FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday,
October 27, 2007
CONTACT: Michael
Houston, IAVA (212) 982-9699 or
Major
League Baseball Charities Teams Up with IAVA and Ad Council to Launch
“Welcome Back Veterans” Campaign New
PSAs Featuring Voiceover by Oscar Award Winner Tom Hanks Debut During
World Series
NEW YORK
–Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the nation’s
first and largest nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars
in Iraq and Afghanistan, today launched a national television public
service advertising (PSA) campaign with Major League Baseball
Charities and The Advertising Council. The campaign, “Welcome
Back Veterans,” is designed to raise awareness and encourage
all Americans to provide support for veterans who served in Iraq and
Afghanistan. The first of two PSAs feature a voiceover by Oscar
Award Winner Tom Hanks and will debut on October 27, during Fox’s
Telecast of Game Three of the World Series.
“Iraq
and Afghanistan Veterans of America is extremely grateful to be
involved in this exciting and important campaign,” said Paul
Rieckhoff, Executive Director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of
America. “Our country's newest generation of veterans
appreciates the support of Major League Baseball Charities and The
Advertising Council. There is no better place to show support
for the more than 1.5 million Americans who have served in Iraq and
Afghanistan than the global audience of the World Series.”
“Major
League Baseball has a long and proud history of supporting our troops
and for generations baseball has undertaken patriotic activities to
acknowledge veterans and current members of the military who serve
and have served our country,” said Baseball Commissioner Allan
H. (Bud) Selig. “We are proud to be a part of ‘Welcome
Back Veterans’ and pleased to have the opportunity to provide
invaluable support to the veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq and their
families, and to help these brave men and women make a successful
transition to civilian life.”
According
to the U.S. Department of Labor, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans under
the age of 24 have an unemployment rate that is three times the
national average. Thousands of younger veterans
begin their military service after high school. Following their
service, many express the desire to go back to school, but have
difficulty accomplishing their goals. Additionally, one in
three Iraq veterans and one in nine Afghanistan veterans will suffer
from a mental health problem, ranging from depression to Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), upon their return home.
The new
campaign addresses the reintegration of the returning servicemembers.
Created pro bono by advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather in New
York, the television, radio and web banner PSAs depict the challenges
faced by veterans and encourage the general public to visit a new
website, www.welcomebackveterans.org,
to find out how they can help and access resources that address the
needs of veterans. To view the new PSAs, please visit
www.welcomebackveterans.org.
“This
poignant campaign will help those who served our country with the
incredible challenges that they are facing upon their return,”
said Peggy Conlon, president and CEO of The Advertising Council. “We
are proud to join with Major League Baseball Charities on this
critical effort and are grateful for the terrific exposure at the
World Series.”
Following
their debut at the World Series, the PSAs will be distributed to more
than 16,000 media outlets throughout the country. Per the Ad
Council’s model, they will run on-air in advertising time and
space donated by the media.
IAVA and
the Ad Council will launch additional PSAs for the campaign in the
spring.
Iraq and
Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) is the nation’s first
and largest group for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
A non-profit, nonpartisan organization founded in 2004, IAVA
represents more than 62,000 active veteran members and civilian
supporters in all 50 states.
