Bill Of Rights For American Veterans

Oct 20 2008 8:04 AM EDT

Bill Of Rights For American Veterans: Breaking Down The Petition's Calls To Action
The BRAVE petition urges the next president to support veterans' key issues.
By Andrew Millard

With Election Day right around the corner, there's one issue that, no matter how you define yourself politically, we can all agree on: Veterans deserve the best care and support possible.

That's why MTV has teamed up with vet organizations around the country to introduce the Bill of Rights for American Veterans (BRAVE), a petition urging the next president to raise awareness and support veterans' issues, such as employment, health care, homelessness and education.


The BRAVE petition makes five specific calls to action:

1. Properly Diagnose and Treat Mental-Health Issues

Some troops come home from the battlefields with scars not visible to the naked eye. Many return with intense emotional or mental challenges, like post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.

One former Marine currently suffering from PTSD is Justin LaPree, who served two seven-month tours in Iraq. In 2003, he was part of the initial Iraq invasion, and in 2004, he was stationed in Fallujah, an area that saw some of the heaviest fighting and casualties. He was diagnosed with PTSD after his second tour.

Though he's been a civilian since 2005, he's still in recovery. With a lot of courage, Justin has managed to land a successful job in finance and is a major contributor to the Wounded Warrior Project, a program designed to raise awareness for injured servicemen and -women across the country. By signing the BRAVE petition, LaPree believes the transition will be much easier for many veterans dealing with brain injuries.

"It is extremely important for veterans to get this help so they can make the transition from the war zone to the civilian sector," he said. "This disease ... can take over your life with the use of alcohol and drugs and lead you down a road of hopelessness and despair. All veterans need to know that there is help available out there, and all you have to do is ask."

2. Prevent Homelessness Among Veterans
3. Give Disabled Vets the Benefits They Deserve
4. Veterans Hospitals Need to Be Fully Funded
5. Pay The Troops for the Work They Do
go here for all of this
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1597405/20081017/story.jhtml