; and a chapter in Germany, five of which are on active duty military bases. The six active duty chapters are on Fort Drum
, New York; Fort Meade, Maryland; Fort Lewis
, Washington; Fort Hood, Texas; Lawton-Fort Sill
, Oklahoma; and Camp Lejeune and MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina. Members of the organization reside in all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., Canada, Europe, and on numerous bases overseas, including bases in Iraq and Afghanistan. Membership is currently over 1,800 persons.
, which is an extension of soldiers' Active Duty service period by the Department of Defense
. All service members sign up for a minimum of eight years of total service, a portion of which (generally around four years) is served in the Inactive Ready Reserve. The Defense Department may recall members from inactive service as noted in their enlistment contracts. Several tower-guard vigils against the stop-loss have been held in various places including Colorado Springs, Colorado; Bellingham, Washington; and Washington D.C.
Advocacy group
Advocacy groups use various forms of advocacy to influence public opinion and/or policy; they have played and continue to play an important part in the development of political and social systems...
of active-duty United States military personnel, Iraq War veterans, Afghanistan War veterans, and other veterans who have served since the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
who are opposed to the U.S. occupation of Iraq. The organization advocates immediate withdrawal of all occupation forces in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, reparations
Reparation (legal)
In jurisprudence, reparation is replenishment of a previously inflicted loss by the criminal to the victim. Monetary restitution is a common form of reparation...
to Iraq so that the Iraqi people can control their own lives and future, and full benefits, especially adequate health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
(including mental health
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
), and other support services for returning servicemen and women.
Membership
The membership is composed of American military veterans, active-duty service personnel from all branches of the military, and U.S. National Guard members and reservists who have served since September 11, 2001. Prospective members are required to provide proof of military service. Proof of military service became a requirement in order to preserve the integrity of the organization. A former member, proven military imposter Jesse MacBethJesse Macbeth
Jesse Adam Macbeth is an anti-war protester who falsely claimed to be an Army Ranger and veteran of the Iraq War. He lied in alternative media interviews that he and his unit routinely committed war crimes in Iraq. Transcripts of the video were made in English and Arabic.According to the U.S...
, who was later punished under the Stolen Valor Act, was briefly part of the group before it was discovered he had fabricated his military past. IVAW promptly expelled him and instituted a verification policy. However, in 2009, it was determined that another member by the name Rick Duncan had lied about being in the military. In 2009 a then time member Kristofer Goldsmith exposed James Morriss as another fake Veteran. James had claimed to be a member of the 101st with a deployment to Afghanistan. In a video he is heard saying that his was ordered by his Commanding Officer to shoot an unarmed child.
The group was founded in July 2004, at the annual Veterans for Peace
Veterans for Peace
Veterans For Peace is a United States organization founded in 1985. Made up of male and female US military veterans of World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and other conflicts, as well as peacetime veterans, the group works to promote alternatives to war.-Foundation:The...
convention in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
by seven veterans: former Executive Director Kelly Dougherty (U.S. Army), Tim Goodrich (U.S. Air Force), Mike Hoffman (U.S. Marine Corps), Alex Ryabov (USMC), Jimmy Massey (USMC), Isaiah Pallos (USMC), and Diana Morrison (U.S. Army). In August 2007 the group elected Camilo Mejia
Camilo Mejía
Camilo Ernesto Mejía is a Nicaraguan American who was a former staff sergeant of the Florida National Guard, best known for being an anti-war activist and deserter...
chairperson of its board of directors. but is no longer on the Board.
IVAW currently has 61 chapters around the United States; one in Toronto, Canada, made up of war resister
War resister
A war resister is a person who resists war. The term can mean several things: resisting participation in all war, or a specific war, either before or after enlisting in, being inducted into, or being conscripted into a military force....
s; and a chapter in Germany, five of which are on active duty military bases. The six active duty chapters are on Fort Drum
Fort Drum
Fort Drum is a United States Army base in New York near the Canadian border.Fort Drum may also refer to:*Fort Drum, Florida, a nearly-uninhabited town in the United States*Fort Drum , Philippines...
, New York; Fort Meade, Maryland; Fort Lewis
Fort Lewis
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
, Washington; Fort Hood, Texas; Lawton-Fort Sill
Fort Sill
Fort Sill is a United States Army post near Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.Today, Fort Sill remains the only active Army installation of all the forts on the South Plains built during the Indian Wars...
, Oklahoma; and Camp Lejeune and MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina. Members of the organization reside in all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., Canada, Europe, and on numerous bases overseas, including bases in Iraq and Afghanistan. Membership is currently over 1,800 persons.
Truth in Recruiting
IVAW has actively participated in a nationwide Truth in Recruiting campaign aimed at countering alleged misconceptions of military service propagated by recruiters. Currently many IVAW members are involved in "equal access" policies at high schools across the country.Stop-loss policy
IVAW has protested the military's stop-loss policyStop-loss policy
Stop-loss is a term primarily used in the United States military. In the U.S. military, it is the involuntary extension of a service member's active duty service under the enlistment contract in order to retain them beyond their initial end of term of service date and up to their contractually...
, which is an extension of soldiers' Active Duty service period by the Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
. All service members sign up for a minimum of eight years of total service, a portion of which (generally around four years) is served in the Inactive Ready Reserve. The Defense Department may recall members from inactive service as noted in their enlistment contracts. Several tower-guard vigils against the stop-loss have been held in various places including Colorado Springs, Colorado; Bellingham, Washington; and Washington D.C.