Dear Friends,

The Iraq Veterans’ Refugee Aid Association (IVRAA) is a newly established non-profit organization set up by two veterans of the Iraq war, former Marine Capt. Tyler Boudreau and former Army Capt. Luis Carlos Montalván.

IVRAA is sponsored by the Nobel Peace Prize award-winning organization, Physicians for Social Responsibility. Your tax-deductible donations will be routed through them to IVRAA. http://www.firstgiving.com/process/EGGDonate/Default.asp

IVRAA will launch its first humanitarian mission in August, when Boudreau and Montalván will travel to Jordan to gauge, from a point of view untainted by politics or muffled by censorship, the plight of nearly one million Iraqis who have sought refuge from the devastation in their homeland.

Boudreau and Montalván, who between them completed three tours of duty in Iraq and have 29 years’ experience in the US military, will use information gathered during the mission to educate the public as to the urgency of the humanitarian crisis facing Iraqi refugees, and to determine how best to help them.

The two founders of IVRAA recently co-authored opinion articles about the Iraqi humanitarian crisis that were published in:

“The International Herald Tribune” at,

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/17/opinion/edmontalvan.php

“The Seattle Times” at,

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2008018359_weblets26.html.

“The Daily Hampshire Gazette” recently wrote a piece about IVRAA at,

http://www.gazettenet.com/2008/07/10/seeing-duty-displaced-ex-marine-enlists-help-alleviating-iraqi-refugee-problem

In These Times wrote a piece about IVRAA at:

http://www.theittlist.com/site/ittlist/ind/refugee_crisis_a_surreal_state_of_affairs/

They will author articles and hold media briefings during the trip and afterwards, aimed at boosting awareness of a side of the Iraq war that has long been overlooked, if not ignored: the mass displacement of the Iraqi people which has resulted in their loss of humanity and dignity.

Using their credentials as former officers with first-hand experience of the war, and accompanied by journalists from the international media, Boudreau and Montalván expect to reach a broad audience with their message, which will be one of humanism, not politics.

Time permitting, workshops for Iraqis seeking asylum in the United States will be set up, to give the refugees hope and take a first step towards preparing them for their new lives.

The driving forces behind IVRAA are the desire to repay a debt to the Iraqi people and to give US veterans another means to repair and heal the wounds left by the Iraq war.

The mission to Jordan is believed to be the first by Iraq veterans seeking to help the very people US soldiers were sent to liberate but whom they instead left shackled to misery and displacement.

The visit is in keeping with the tradition of Veterans of Vietnam and World War II returning to the theaters of the wars they fought in to repay a debt to the peoples who were once their foes.

Your tax-deductible donation will help IVRAA launch this first humanitarian mission, during which Boudreau and Montalván will:

• Assess the situation faced by Iraqi refugees;
• Educate the public as to the urgency of the humanitarian crisis;
• Establish workshops for Iraqis seeking asylum in the United States;
• Render assistance to Ali, an Iraqi refugee who has languished in Jordan for two years after aiding the US military as an interpreter;
• Report the findings of the mission to heighten awareness to develop new relief strategies.

Unlike missions by veterans of wars past, the IVRAA visit will take place as the Iraq war continues.

Please help us in our effort to contribute to our nation’s moral responsibility to render aid to Iraqi refugees, who need and deserve our support, and to alleviate their plight.

Best regards and peace,

Tyler Boudreau and Luis Carlos Montalván
email: ivraa2008@gmail.com

p.s. - If you would like to make an offiline donation to IVRAA and its mission, please mail your check to:

Physicians for Social Responsibility

c/o Dr. Ira Helfand

Box 324

Leeds, MA 01053

And an article on HuffPo by Karin Zeitvogel who is traveling with Montalvan and Bordreau