NEW NATIONAL NON-PARTISAN ORGANIZATION WILL GIVE IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN VETS A VOICE
Jesse Ventura, Bobby Muller, Others Join Operation Truth
NEW YORK – Operation Truth, a new national, non-partisan, non-profit organization aimed at filling the gap in the public dialogue with the first-hand stories of those who served on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan is formally launching today. The group kicked off with a national conference call, and announced its Advisory Board, which includes former Minnesota Governor, Vietnam Veteran and Navy SEAL Jesse Ventura and Bobby Muller, President of the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation and founder of the Alliance for Security.
"There is a tremendous gap in the national dialogue about Iraq, because the first-hand perspective, that only those who served on the ground can provide, is not being told," said Founder and Executive Director, Paul Rieckhoff, who served for 10 months as an Infantry Platoon Leader in Iraq with the 3rd Infantry Division. "Operation Truth is going to be the platform for the troops to tell their stories, so the American people can make informed decisions about the issues affecting our troops and hold our leaders accountable."
The group also unveiled a new website, WWW.OPTRUTH.ORG, a feature of which is the ability for those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan to create a profile and bring their stories and concerns straight to the American people. In addition, the website provides information on some of the most important issues facing the troops, including "Stop Loss," Veterans Administration (VA) cuts, the role of private contractors in Iraq, and the lack of support systems for families of the troops. The site also has a web log, or "blog," which will be updated daily.
Jesse Ventura said, "I think it comes down to really the word truth - and today we don't get much truth in government in my opinion. And I think that it's about time that we starting getting some truth on the Iraq War and Afghan War, and the way that you're truly going to get the truth is to talk to the soldiers on the ground that are fighting it."
Bobby Muller said, "Ever since I returned from Vietnam, I have been dedicated to making sure that all Americans understand the true causes and consequences of war," said Muller. "People need to get educated and get engaged about how our foreign policy is impacting our nation and our security. I am proud to be joined by a new generation of soldiers who understand the true value their experiences can have in making people aware of what is actually happening millions of miles away and how those actions affect our security here at home."
In addition to Ventura and Muller, the other members of the Advisory Board are Paul Bucha, a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient and the former President of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, and David Chasteen, a Veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, who is a registered Republican.
Paul Rieckhoff, who is a registered Independent, began forming Operation Truth soon after returning from Iraq to find no organization in America representing the troops' point-of-view. Initial funding for the organization came not from large political groups and donors, but by Rieckhoff selling stock he held, and opening new lines of personal credit.
"I started Operation Truth because I desperately believe the troops and the public need to join together to hold our leaders' feet to the fire on issues facing the military," said Rieckhoff. "I'm mortgaging my entire future on this, but if it bridges the gap between troops and the public, it will be worth it."
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