Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) was founded in 2004 by current Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff and his fellow Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. IAVA works to improve the lives of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their families by connecting and empowering veterans in their local communities and online, by advocating for veterans rights, and by giving civilians concrete actions they can take to support Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans.
IAVA addresses critical issues facing new veterans and their families, including mental health, traumatic brain injury, scope of VA benefits, health coverage for national guardsmen and reservists, and GI Bill educational benefits. IAVA educates the public about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, advocates on behalf of those who have served, and fosters a community for troops, veterans, and their families. To help connect veterans and their families with information and resources, IAVA launched the Community of Veterans website and the Support Your Vet website. IAVA received a grant from the NYSHealth Initiative for Returning Veterans and Their Families for its outreach and advocacy and public awareness work in New York State.
Read more at IAVA's website.