Media Advisory:
Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan Wars Available
for Comment on Memorial Day

NEW YORK - Members of IAVA, the nation's first and largest non-partisan organization representing veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, will be available for interviews throughout Memorial Day weekend, May 26th-29th.  In addition to commenting on the holiday, IAVA members can discuss issues including the controversy over John Edwards' call to speak out against the war on Monday, the U.S. soldiers still missing in Iraq and the Iraq spending bill.

Those available for comment include:

• IAVA Legislative Director Patrick Campbell.  Campbell served in Iraq as a combat medic with the Louisiana National Guard.  Patrick is outspoken about his experience with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and has testified in front of House and Senate veterans affairs committees on mental health issues.
• IAVA Director of Governmental Affairs, Todd Bowers.  Bowers served two tours of duty in Iraq with the U.S. Marine Corps.  During his second voluntary tour in Iraq as a Civil Affairs Team Sergeant, Bowers was wounded by a sniper's bullet   He was saved by a scope on his rifle that his father had purchased and sent to him.
• IAVA member Raymond A. Kimball.  An aviation officer, Kimball served in Iraq and  Kuwait to support Operation Iraqi Freedom from January through June 2003.  He is currently a professor of history at the United States Military Academy.
• IAVA member Perry Jefferies.  Jefferies served as a First Sergeant with the Army's 4^th Infantry Division in Iraq and retired from a 22-year career in the Army after completing duty in Iraq.
• IAVA member Carolyn Schapper.  Schapper served on a Tactical Human Intelligence Team in Iraq from October 2005 to September 2006.  As part of her service, Schapper wrote more than 130 intelligence reports, over a third of them published at the national level.  Schapper is well-versed on issues pertaining to women in the military.

IAVA: Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, is the nation's first and largest organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.   Founding in 2004, IAVA represents more than 60,000 veterans and civilian supporters in all 50 states.  IAVA members work closely with Congressional offices on both sides of the aisle and are outspoken on issues including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, and funding for veterans' healthcare.  Now the leading advocacy group for the newest generation of veterans, IAVA seeks to insure our nation's heroes are given the services and support they deserve.

To arrange interviews with any IAVA member veterans, contact Michael Houston at 646-495-6173, or email michael[at]iava.org. For more information, visit http://www.iava.org/.

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