Party Like a Rebel with IVAW

San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of
Iraq Veterans Against the War
Asks for your support at Rebel Bar, 1760 Market Street
Friday, February 24th, 6 to 9pm

IVAW members will tend bar to support their commitment to ending the war in Afghanistan and occupation in Iraq, advocating for the rights of veterans, and providing reparations to the people of Iraq.

DJ DiaLogic and Matt Void will spin old-school soul, funk, and hip-hop music to entertain the crowd.

In addition to the festivities, members of IVAW will be on hand to talk about the repeal of  ”Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” (DADT) and our campaign for LGBTQ service members discharged under DADT to receive upgraded discharges and their full veterans benefits.

Rebel is located at 1760 Market Street (between McCoppin and Octavia) in San Francisco.

Iraq Veterans Against the War is nonprofit 501(c)3 advocacy group of veterans and active-duty US military personnel who have served in the U.S. Military since September 11, 2001. IVAW currently has over 1,400 members in fifty states, as well as in Canada, Europe, Iraq and Afghanistan.

African-American Veterans and the Civil Rights Movement

Al Sargis and Gary Hicks
Lecture, Film, Discussion, Presentation

Sunday, February 26, 2012 3-5:30 P.M.
Niebyl- Proctor Marxist Library, 6501 Telegraph Ave.
Ph: (510) 595-7417, Fax: 595-7748

Within the Black community it has been observed that a relatively large number of military veterans of World War II and Korea were prominent in the civil rights movement, such as Medger Evers (Army, World War II), James Forman (Air Force, Korean War) and Floyd McKissick (Army, World War II). However, less noted are the large numbers of African-American veterans who were rank-and-file activists in the struggle. There is now solid evidence that veterans were not only a disproportionate number of participants, but they were also largely motivated to action by their experience in the miltary.

This presentation will indicate the historical context in which this happened, as well as the empirical data showing the disposition of military service to civil rights involvement.

Following this introduction, the documentary film, “Negroes With Guns,” will be screened to give an example of one such person—Robert F. Williams, Army and Marine Corps veteran, North Carolina NAACP leader and founder of the Black Armed Guard which fought the Klan in the late 1950′s.

Sponsored by the Friedrich Engels Institute of Marxist War and Military Analysis

VFP Tour to Viet Nam

Spring 2012 Veterans For Peace Tour to Viet Nam
April 17  -May 1, 2012
Due February 12: Full Payment $2,000  ($2,060 credit card)
Contact: Nadya Williams nadyanomad@gmail.com
or leave a comment here

The only overseas chapter of Veterans For Peace, the Hoa Binh (Peace) Chapter 160 of VFP in Viet Nam, are inviting up to 10 vets and non-vet activists (minimum 5 people) to come as a group this Spring, 2012, for an insider’s 2-week tour. They are asking each person to bring $1,000 as a donation to VFP or other projects in Viet Nam – you chose. If $1,000 donation is not possible, part of this – or a commitment to send the remainder after return to the US – would be fine.

Tour dates
Tuesday, April 17 to Tuesday, May 1, 2012.(to include the April 30th Liberation Day ceremonies in Ho Chi Minh City – of which the group will be a part!)

Tour Coordinators and Leaders

• Suel Jones – ex-Marine, VN combat vet, lives in VN half of each year since 1998, volunteers with Viet Namese victims of Agent Orange (AO), lives in Da Nang.
• Chuck Searcy – ex-VN vet, lives in VN full time since 1995. Director of ProjectRENEW – clearing landmines & unexploded ordinance, lived in Ha Noi.
• Chuck Palazzo – ex-VN vet, lives in VN full time, volunteers with Viet Namese victims of AO.

Money:
Participants pay for: their own airfare to and from Viet Nam. We’ve found a Great $925 round trip from San Francisco! (details below) in-country tour cost of $2,000 per person (all-inclusive: hotels, transport, meals, guides & translators), in addition to the $1,000 donation. Visa fee is $80 – we can give all details and help facilitate visas – very easy.

Itinerary: (working draft schedule)

• SUN 15 APR: San Francisco – be at airport by 10:30 pm Sunday night.
• MON 16 APR: Depart SF Airport (SFO) 1:35 am (1 ½ hours after midnight, Sunday night/Monday morning)
• TUE 17 APR: Arrival 9:40 am in Ha Noi – you’ll be met at the airport & taken to hotel.
• WED 18 APR: Meet with PACCOM & Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations. Veterans Association of Viet Nam briefing then visit to Army Museum & “Ha Noi Hilton” (prison where US pilots were held).
• THU 19 APR: See Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, tour Temple of Literature, lunch at Koto.
  Afternoon visit to Friendship Village (residence & hospital for Agent Orange (AO) victims)..
• FRI 20 APR: Fly to Hue (evening or night flight) or optional overnight sleeper train.
• SAT 21 APR: Orphanage visit arranged by vet Don Blackburn. Viet Nam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA) visit to AO families.
• SUN 22 APR: Tour The Citadel (site of the 1968 Tet Offensive battle), Tu Duc’s Tomb & Thien Mu Pagoda.
• MON 23 APR: Drive to Dong Ha city, visit Project RENEW (land mine & unexploded ordinance clearance); Tour DMZ (De-Militarized Zone) & Vinh Moc Tunnels. Overnight in Dong Ha.
• TUE 24 APR: Truong Son Cemetery & Khe Sanh (fmr. US base), drive down Ho Chi Minh Trail to A Luoi Valley (major site of battles). Overnight.
• WED 25 APR: Drive from A Luoi thru Hue. Bus (or train) to Da Nang, overnight.
• THU 26 APR: Agent Orange briefing & Da Nang airport cleanup site. VAVA visit with AO families.
• FRI 27 APR: China Beach, Marble Mountain, Hoi An (restored Chinese city on canals), My Son Cham ruins.
• SAT 28 APR: Flight to Nha Trang, VAVA meeting and family visits, beach time.
• SUN 29 APR: Fly to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Reconciliation Palace, War Remnants Museum, Cu Chi Tunnels, other optional visits.
• MON 30 APR: Take part in Liberation Day ceremony (7:00 a.m.), remainder of the day open for site-seeing, relaxing, shopping, etc.
• TUE 01 MAY: Depart HCMC at 4:50 pm for U.S.
  Arrive back in San Francisco (SFO) at 7:20 pm. Will be met by VFP Chapter 69 members: drive to accommodations in SF, or onward flights to your homes.

RECOMMENDED FLIGHT: Best & Lowest $925
Scandia Travel Unlimited
55 New Montgomery Street, Suite 307
San Francisco, CA 94105
E-Mail: travel@scandiatravelsfo.com
Web: www.scandiatravelsfo.com
Tele: (415) 552-5300
Fax: (415) 243-0234
Hours: M – F 9 – 5 (PST)
Contact: Michelle Campillo – primary staffer for the Tour
Email: Michelle@ScandiaTravelSFO.com
Price: $925 (including tax, round trip, San Francisco (SFO) to Viet Nam and back)
Notification: Reservations should be made by mid-January to secure this price! Each person on the tour needs to contact Scandia asap & secure your ticket.

DEPARTURE from SFO: Monday, April 16, 2012 @ 1:35 am ( SUNDAY NIGHT APRIL 15TH!)
China Air #2031 to Taipei (1.5 hour stopover), arr Taipei April 17 @ 6:00, leave # 579 @ 7:30 am.
ARRIVAL Ha Noi Tuesday, April 17 @ 9:40 am
DEPARTURE from Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) Tuesday, May 1 @ 4:50 pm
China Air #570 to Taipei (2 hour stopover), Arr. Teipei @ 9:15pm, Leave # 2030 @ 11:10 pm
ARRIVAL SFO Tuesday, May 1 @ 7:20pm

DEADLINES:
By Feb. 12 Full Payment of the $2,000
Make checks Payable to: “Veterans For Peace, San Francisco Ch. 69”
Write in Memo Line: “Spring Tour to Viet Nam”
Mail to: Veterans For Peace, Chapter 69
P.O. Box 40430
San Francisco, CA 94140

Send Steve Noetzel our VFP SF Ch. 69 Treasurer, and Nadya nadyanomad@gmail.com, a short message to let us know your check is in the mail. We will confirm receipt.
Steve Noetzel: C – (415) 378-8214 H – (415) 641-8740 noetzel@pacbell.net

BY CREDIT CARD:
You can pay the $2,000 (for the land cost of the 2-wk tour) through the Veterans For Peace National office in Saint Louis, MO. The Credit Card total is $2,060. $60 is added to cover the 3% bank charge. The office will then send us a check for you.
Credit card charges are handled by:
Virginia Druhe, Office Manager, Veterans For Peace National Office.
Tele: 314-725-6005
E-Mail: virginia@veteransforpeace.org
She’s there: Mon., Tues., Thurs. & Fri. 8a.m. – 5:30p.m.
You can give Virginia your card info over the phone.
Or you can go onto the Veterans For Peace national website: www.veteransforpeace.orgpay and pay there—add a note that it is for the Viet Nam trip. Give Virginia an email/phone heads up that it is there. The money goes into the VFP bank account overnight.

As soon as we receive payment, I can put you in INK & NOT PENCIL on our list.

Some website to look at:
The Hoa Binh Viet Nam, Chapter 160 of Veterans For Peace  Blog
Project RENEW

Questions? Contact ASAP:
Nadya Williams
E-mail: nadyanomad@gmail.com
Veterans For Peace, San Francisco Ch. 69
Director of Communications www.vsasf.org and www.veteransforpeace.org
Vietnam Agent Orange Relief and Responsibility Campaign www.vn-agentorange.org
Global Exchange www.globalexchange.org
War Crimes Times Contributing Editor www.warcrimestimes.org

Veterans Photo Workshop

6th Street Photo Workshop
Fridays 2pm weekly
02/03 meet at
Independent Living Resource Center
649 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94105

Develop your visual voice. Photographic training for veterans. Learn basic photographic skills. Workshop by 6th Street Photo Workshop  and the Veterans Administration.

Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans Against The War Protest 01/20/12

ABC News
Johnathan Bloom
San Francisco, January 20, 2012

Iraq and Afghanistan veterans staged dramatic demonstrations at Federal Building, banks and Becthel. Injured Occupy Oakland Iraq Veteran Scott Olsen and Matt Howard (IVAW) were interviewed and spoke about what happens everyday in Iraq and Afghanistan and of how new detention law can be used against American Citizens.

The IVAW protest at Bechtel Corporation’s headquarters was staged to bring attention to the misuse of more than $2 billion in U.S. taxpayer funds that was meant to fund infrastructure rebuilding projects in Iraq. Read more

ABC Video link

“Where Soldiers Come From” Film Screening

Wednesday, February 1,  7:00pm
Where Soldiers Come From
Film Screening & discussion
Location: AMC Van Ness 14
1000 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco

San Francisco screening of  “Where Soldiers Come From“
Join us for a discussion on “Operation Recovery“,
Iraq Veterans Against the War’s national campaign to
stop the re-deployment of traumatized troops.

From Joshua Sheperd,

Hey friends. I’m sending out an invite for this remarkable film screening that Iraq Veterans Against the War and Veterans for Peace (both of which I’m a member of) are collaborating to bring you. Tickets will be $9, and additional donations welcomed. We are using this opportunity to fund-raise in support of our work in “Operation Recovery“, a national campaign to stop the re-deployment of traumatized troops. Every month, troops who are unfit for deployment, even by military standards, are sent anyway, compounding the effects on their health & prolonging the already arduous road to recovery. IVAW SF wants to send a delegation to Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas next month to be trained & bring Operation Recovery back to the bay.

With your help, we will be on our way to changing the way the military treats our troops.

Please join us and share with your friends.

Thank you,
Joshua Shepherd

Read more…

Where Soldiers Come From

Scott Olson: Democracy Now! Update

Scott Olson’s interview with Amy Goodman and Juan González
December 30, 2011