Links

Swords to Plowshares

Swords to Plowshares is a community-based, not-for-profit organization that provides counseling and case management, employment and training, housing, and legal assistance to more than 1500 homeless and low-income veterans annually in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. We promote and protect the rights of veterans through advocacy, public education, and partnerships with local, state, and national entities.

Swords to Plowshares provides free VA Disability Claims representation to OIF/OEF veterans regardless of geographical location. Starting October 2008 we will provide discharge review representation free of charge for any post 9-11 veteran.

National Veterans Legal Services Program

NVLSP is an independent, nonprofit, veterans service organization dedicated to ensuring that the U.S. government honors its commitment to our veterans by providing them the federal benefits they have earned through their service to our country. NVLSP accomplishes its mission by:
· Providing veterans organizations, service officers and attorneys with training and educational publications to enable them to help veterans and their dependents obtain all of the benefits that they deserve;
· Representing veterans and their dependents who are seeking benefits before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and in court.
· Distributing the American Veterans and Servicemembers Survival Guide.

Vets4Vets

Vets4Vets is a non-partisan veterans' peer support organization dedicated to helping Iraq and Afghanistan veterans feel good about themselves and heal from any negative aspects of service and war. In weekend workshops, one-on-one, and local groups, Vets4Vets allows veterans to take equal and uninterrupted turns sharing their experiences and expressing their feelings in a truly confidential setting. To further promote healing Vets4Vets encourages current and former service men and women to take part in positive community action, of their choosing, that empowers them to reach out to other veterans.

Disabled American Veterans

Disabled American Veterans is an organization of disabled veterans who are focused on building better lives for disabled veterans and their families. The organization accomplishes this goal by providing free assistance to veterans in obtaining benefits and services earned through their military service.

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America is the nation's first and largest group dedicated to the Troops and Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the civilian supporters of those Troops and Veterans.

Iraq Veterans Against the War

Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) is leading the movement of veterans and GIs who are working to bring the troops home now. Its members educate the public about the realities of the Iraq war by speaking in communities and to the media about their experiences. Members also dialogue with youth in classrooms about the realities of military service. IVAW supports all those resisting the war, including Conscientious Objectors and others facing military prosecution for their refusal to fight. IVAW's membership includes recent veterans and active duty servicemen and women from all branches of military service, National Guard members, and reservists who have served in the United States military since September 11, 2001.

Vietnam Veterans Against the War

Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Inc. (VVAW) is a national veterans' organization that struggles for the rights, needs and dignity of veterans, through providing rap groups to deal with traumatic after-effects of war, exposing the shameful neglect of many disabled vets in VA Hospitals, helping draft legislation to improve educational benefits and create job programs, fighting for amnesty for war resisters, including vets with bad discharges, and helping make known the negative health effects of exposure to chemical defoliants and the VA's attempts to cover-up these conditions as well as their continued refusal to provide treatment and compensation for many Agent Orange Victims.

Veterans for Peace

Veterans For Peace includes men and women veterans of all eras and duty stations including from the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), World War II, the Korean, Vietnam, Gulf and current Iraq wars as well as other conflicts. Our collective experience tells us wars are easy to start and hard to stop and that those hurt are often the innocent. Thus, other means of problem solving are necessary. Veterans For Peace is an official Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) represented at the UN. We draw on our personal experiences and perspectives gained as veterans to raise public awareness of the true costs and consequences of militarism and war - and to seek peaceful, effective alternatives.

Military Law Task Force (NLG)

The MLTF is a national committee of the National Lawyers Guild. Our work includes challenges to continued deployments and extended tours of duty. We provide assistance with discharges and GI Rights, discharge upgrades, conscientious objector claims, counter-recruitment, registration, draft and enlistment counseling, AWOL/UA, Don't Ask, Don't Tell, veterans rights, HIV discrimination, courts-martial, Nuremberg defenses, freedom of speech and communication, contract disagreements, and medical issues. The Military Law Task Force monitors military policies and practice, and creates programs to counter unnecessary and unjust wars and the militarization of civilian communities.

Lawyers Serving Warriors

The Lawyers Serving Warriors (tm) program offers pro-bono legal help to veterans serving in Iraq and Afghanistan facing administrative separation, going through a mental evaluation board or physical evaluation board, received an inappropriate discharge characterization, filed a claim with the VA for disability compensation, or having difficulty with a claim under Traumatic Servicemembers Life Insurance.

Colegio de Abogados de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rican Association of Lawyers)

Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

The National Domestic Violence Hotline (24/7)

1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
1-800-787-3224 (TTY)

Help is available to callers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Hotline advocates are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for victims and anyone calling on their behalf to provide crisis intervention, safety planning, information and referrals to agencies in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Assistance is available in English and Spanish with access to more than 140 languages through interpreter services.

National Sexual Assault Hotline (24/7)

1.800.656.HOPE (4673)

Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) is the nation's largest anti-sexual assault organization. Find your local rape/abuse crisis center on their website.

Survivors Take Action Against Abuse by Military Personnel (STAAAMP)

STAAAMP's mission is to provide support to, and struggle for justice for, those who have survived abuse or mistreatment at the hands of military personnel. Call the GI Rights Hotline to find out contact information for STAAAMP and to get more information about equal opportunity complaints, sexual harassment hotlines, and any other questions regarding cases of sexual assault in the military.

CORA (Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse)

24 hour hotline: toll free at 800-300-1080

CORA provides free and confidential services to victims and survivors of domestic/dating violence and abuse, including child and teen witnesses, in San Mateo County, California. Our services include a 24-hour hotline, support groups, legal services, emergency and transitional housing, and more, in English, Spanish, and Tagalog.

National Women Veterans United

National Women Veterans United (NWVU) is a not for profit local network of women veterans who served in the United States Armed Forces. The mission of NWVU is to educate women veterans of their federal, state and local VA benefits and entitlements and assist women in accessing health care, education, employment and available resources.

Grace After Fire

This site was created by women to provide an online resource for women veterans - women helping women. You'll find resources, experts, and fellow women vets around the world that understand where you're coming from. We can help one another cope with the challenges of readjustment and heal from addiction, alcoholism, depression, relationship troubles, and the hidden effects of post traumatic stress, military sexual trauma, and more.

Service Women's Action Network (SWAN)

The Service Womens Action Network supports and develops the leadership of veterans, mentors young women considering military service, works to solve problems facing women in uniform, and provides and promotes services that are healing to women after their military service experience. SWAN establishes a worldwide network of military women, veterans and allies to provide lasting support, community and resources.

Under the Hood Cafe

In the spirit of the Oleo Strut, Under The Hood is a place for soldiers to meet and unwind. It is open 5-10 p.m., every day at 17 S. College Street, Killeen, Texas. Phone: 254-449-8811.

Courage to Resist

Courage to Resist is a group of concerned community members, veterans and military families that supports military objectors to illegal war and occupation and the policies of empire. Our People Power strategy weakens the pillars that maintain war and occupation in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere by supporting GI resistance, counter-recruitment and draft resistance, which cuts off the supply of troops. We are autonomous from and independent of any political organization, party or group.

Rules of Disengagement: The Politics and Honor of Military Dissent

Rules of Disengagement: The Politics and Honor of Military Dissent examines the reasons that men and women in the military have disobeyed orders and resisted the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. It chronicles the growing conviction among GIs that these wars are illegal and immoral. It cites examples of dissent from Vietnam to the present day and describes what our troops and their families can do to abide by law and conscience. It is available in eBook format suitable for download to computers and smart phones at http://p3books.com/rulesofdisengagement and also in paperback at book retailers nationwide.

The National Network Opposing Militarization of Youth (NNOMY)

The National Network Opposing Militarization of Youth is bringing together groups to stop the militarization of schools and young people so we can help the nation understand that providing youth with peaceful and viable alternatives to achieve success in life is an important sign of a civilized society.

Madres contra la Guerra (in Spanish)

Madres Contra la Guerra is a pacifist and anit-militarist organization based in Puerto Rico whose mission is set within the context of the defense of human rights of our sons and daughters in the military as well as those of the sons and daughters of the Iraqis and Afghans whom we've never met.