Winter Soldier Begins Tomorrow

[John M Jorgensen]

LPFGP Friends,

As a veteran myself, the events that will transpire in Washington this
weekend are very meaningful to me. Brave men and women who stood up
for our country are now standing up for their fellow soldiers, seamen
and airmen who are still facing combat overseas. This is the ultimate
act of courage.

It takes a strong person to face combat in war. It takes a person of
even higher character to speak truth to power.

Please support these heroes.

John Jorgensen

*****************************************************

Winter Soldier: Iraq & Afghanistan

Winter Soldier is the largest gathering of Iraq Veterans Against the
War to date.
From March 13-16, 2008, IVAW will gather at the National Labor College
near Washington, DC to disclose the realities of U.S. war policy in a
public investigation called Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan.

Winter Soldier continues a tradition of courage.
Veterans and civilian survivors of both occupations will give public
testimony and share eyewitness stories that have been censored from
the American public about the true human cost of these occupations.

The history of the Iraq and Afghanistan occupations is being written
by people who aren't fighting them. For our democracy to function,
Americans must understand the reality of the wars their government is
waging. By breaking the silence, veterans are performing a difficult
but essential service to our country.

What you can do:

Learn more.
Check out the Winter Soldier video, now available online at
www.ivaw.org/wintersoldier.

Join the Movement.
Sign the statement of support at www.ivaw.org/wintersoldierstatementofsupport.

Spread the Word.
Post a banner on your or your organization's website. You can download
a banner at www.ivaw.org/wintersoldierspreadtheword.
Send public service announcements made by IVAW members about Winter
Soldier to your local radio station. You'll find them at
www.ivaw.org/wintersoldier/resources.

Organize your Neighbors.
Organize community forums to share the live broadcasts of the Winter
Soldier hearings, and let us know about them. Ally events can be
posted at the IVAW website here: www.ivaw.org/wintersoldier/viewinglocations/submit.
For more on the Winter Soldier schedule and how to connect to the live
broadcasts, please visit www.ivaw.org/wintersoldier/howtowatch.

Donate Today.
Fundraise by collecting donations or hosting public events. House
parties have been happening across the country in support of Winter
Soldier. Check out IVAW's fundraising guide, www.ivaw.org/wintersoldier/support/housepartyguide.

Be a Media Monitor.
Help IVAW track coverage of Winter Soldier in local, national and
international press. Your help monitoring media coverage of Winter
Soldier will help IVAW and its members understand the impact of their
work and efforts. Please send links to online articles and blogs to:
wsmedia...@gmail.com.

For television, radio and print coverage, please email a reference to
the same address and, if possible, mail a tape or clipping to the IVAW
office. References should include, if applicable, the date and time of
the story, the name of the media outlet, the name of the journalist or
reporter, and the title of the story. Hard-copies and recordings of
media coverage can be sent to: IVAW, P.O. Box 8296, Philadelphia , PA
19101, ATTN: Media Coordinator.

Share the Stories.
Distribute information to other organizations, websites and
journalists. All of the Winter Soldier hearings will be archived
online in video and audio at the IVAW website. A pdf of the
testimonies and a DVD will also be available shortly after Winter
Soldier weekend. For more info on Winter Soldier, visit
www.ivaw.org/wintersoldier/resources, or contact
winterso...@ivaw.org.

Write Your Experience.
Write letters to the editors of local newspapers telling them why
Winter Soldier is important to you. For help preparing press
materials, please contact me...@ivaw.org.

Be an Advocate.
Encourage and sponsor GI's and veterans in your area to tell their
stories. Veterans and GI's interested in sharing their accounts of
service in Iraq and Afghanistan should contact
wintersold...@ivaw.org.

Call Your Leaders.
Contact your Congressional offices and ask them to watch the hearings.
To find out who your U.S. representative is, visit: U.S. House of
Representatives, U.S. Senate. For state and local representatives,
call your town hall, visit your state website, or ask your local
librarian for help.

Give Strength.
Provide emotional support for vets and GI's. A national network of
mental health professionals is being organized to support testifiers,
members of IVAW and their families. If you or a colleague would like
to participate in this important organizing effort, please contact
winterso...@ivaw.org.

Speak Out.
Use the testimonies recorded at the hearings to talk to youth about
the reality of military service. Check out IVAW's Truth-in-Recruiting
campaign for more details, at http://ivaw.org/truthinrecruiting