Veterans to be Honored at Concerts
New York, NY (September 8, 2014) – Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization representing post-9/11 veterans and their families, is proud to announce Linkin Park’s “Carnivores” tour in support of IAVA’s Convoy to Combat Suicide which runs through the summer and into fall of 2014. IAVA’s top 2014 priority is to lower the unacceptably high veterans suicide rate, and this national tour will help take IAVA’s message across the country.
Each Linkin Park concert during the tour will feature a display of 22 flags to symbolize the 22 veterans lost every day to suicide. IAVA will highlight issues facing vets in the local area, recognition of local leaders, and multiple ways to get involved with IAVA’s fight to reduce the trend of veteran suicides.
Linkin Park’s “Wastelands” music video showcases the camaraderie of the more than 2 million Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who served. The video is comprised of content submitted by IAVA members across the world.
The Convoy to Combat Suicide is a national tour of the We’ve Got Your Back: IAVA’s Campaign to Combat Suicide, a historic, yearlong effort IAVA launched in March to address veteran suicide and improve access to quality mental health care. It will bring together artists from a wide variety of musical audiences to stand with our nation’s veterans.
IAVA is partnering with Linkin Park and most importantly, with local members and supporters nationwide. IAVA will be urging veterans and civilians to get involved in reversing the suicide trend in the veterans community and support IAVA’s three goals of 1) Passing the Clay Hunt SAV Act, 2) The Congress getting President Obama to take executive action to prevent suicide and bolster mental health care and 3) Connecting one-million post-9/11 veterans with transitional resources.
IAVA members and supporters will lead and volunteer at events in cities ranging from West Palm Beach to Dallas to Hollywood, all focused on supporting our veterans at this critical time. The Convoy will roll through some of the cities with the highest concentrations of veterans in America, as well as many areas that are profoundly impacted by the ongoing VA scandal.
In IAVA’s 2014 Membership Survey 40% of respondents said they know at least one Iraq or Afghanistan veteran that has died by suicide and 47% know one that has attempted suicide.
“We are proud to stand by such a great band who both supports our mission and one that is helping bring awareness to the rate at which veterans and servicemembers are committing suicide is simply unacceptable,” said IAVA Founder and CEO Paul Rieckhoff. “Since March IAVA has been hitting the roads as part of our Campaign to Combat Suicide, a historic plan to reverse this alarming trend. We continue to urge Congress to pass the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans (SAV) Act. In IAVA’s Member Survey, 69% of respondents think Congress is doing a poor job improving the lives of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. With the help of Linkin Park and our other partners IAVA is taking our message to the people. We want all Americans to recognize this issue and join us in our fight.”
Scheduled dates and cities currently include:
Linkin Park
• September 8, Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, Englewood, CO
• September 10, US Airways Center – Phoenix, AZ
• September 11, Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre – Irvine, CA
• September 13, The Gorge Amphitheatre – George, WA
• September 15, Hollywood Bowl – Hollywood, CA
• September 16, Sleep Train Amphitheatre, Chula Vista, CA
• September 18, Sleep Train Amphitheatre, Wheatland, CA
• September 19, Concord Pavilion in Concord, CA
Note to media: Email press@iava.org and call 212-982-9699 for requests to interview IAVA leadership or local members.
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (www.IAVA.org) is the nation’s first and largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization representing veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan and has more than 270,000 Member Veterans and civilian supporters nationwide. Celebrating its tenth year, IAVA recently received the highest rating - four-stars - from Charity Navigator, America’s largest charity evaluator.
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