This week, and for the entire month of August, members of Congress will return home to hear from constituents...and Vets for Freedom will be there to meet them. As we announced 2 weeks ago, we are mobilizing Iraq and Afghanistan veterans to engage members of Congress during the entire month of August and tell them that General Petraeus needs adequate troops, time, and resources to complete the mission in Iraq.
We already have "State Captains" in over 25 states - and the number is growing every day. State Captains will organize local veterans to attend town hall meetings, write letters-to-the-editor, appear on talk radio, and host Vets for Freedom events.
Why, you ask, is this necessary? Because MoveOn.org, and their paid anti-war protesters, plan to descend upon our local communities to impose their will by shouting, chanting, and intimidating members of Congress.
We need local Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, as well as those who support them, to stand up to these political operatives and tell members of Congress that we believe in the mission in Iraq and that we cannot afford to surrender to Al Qaeda.
America has been waiting three years for a winning strategy in Iraq, and we finally have one in General Petraeus's counter-insurgency strategy; Al Qaeda in Iraq is on the run, and rouge militias are being marginalized. We must do everything we can to make sure Congress doesn't surrender in Iraq, just as we are turning the corner there.What You Can Do This Week!
Below is a very simple list of tangible ways you can get involved in your local community, city, & state. We need your help, and more importantly, the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan need your help.
1. Be on the lookout for Town Hall Meetings. We need pro-mission veterans and citizens at every single town hall meeting in August, encouraging members of Congress to support the mission in Iraq. If you find out about a Town Hall meeting in your state, do two things: 1) Attend! 2) Let us know at joel@vetsforfreedom.org.
2. Call your Senators and Representatives. Call their offices in your home state and ask them about any events being held in your area in August. Also, tell them you support the mission in Iraq . Use the links below to find the phone numbers for your members of Congress:
Contacting your U.S. Senators
Contacting your U.S. Representatives
When you call, the following 3 points should be emphasized:
* General Petraeus deserves enough time to implement a winning counter-insurgency strategy in Iraq.
* Retreat means a failed state in Iraq and a safe haven for Al Qaeda to plan future attacks against America and her allies.
* Decisions about Iraq should be made by military commanders and generals on the ground-not politicians in Washington, DC.
3. Volunteer to be a State Captain. We currently have a strong slate of State Captains, including some states with multiple Captains! Please help us add to this list. If you are interested, or know somebody who should be, email joel@vetsforfreedom.org.
4. Volunteer in your state. Even if you can't commit to being a State Captain, let us know if we can count on you to get involved. Veteran or non-veteran, we appreciate your support. Let us know at joel@vetsforfreedom.org.
5. Sign Up to Show Up in September. We still need more veterans to sign up early and join us on September 17 & 18 at our nation's capitol. Just send an email to events@vetsforfreedom.org with your name, military bio, your home state, and contact information. Once we receive this information we can start the process of arranging your travel and scheduling your appointments in Washington, DC.
The way I see it, in military terms, we are "prepping the battlefield" in August to ensure that Congress votes the right way in September when the Iraq debate is raging.
Move out and draw fire!
Regards,
Pete Hegseth
Iraq War Veteran 2005-2006
Executive Director, Vets for Freedom
Click here for more information on Vets for Freedom's "10 Weeks to Testimony."
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