(Military Times) Op-Ed: Iraq Vet Unveils Roadmap for Congress

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Iraq Vet Unveils Roadmap for Congress
Paul Rieckhoff | January 30, 2009

I barely recall what I ate for breakfast yesterday let alone what I was doing four years ago. But ask Staff Sergeant Todd Bowers where he was and what he was doing on October 17, 2004 at 11:34am, and he'll start rattling off the details.

Bowers was on a civil affairs mission in Falluja, Iraq when sniper fire hit the scope on top of his rifle and exploded in his face. Suffering shrapnel wounds and hearing loss in his left ear, Bowers survived the attack because of the rifle scope his father had purchased for him and sent to him overseas. He now marks every October 17th as his "Alive Day," the day he narrowly escaped death and an anniversary he'll never forget.

This week, Iraq veteran, Purple Heart recipient and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America's (IAVA) Director of Government Affairs, Todd Bowers, will go before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee to present IAVA's 2009 Legislative Agenda. It's pretty miraculous to watch a guy who was shot in the face just over 4 years ago testify before Congress to advocate for his fellow veterans -- and it's an honor to stand by his side.

2009 will be a crucial year for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, many of which are returning from war only to bear the brunt of the economic crisis. Congress has already taken some steps to help veterans expand their economic opportunities -- including the passage of the "Post-9/11" GI Bill. But more efforts must be made to ease the transition home. And this includes, first and foremost, prioritizing the needs of veterans in the proposed economic stimulus package.

Iraq and Afghanistan veterans had a lot at stake as the House of Representatives voted on the stimulus package this week. Unemployment numbers are bad across the board, but new veterans are being especially hard-hit. Foreclosures in military towns are increasing at four times the national average. And hundreds of thousands of veterans who may be relying on disability benefits as a source of income have been left waiting by the massive backlog of claims. As President Obama and Congress continue to wrangle over details, the final plan must keep the needs of generations of veterans in mind.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,183991,00.html?wh=news