The article "Iraq Veterans Against the War event to be held in Watertown this weekend", by Sarah Rivette, was originally published in the Watertown Daily Times, July 31, 2008
The Iraq Veterans Against the War organization will make its way to Watertown this weekend for its State of the Union Base tour.
The speaking tour will have two official events this weekend: a concert at the Different Drummer Cafe, 12 Paddock Arcade, on Saturday night and a barbecue with a veterans' benefits workshop at Thompson Park on Sunday afternoon.
One objective, according to the organizers, is to make active-duty soldiers and veterans aware of their rights and privileges within the Veterans Affairs system. Members of the organization also say that becoming a part of IVAW has helped them deal with their post-traumatic stress disorder and they want to help other soldiers facing the same issues.
"When I found IVAW, it let me know there was a support group for people who have gone to Iraq and have seen the destruction and want to do something about it," said Kristopher Goldsmith, a former active-duty soldier with the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Ga. "Instead of getting out of the military and pretending like nothing ever happened, it has given me an outlet for my recovery with PTSD."
The tour will take six veterans and two musical acts across the country for a month, where they will visit the most deployed Army and Marine installations.
The Different Drummer Cafe will host a fundraising event at 7 p.m. Friday with a silent auction. The concert, featuring Son of Nun and Ryan Harvey and Head Roc, will be at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the cafe. The barbecue, where information on soldiers' rights and how to navigate the Veterans Affairs system will be available, will be at 1 p.m. Sunday at Thompson Park.
"We are going around to the busiest and most-deployed bases across the nation and we are bringing some food and fun with us," said Jason E. Hurd, 28, a former member of the Tennessee National Guard. "We are coming there to let them know they are not alone."
Comments