About Us
[link:veterans organizations]
War does not end when our troops come home. The experience of elder generations of veterans has shown that for many, leaving the war-zone marks the beginning of a new battle, one to retain life and liberty against the mental and emotional costs of war.
A recent study of homebound veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom demonstrated that 30% of America’s over one million new veterans suffer from combat related mental health issues, and 15% will receive a diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD). The struggles of Vietnam veterans indicate that we can expect high levels of homelessness, alcoholism, drug addiction, and, sadly, suicide among this population unless they receive the help they need. National newspapers are already reporting a growing homeless population of veterans who served our country in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Many of these troops served with the Army Reserve and National Guard, men and women called to duty from local communities all across the United States. While federal agencies are doing all they can to encourage veterans’ recovery, there is a real need all over America for community-based, grassroots initiatives in support of this new generation of veterans.
Middle East Vets sponsors grass-roots organizations supporting the veterans of our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
We sponsor these organizations to ensure their development and growth, so that this generation of veterans will not ever lack the support they need at home.
STRATEGY
Our strategy is composed of three primary tasks: promoting awareness, building capacity, and working for restoration.
I. Promoting Awareness
We will create awareness of the needs of veterans in two target markets: the general public, including the spouses and loved ones of veterans, and the homecoming veterans themselves. By raising awareness of the mental and emotional needs of homecoming veterans, we can build support for the grassroots organizations who are working to meet those needs. By raising awareness among the veterans themselves, we can ensure that those in need will know where to get help.
II. Building Capacity
Our public and veterans-only events will allow us to make contact with local people working or interested in working to meet the needs of the veterans in their community. Our second task is to empower these people to get veterans the help they need. Our capacity building efforts will have two major functions: to provide organizational support and development, and to provide training in key areas of interest.
III. Working Toward Restoration
We believe it will be important to the healing process of many veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom to offer some form of restoration to the people of Iraq and Afghanistan. We will facilitate this process in two phases: first, we will provide veterans the opportunity to dialogue with the Iraqi-American and Afghani-American communities. Second, we will enable veterans to make reconciliation journeys to the Middle East.
WHO WE ARE
Middle East Vets is a joint effort of Middle East Fellowship and Christian Recovery International.
Feel free to contact us directly at:
Middle East Vets
P. O. Box 215
Brea, CA 92822-0215
Voice: (714) 529-6227
FAX: (714) 529-1120