Texas Labor Against the War

July 19, 2011

This evening the Austin AFL-CIO Council [Central Labor Council] was privileged to have members of the Fort Hood Operation Recovery team as guests and presenters.  Visitors to the CLC meeting were Aaron Hughes, Scott Kimball, and Sergio Kochergin of Iraq Veterans Against the War; Lori Hurlebaus of the Civilian Soldier Alliance; Alice Embree of the Fort Hood Support Network (who is also a member of the Texas State Employees Union).

Aaron spoke of the need for solidarity among soldiers, veterans, and workers.  Soldiers are workers–they are public employees; and our unions have many veterans as members.  Many soldiers come from union families and go back to unions when discharged.  But the unemployment rate among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is 21% (12% more than the national average).  The rate is even higher among African-American and female veterans–about 30%.

Many soldiers suffer from war trauma and nonetheless are redeployed.  Suicide rates among active-duty troops are twice as high as that of the civilian population, and veterans with PTSD are 6 times more likely to attempt suicide.  20% to 50% of all service members deployed to Iraq and/or Afghanistan suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  One in 3 women in the military are sexually assaulted.  1 in 3 soldiers serving in Afghanistan and Iraq say they can’t see a mental health professional when they need to, and nearly 20% of service members are taking some kind of psychiatric drug.

Aaron pointed out the huge expense of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  This money is needed at home–and we owe veterans the benefits and health treatment they need.

Most of the CLC delegates signed the pledge of support for Operation Recovery that our visitors passed around.  It states:  “I pledge to support the Operation Recovery campaign to the best of my ability.  In a war where soldiers are being injured faster than the military can treat them, I will work alongside veterans and service members to end the cycles of trauma and abuse.”  The pledge sheet further explains:  “Join Iraq Veterans Against the War and Civilian Soldier Alliance in our effort to stop the deployment of troops suffering from Military Sexual Trauma, Traumatic Brain Injury, and PTSD.  By signing our pledge, you agree to do what you can to help defend the rights of soldiers to heal and to hold accountable those who are responsible for deploying traumatized troops.  As the Operation Recovery campaign unfolds, we will be calling on you to help in a variety of ways.”

There was discussion from the CLC delegates, several of whom are veterans.  A Teamster rep described their program to get members back into jobs when they get home from the military.  A member of AFSCME indicated she has personal experience with veterans’ mental health problems and wants to get a group she works with in touch with Operation Recovery.  There was also interest among the delegates in U.S. Labor Against the War–USLAW brochures were available as well as Operation Recovery literature.

For more TxLAW stories on Fort Hood Operation Recovery, see http://txlaboragainstwar.org/2011/07/08/killeen-ivaw-its-audacious-and-a-little-crazy-what-were-doing-at-ft-hood/, http://txlaboragainstwar.org/2011/05/27/killeen-ivaw-operation-recovery-action-at-ft-hood/, and http://txlaboragainstwar.org/2011/07/17/killeen-under-the-hood-update-july-2011/

For LOTS of information about Operation Recovery, to sign the pledge, and to donate, see http://www.ivaw.org/operation-recovery

Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/operationrecovery
For more on the Civilian-Soldier Alliance, go to http://www.civsol.org/

–Leslie Cunningham, July 21, 2011

“We are sitting on the porch at 11PM and a thunderstorm has just broken through the desert’s heat. ‘It’s a little crazy what we are doing here,’ Sergio reflects and then breaks into his loud boisterous laugh that is drowned out by the sounds of the first beating raindrops in over a month…” [Read more of this blog post.]

Sergio is part of the five member Operation Recovery Team who has been deployed for the past five weeks at Fort Hood, reaching out to service members and veterans about their right to heal.

What we are doing is not easy.

Killeen, Texas, home to Fort Hood is a lonely, desolate, and dry place, dominated by the military base.

We are a team of just five, former soldiers talking to current soldiers about war trauma — a taboo subject — on the largest U.S. military installation, home to approximately 50,000 troops and their families.

We could use your help.  A donation today will support the Operation Recovery Team to continue outreach efforts at Fort Hood throughout the rest of the hot Texas summer.  Right now, we don’t have the funds to continue past this month.  Your financial support will pay for our modest stipends, outreach materials, and our living expenses as we continue the daunting and arduous work of organizing active duty troops at Fort Hood.

Will you support us with a donation today? Any amount will help.  Click here to give

 January, 2011

Staff and volunteers with Under the Hood are starting off the year with renewed energy!

As the wars drag on in Afghanistan and Iraq, the new year reminds us that we must renew our commitment to peace, so we are starting off the year with a busy schedule.  In coordination with Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW), here are a few things that we have on our calendar for January and February:

 IVAW/Veterans for Peace Joint Meeting, January 22nd 1p.m. at Under the Hood Cafe: Bringing together the pro-soldier anti-war veteran community in Central Texas.  Opportunities to get to know one another, discuss upcoming events and dates, and to discuss active duty outreach. Consider getting involved at the start to help make history at Fort Hood this year.

Those interested in this training should RSVP Kyle at [email protected].

 

Outreach Action – From the 24th of January through the middle of February IVAW Fort Hood and Under the Hood Cafe are going to be heavily focused on outreach to the 1st Cavalry Division that will be deploying 3,500 soldiers to Afghanistan and Iraq. This mobilization is part of a deployment of 23,000 soldiers from across the country to Afghanistan to replace the 101st Airborne that are set to return in February.

This outreach will conclude with a highly visible action that will include “harass the brass” tactics and messages that include:

We know that the command of the 1st Cav. is deploying wounded soldiers.

We know that this is a violation of these soldiers’ right to heal.

We want you to know that you are not alone.

You have a right to heal and you do not have to deploy with PTSD. 

 

In addition to these upcoming activities, here are a couple of things that have already happened so far this month:

 Cindy Thomas, Manager with Under the Hood, talks about the suicide rates at Fort Hood and the lack of support that soldiers receive when suffering with PTSD.  Check out her interview with Channel 10 News (KWTX) in Waco here.

 

Under the Hood recently hosted a slam poetry night.  It was a success, and now staff and volunteers are considering some writing workshops!

Your continued support of Under the Hood allows us to continue our important work in Killeen. Whether you are making a one-time donation or want to sign up as a sustainer, it’s easy to contribute through PayPal. 

The Fort Hood Support Network (FHSN) operates Under the Hood Café and Outreach Center. FHSN is a Texas non-profit corporation with 501(c)(3) tax exempt status. Donations may be treated as tax-deductible.

Fort Hood Support Network is proud to inform its supporters that Under the Hood recently received a $300 grant from RESIST Inc. In addition, Under the Hood is working with the War Resisters League who recently received funding to provide support to GI coffeehouses across the U.S. If you know of other grant opportunities, please feel free to contact us. We are always looking for opportunities to increase our base of support.

Interested in sharing some of your time and talents with Under the Hood?  We are always happy for support in any form.  Along with monetary support to keep our doors open, we can always use other forms of assistance.  If you believe that you can provide support in some way, please feel free to contact us.  We’d be happy to put you to work!

Under the Hood Update is on Facebook.  Become a fan!  You can find archived issues and connect with other fans of Under the Hood.  Visit our Facebook page by clicking here.

Friday, January 15, 2010, 8:30 am – 6:00 pm

East Gate of Fort Hood, corner of fort hood st and veterans ave

We, the Soldiers and dependents of the military community are literally sick of fighting the wars of the past decade. Soldiers enter the Army ready and willing to fight for this country and come back plagued with nightmares, physical symptoms, PTSD, and TBI among other injuries. Instead of receiving adequate care from counselors and physicians, often Soldiers are over prescribed medications that conflict with each other and further debilitate rather than heal. Army counselors are over worked and not able to give the necessary treatment and the progressive treatment of the soldier reset clinic has yet to be branched out base wide despite the popularity and proven efficacy. Families of Soldiers are left emotionally separated by this maltreatment where oceans previously separated. Our Soldiers and families deserve better mental health and physical treatment beyond palliative care, but rather care that is progressive so that the we indeed can become “all that we can be” rather than the broken community that we currently are; plagued by suicides, alcoholism, domestic and child abuse, and joblessness following leaving the Army. COME STAND AT THE EAST GATE , CORNER OF RANCIER & FORT HOOD STREET, TO LET THE REST OF AMERICA KNOW THAT OUR SOLDIERS DESERVE BETTER TREATMENT!
0830-1800 COME AS YOU CAN
HOSTED BY UNDER THE HOOD CAFE

http://www.underthehoodcafe.org/

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=237445406725