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Introducing VFP's New Executive Committee!
Veterans For Peace recently had their board meeting with the newly elected board. They chose new officers for the Executive Committee.
Barry Ladendorf- President
Kourtney Andar - Vice President
Brian Trautman - Treasurer
Monique Salhab - Secretary
To see a list of the full Board of Directors, see our website!
¡Presente! Lew Lubka and Jeff Strottmann
 Lewis Lubka, Veteran For Peace member of Chapter 154 in South Dakota. He passed away January 6, 2017. Lewis was born in 1926 in New York City, NY. He was 90 years old. He served his country in World War II. He was a retired North Dakota State University professor. Lewis spent much of his life dedicated to working for justice, activities that ranged from confronting racism, ending nuclear weapons and ending war.
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Jeff Strottmann passed away on Feb. 6th. Jeff was the first Iowan to join Veterans For Peace, in 1992. He was one of the 10 charter members of VFP #161 when we became a chapter in 2010.
Jeff always rooted for the underdog, and was passionate about peace and justice. While working at the hospital, he was heavily involved in the AFSCME union, representing other workers' interests. At the same time, and especially after he retired, he was devotedly involved with Veterans for Peace, where he forged great friendships.
VFP-UK Launches a Poster Campaign
UK artist Darren Cullen, 33, who designed the poster campaign, says the ads claim that “Nuclear bombs are suicide bombs” because it is “impossible to use these weapons without also killing ourselves. A country with nuclear weapons is prepared to destroy the world rather than lose a war. With a single weapon system we hold the planet hostage by the sort of terror you only get from thermonuclear missiles.” #NoNukes
VFP Joined IVAW to Deliver Comments about Standing Rock
 On February 8th Iraq Veterans Against the War, Veterans For Peace and Native Veterans deliver letters full of statements from 1,000s across the country to the Army Corp of Engineers. Dozens of veterans and supporters gathered at the Northwest Division office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) to express vehement opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). Phoenix Tiffany Johnson, a local Native veteran, delivered thousands of public comments to a representative of the office, calling on the Army Corps to deny the final DAPL easement and respect unceded Native lands and fundamental human rights.
Portland Army Corps of Engineers physically locked their doors and did not allow a small group of peaceful veterans to deliver a message inside the building on behalf of the underrepresented. Eventually a secretary came out to receive a flash drive with thousands of comments of protest that Trump denied happened. We will continue to be here to receive and join NW Stands With Standing rock action at noon.
Peace In Our Times Winter Edition Available for Download!
The Winter Edition of the PIOT is sold out but is now available for download!
Peace In Our Times is a Veterans For Peace publication. It is a great outreach tool and getting the message of peace out!
Take Action For Standing Rock
J ust a few days ago the Trump Administration and the Army moved to approve the easement for Energy Transfer Partners to drill under Lake Oahe on the Missouri River and build the Dakota Access Pipeline through Native land at Standing Rock, despite threats to the environment and the likely contamination of drinking water for millions of people living near the Missouri River. They also suspended a 14-day waiting period which means that the drilling could already be starting.
Resource: Know Drones
KnowDrones was founded in 2012 so we know it's been around for awhile, but its a great resource that is updated frequently! It was created to inform the American public about the illegality, immorality and dreadful human consequences of U.S. drone attacks in order to bring about: (1) a complete halt to drone attacks; and (2) an international ban on weaponized drones and military and police drone surveillance.
KnowDrones educates the general public about drone attacks through this website and through cable television, internet and newspaper advertising opposing these attacks. Check out the play "The Predator". It is a great tool for raising awareness. The Predator is about killer drones and it is a useful tool for people to question our policy of killing people in far off lands to stop terrorism
Do You Have a Great Resource?
We want to hear from you!
We are hoping to include a helpful resource in our weekly VFP E-News Do you have a resource that you have found useful in your work for peace? A great movie? Good guides to build organizing skills? Let us know!
Please send Resources that can be accessed online or are available to folks across the country.
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In This Issue:
Veterans Challenging Islamophobia
 VCI sent out the Veterans For Peace statement on the Muslim Ban and the Border wall, ( read the statement) and a list of resources that you can use to resist.
Here are some great resources:
Stop the Privatization of the VA
 Express strong opposition to recommendations by the Commission on Care that will weaken the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system and significantly increase the share of veterans’ care provided outside of the VA. Proposals to shift funds to private contractors and for-profit care will take desperately needed resources away from our veterans, and should be rejected.
50th Anniversary of Beyond Vietnam Speech
April 4, 2017 will be the 50th anniversary of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence. In confronting the deeply rooted racism, militarism and materialism of the United States, Dr. King described the United States as the greatest purveyor of violence in the world.
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the reading of Martin Luther King’s “Beyond Vietnam” speech, we are asking local VFP chapters to organize speech-reading events.
Deported Veterans Oral History Features VFP Member, Hector Barajas
Recently VFP member Hector Barajas was interviewed for a short oral history. Hector Barajas who served with the 82nd airborne and was deported in 2004 is the founder of The Deported Veterans Support House. The house operates as a shelter and resource center for veterans who need assistance, as well as office for our political advocacy efforts in the realm of immigration reform. DVSH also raises awareness about the deported veteran cause through social media, public outreach, and community events.
2017 Peace Essay Contest!
The West Suburban (Chicago) Faith-Based Peace Coalition is sponsoring a Peace Essay Contest with a $1,000.00 award to the winner, $300 for the runner-up, and $100 for third place. Essays have to be directed to a person who can help promote knowledge of the Kellogg-Briand Pact (KBP) and, from whom a response is expected. Essays will be judged not only on the quality of the essay but on the impact of the response. Everyone is eligible to participate; there are no restrictions regarding age or country of residence.
Introducting NEW VFP Supporter Stickers!
Check out these new " VFP Supporter" stickers. Great for our Associate members and for doing outreach at events!
Get 20 stickers for only $7!
Stickers: 3x3 inch
- All proceeds support VFP's ongoing work.
Elliott Adams: "We Must Actively Work To Change"
 Ellott Adams, former President of Veterans For Peace and member of Chapter 147 recently wrote two Letters to the Editor. We have combined them into one piece.
"It is easy to know that women need and deserve equality and not to be oppressed, but creating that in our society is more difficult. It is not that evil people want to oppress women. That would be easy to find and deal with in ourselves and in others. It is that the tone of our society provides justification and rationalizations that allow the inequality to look normal, to look rational, even to look reasonable. It is partly how we allow ourselves and others to speak. It is partly what jokes we think are morally appropriate. It is not enough to support and believe in equality, we must take time to look at the facts and be sure our society does in fact offer equal opportunities for all. And if not we must actively work to change that."
Junction 48: Film Screening Opportunity!
Junction 48 is a film that tells the story of Palestinian citizens of Israel, the discrimination they face, house demolitions, and other serious issues through a love story between hip-hop artists. It is based on the true story of the lead singer of the Palestinian hip-hop group DAM, and the film has an awesome soundtrack. Junction 48 is coming to the US this March, and you can set up a screening in your community using an easy tool called Tugg, which will partner you or your organization with a local theater. You get to keep 5% of ticket sales profits!
If you would like to pre-screen the film, and/or set up a screening via Tugg, email Alli McCracken now!
Aug 9-13 - VFP Annual Convention-"Education Not Militarization", Chicago, IL. There will be a concert the evening of the 13th, so plan to stay the evening of the 13th! More details to follow soon!
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