From Vets for Freedom

Vets deliver message to Capitol Hill

On Tuesday, over 250 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans - along with Blue and Gold star families - took their message to Capitol Hill. Veterans from 42 states met with over 60 Senators, and over 100 Representatives. The message was simple: support General Petraeus and America’s mission in Iraq. The trip was a great success. Our voices were heard - and it appears that, barring any unforeseen developments, Congress will continue to support General Petraeus’s counter-insurgency strategy - for now. This was the goal of the "10 Weeks to Testimony" campaign - and together, we accomplished our goal. But as always, the battle continues. For more information about the event, check out articles at Human Events & Townhall. And at the bottom of this email we have included a number of photographs from the event. (At the top of the post here)

Vets for Freedom will continue to lead the charge in support of our brave men and women in uniform. And we will continue to ensure that the voice of the vast majority of veterans - those who understand how important it is to succeed in Iraq - are heard.I want to thank everyone who attended - and thank everyone who so graciously donated to allow this event to happen. The Vets for Freedom staff worked tirelessly to ensure success, and over 30 State Captains contributed to ensure their states were represented.

Vets for Freedom Charges Ahead!Our work is far from complete, and we are already planning future initiatives. In the near term, expect the following information:

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  Vets for Freedom Action Alerts Action Alerts. Yesterday, we emailed our members to ask them to call Congress and tell them to oppose the Webb Amendment. Our calls, in concert with our "Vets on the Hill" event, were instrumental in ensuring that this "backdoor" withdrawal amendment was unsuccessful. In the future, be on the lookout for other "action alerts."


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  State Chapters. We were fortunate to have over 30 State Captains attend our "Vets on the Hill" event, and together we had an opportunity to discuss future plans in a private dinner on Monday night. Our State Captains are motivated and ready to take the lead in their states. So, be on the lookout for your state leadership - or sign up to be a state captain yourself.


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  Feedback. If you attended the "Vets on the Hill" event, we would appreciate any feedback you have. You can send comment/questions/suggestions to info@vetsforfreedom.org. Vets for Freedom is proud to lead the way to support our troops and their mission. We will continue to get the word out - by empowering the most important asset our country has - the American veteran.

We will continue to ... move out and draw fire!

Regards, Pete Hegseth
Iraq War Veteran 2005-2006
Executive Director, Vets for Freedom