I just got notification of three more IVAW members leaving. Here are two letters explaining their resignations to their fellows. First is Brandon Neely;<\/p>\n
I am former member of Iraq Veterans Against The War (IVAW). I resigned from IVAW a couple months ago when I noticed the organization as a whole going downwards. I feel now I should tell everyone why I left IVAW since there is an important vote on Tuesday by the board members of IVAW on weather to keep or kick Carl Webb out of the organization. I know some members may be aware of this situation and I also know a great percent have no clue what is or has gone on in IVAW. Many of you joined IVAW got a t-shirt and that was the last you heard from IVAW. IVAW has a set of rules know as the Code of Conduct which all members must abide by and the board members must enforce, but during my time in the organization I noticed neither of these things where going on. The Code of Conduct goes like this in IVAW: If we like you and we agree with your politics and you get media attention for yourself or IVAW its ok if you break the Code of Conduct. But if we don\u2019t like you or agree with your politics or you don\u2019t get media attention we are going to punish you for violating the Code of Conduct. I know of a couple incidents where this happened.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
<\/p>\n
Board member Matthis Chiroux \u201cThe IVAW War Hero\u201d is a fraud and a liar He has also admitted to having knowledge of the raping of women, and he himself has confessed to this crime as well. Matthis claims he is against the war because he has seen the horror of war, but in reality he never served in a combat zone for the most we know he spent 5 days in Afghanistan with a General eating at Burger King. He also claims he has PTSD. PTSD is nothing to joke around with its not the cool thing to have like some people like Matthis and Carl Webb would like to believe. I, like many other Veterans suffer from this and I find it a slap in the face for a piece of shit like him to claim he has PTSD. How he got this I only can guess. I guess you, Matthis, got PTSD from raping women.<\/p>\n
Matthis also broke the IVAW Code of Conduct section D.<\/p>\n
D. Mismanagement of misappropriation of IVAW funds.<\/p>\n
On Saturday July 19,2008 Matthis held what he called a State of the Union fundraiser for IVAW, but he clearly states in the description \u201cAll proceeds from the BBQ will go to Matthis emergency rent fund with the extra going to IVAW\u201d Here is the link to the facebook event.<\/p>\n
http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/home.php?#\/event.php?eid=19072868538&ref=share<\/p>\n
I emailed the board and some other members numerous times about this and guess what happened? Not a damn thing. The response I got was nothing, but the response another member got from Camilo about this issue was \u201cI know for sure that at the time Matthis raised the funds he was working full time on his IRR campaign, and he clearly said he would use some of the money to pay for his rent. It was front center on the event’s flyer. So, at the very least we know he was honest.\u201d<\/p>\n
So I took this response as if you where honest about using the IVAW name to raise funds it was ok. So before I left IVAW I held a fundraiser at Treasures, a local strip club in Houston in which I raised money and gave it to the members of IVAW Houston to pay bills, but at least I was honest about it, right?<\/p>\n
There was an incident a while back with a former board member in which she was removed from the board in a quick manner. Selena Coppa was removed from the board and was threatened with possible removal from the organization as a whole due to the fact she made a post about some members of IVAW (Camilo Mejia) on her personal blog. Then she was instructed to apologize for this post which she did, but not to the liking of some of the board members. It is claimed that she broke the Code of Conduct and according to the board it was due to the slanderous nature of the blog, directed at several individuals (Camilo Mejia). She was removed within days not weeks or months, but days.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s funny though that she was held in violation of the Code of Conduct when that incident started with Camilo Mejia\u2019s own violation of the Code of Conduct.<\/p>\n
Section H in the IVAW code of conduct which states \u201cany act that constitutes discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religious belief, or political orientation.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is my belief that Camilo violated this code when he wrote such a disrespectful letter to a member mocking that member\u2019s political beliefs. What he stated in his letter to Selena was to check out other organizations who \u201cloooove the constitution\u201d, he also accused her of being \u201cout of touch\u201d because she loves the constitution and that she needs to leave IVAW. I take it that IVAW is being run by a bunch of radicals? What happened about this? Nothing will ever happen Why won\u2019t it? Because he got media attention and he is friends with all the board members… oh and yeah hes a socialist. So are several board members.<\/p>\n
On to the main reason I typed this letter up: Carl Webb. First, and foremost no one knows for sure that he is even eligible to be a member of IVAW. People have seen his military records and there is nothing there since 1992. Many members and former members like myself emailed and contacted national about this and we where also told we will get that to you. Well it\u2019s been a year and nothing from the IVAW national office has never confirmed they even have a correct DD214 for him. Sounds like to me that are hiding something. Carl also supports the killing of American troops. Hear it in Carl\u2019s own words in Casey J Porter\u2019s latest film \u201cYes\u201d <\/a> <\/p>\n
He also told a disabled female veterans \u201cI\u2019d rather see your kids be orphaned and not Iraqi kids\u201d see for yourself; http:\/\/i427.photobucket.com\/albums\/pp359\/CaseyJPorter\/Carl%20Webb\/Webb.jpg<\/p>\n
Tuesday the board will vote to keep Carl Webb or kick him out of the organization. I firmly believe this vote would not even be taking place if it was not from the pressure that some members, former members, and supporters of IVAW are putting on Board of Directors. Is Carl Webb the type of person you want representing you? If the answer is no call and email the board let them know Carl needs to be removed from the organization immediately. Many of use have friends or know of people who have been killed in these wars and Carl Webb supports there deaths. How does that make you feel?<\/p>\n
As IVAW continues to support the likes of Matthis Chiroux, Camilo Mejia, and Carl Webb they are supporting many other things. They are saying its ok to rape, it\u2019s ok to support the killing of American troops, and we support you if you are socialist. By supporting these values IVAW might as well spit in the face of the families of the loved ones that have lost a family member in war zone because there members support the killing of American troops.<\/p>\n
If you are truly against the war and really want to help service members and veterans receive the care they need leave IVAW. It has become pseudo-radical and will continue to further go that way. It won\u2019t be long before IVAW will be listed as an extremist group with the views and speech many of the members put out. You don\u2019t need IVAW, IVAW needs you. Trust me, your voice will be louder and more respected without the backing of an organization as IVAW.<\/p>\n
Please do the right thing.<\/p>\n
Sincerely,
\nBrandon Neely<\/p><\/blockquote>\nAnd Chuck Luther;<\/p>\n
To IVAW Board Members and Director,<\/p>\n
My name is Chuck Luther from FT HOOD, Texas. I am a real combat veteran and have documentation of every claim that I make. I joined IVAW officially in the fall of 2007 after being thrown away after being used up by the U S Army. I was contacted a couple of times by Brian Hannah about attending a meeting. I was unable to do so because of my work schedule. I stayed as a member but not actively participating for lack of knowledge of what to do to help or further the group. I founded and currently direct Disposable Warriors, Soldiers Advocacy Group here in FT Hood for soldiers rights and the policing of the Army commanders. I handle currently around 60 active cases, and have over 70 resolved. I met Mike Kern and Cindy Thomas in the spring of this year(2009) and joined forces with Mike to stand up the FT Hood chapter again for IVAW. I believe that FT Hood is crucial in the success of continuing the mission of IVAW, the only problem what I have seen of IVAW as a whole is a small group of individuals that have a mission and goal, but the whole does not communicate or support. I see that the chapters seem to be doing there own thing and the organization seems fractured and broke. The name recognition is there for IVAW, but yet the respect or credibility is not. Here at FT Hood for example, the commanders think of IVAW as a trouble making, terrorist loving, chaotic group. This is not what I believed IVAW to be when I joined. I am very saddened by comments that have been made by member Carl Webb. I agree that the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan are illegal and worthless, but I would never take joy of a fallen brother or sister. I work with a lot of senators and congressman along with the Chief and Vice Chief of Staff of the Army and the Secretary of Defense on issues regarding our troops and family members. I cannot allow my own reputation or credibility to be affected by people like Carl Webb. I do not expect IVAW to lose sleep over just my resignation, but if you look closely there are a lot of members like me that have left or will be leaving due to this type of behaviour. I think that the mission is to take care of our soldiers and bring change to this military usage. The only thing that we as a whole at IVAW are doing as of now is hurting our soldiers and losing any attention that we may have to help stop these occupations. Thank you for your time and I encourage the board to force the resignation of Carl Webb and others like him before IVAW is damaged beyond repair<\/p>\n
V\/R<\/p>\n
Chuck Luther
\nFounder\/Executive Director
\nDisposableWarriors
\nS.A.G. ( Soldiers Advocacy Group)
\nFT HOOD, TX
\n202-465-2059
\nwww.disposablewarriors.com<\/p><\/blockquote>\nThe word on the street is that Matthew Thompson, the guy whose profile I posted yesterday<\/a> also resigned this weekend. I wonder why.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"