By AFP Staff
A campaign headed up again this year by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) is encouraging Americans to remember the reason we celebrate Memorial Day. IAVA asks people to pledge to go silent for one minute at 3 p.m. to “honor, remember, and reflect.”
A pledge page is set up at IAVA.org where people can publicly or privately commit to this minute of silence, and to name the individual(s) being honored if so desired. “This Memorial Day, IAVA will lay a wreath before the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, and later pause for a moment of silence at 3 p.m. EST. Gather your friends and family across the country and pause with us for a national moment of silence to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.”
IAVA, a non-partisan advocacy organization, was founded and is led by veterans, calling itself “the modern-day veterans hall for the current generation with over 400,000 members worldwide.” It strives to “connect, unite and empower post-9/11 veterans.” The group offers one-on-one case management help to assist veterans in finding needed services in addition to its advocacy work.
“This year, as a part of an ongoing campaign to elevate the voices of veterans and combat the unprecedented politicization of our military and veterans, #GoSilent is more important than it has ever been before,” Paul Rieckhoff, IAVA founder and CEO, told ConnectingVets.com.
“As veterans and our military are being used as political props and shields by special interest groups and politicians across the aisle, it has never been more important to come together as a nation to remember what this day is really about, and to honor the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our freedoms.”
