DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 9, 2009

Veterans to ‘March’ on Washington
VA’s Backlog Targeted in ‘Million Claims March’



WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 — The Disabled American Veterans, one of the nation’s premier veterans service organizations, will launch the first-ever “Virtual March on Washington for Veterans” next week to increase public awareness of issues facing military veterans and encourage grassroots action. The exclusively online event is slated to step off Sept. 15.

Employing Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and a myriad of other social networking sites, the DAV has already registered about 15,000 “marchers” who will take part in the “easiest and most convenient way ever to stand up for veterans.”

One of the virtual march’s primary goals is to discuss the Department of Veterans Affairs’ outdated and overwhelmed disability claims process and the resulting backlog of now nearly 1 million claims. In fact, the virtual march has recently been dubbed the “Million Claims March.”

“It is a terrible problem that will affect every veteran if not fixed now,” said DAV National Commander Roberto Barrera. “A detailed proposal intended to eliminate the backlog, save millions of taxpayers’ dollars and drastically cut the time in which veterans are now left in limbo will be rolled out during the virtual march.”

Video messages will be posted from veterans, veterans advocates, lawmakers and other government officials discussing some of the most pressing issues facing disabled veterans, their families and survivors today. A number of live, online chats about these issues will also be held throughout the week.

Participants will be encouraged to comment on the messages and record their own videos.

In addition to providing information about the issues and encouraging action, Web-based tools will be made available to enable marchers to easily voice their support for veterans through e-messages to their elected representatives.

Although the virtual march’s organizers are using social networks to promote and register participants, “marchers” must sign up at www.dav.org/VirtualMarch to officially participate. There is no cost to take part. As this is a virtual event, no travel is necessary.

The 1.2 million-member Disabled American Veterans, a non-profit organization founded in 1920 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1932, represents this nation’s disabled veterans. It is dedicated to a single purpose: building better lives for our nation’s disabled veterans and their families. For more information, visit the organization’s Web site, www.dav.org.


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