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End the war. Support the troops who oppose it.

From March 13-16, 2008, Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) members will gather near Washington DC to disclose the realities of U.S. war policy in a public investigation called “Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan.” Continuing in a long 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.

Let IVAW know that you stand with them. Select “Read more…” below for more information about supporting “Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan”, including how to:

Sign the Statement of support

“We Support the Troops Who Oppose the War: Truth, honesty and integrity are essential components to a functioning democracy. Concerned veterans are taking it upon themselves to make their experiences available to everyone who cares about the direction of our country. Soldiers and Marines are not to blame for the suffering of the people of Iraq and Afghanistan. These veterans stories will indicate that responsibility belongs to those in the seat of power and the problem goes much deeper than the atrocities of Abu Ghraib and Haditha.”
—from the Winter Soldier Statement of Support

Read and sign the Winter Soldier Statement of Support here, and encourage friends, family, coworkers and members of your group to sign it as well.

Order promotional postcards

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Winter Soldier promotional postcards are now available. As part of Courage to Resist’s efforts to support Winter Soldier, we are working with IVAW to facilitate the production and distribution of two-sided, full-color 6″ x 4″ promotional cards (pictured left). At this time only the top pictured design is available. Please hurry as the hearings are only days away. Order postcards today.

Attend or organize a local Winter Soldier viewing

Check the Winter Soldier events calendar for events near you.

If nothing is yet scheduled locally, think about organizing the local event yourself! If you do, make sure to post your event on the calendar so others can find it and so that you get additional information as it becomes available.

There will be a number of ways to get a live audio/video feeds from the Washington DC hearings to present at your local event. Live television broadcasts via satellite tv will be accessible via Dish Network as well as public access stations that choose to carry the broadcast (Friday and Saturday only). Contact your local public access stations and encourage them to broadcast Winter Soldier (satellite details available soon). A live video stream will be available from the IVAW website Thursday through Sunday. Live radio broadcasts will be aired on KPFA in Northern California and other Pacifica member stations nationwide Friday through Sunday. A live internet audio stream will be available via KPFA’s website Friday through Sunday. For up-to-date technical information regarding live feeds, visit IVAW’s Winter Soldier webpage.

 

Many other ways to support Winter Soldier

Donate to Iraq Veterans Against the War

 

Besides the logistical costs of Winter Soldier such as site rental and equipment, the majority of Winter Soldier’s budget is dedicated to covering the travel and lodging costs for all testifiers. Help us make sure their voices are heard. Donate now.

Help spread the word

Tell your elected officials to bear witness to Winter Soldier

Write your elected official. Send them copies of press coverage. Invite them to watch the testimonies with you. Tell them to bring the soldiers home now. 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.

Make this a story covered by your local media

Write letters to the editor of local newspapers telling them why Winter Soldier is important to you or your group. For help preparing materials for the press, including sample letters to the editor please contact media@ivaw.org

Provide emotional support for veterans and GI’s

A national network of mental health professionals is being organizing 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 wintersoldierally@ivaw.org

Use Winter Soldier testimonies to help end the war

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. Also, use these testimonies to talk about and build support for soldiers resisting from within the military.

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 be available shortly after the Winter Soldier weekend. For more on the archives of Winter Soldier that will be available, please contact wintersoldierally@ivaw.org

For additional information on how you can help IVAW and Winter Soldier, please see their frequently asked questions page or email wintersoldierally@ivaw.org

Attending the Washington DC hearings

Because of space constraints, the Winter Soldier hearings near Washington DC are not open to the public. All IVAW members are invited and are urged to attend. Members of Veterans for Peace, Vietnam Veterans Against the War, and Military Families Speak Out will be present at the hearings. Members of these groups should contact their organizations regarding Winter Soldier registration.