Posted by unregistered user at 8/25/08 11:21 a.m.

THE GI COFFEE HOUSE
COMING SOON! NEXT TO FT LEWIS!
BOOKS—LIVE MUSIC—GI RESOURCES

Our abortive military occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan have put an even greater strain on the military than the Vietnam War did! Vietnam duty for most soldiers consisted of one twelve-month combat tour. Today, many combat troops are deployed two or more times, with each deployment lasting from twelve to fifteen months. Not surprisingly, the suicide rate among troops serving in Iraq is rising. The longer soldiers are subjected to combat, the more likely they are to develop post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and a host of other problems.

But there is hope. A new GI Coffee House will be opening within a stone's throw of Ft Lewis this fall. Just like the GI Coffee Houses from Vietnam era, this one will be a place for soldiers to support each other and find out how to PROTECT THEIR RIGHTS. But we need your help to open the Ft Lewis GI Coffee House, so please come to the:

GI COFFEE HOUSE FUNDRAISER!
August 25 ~ 7 to 9 PM
The Richard Hugo House
1634 11th Ave ~ Seattle
(see www.hugohouse.org/house/map)

SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER:

Tod Ensign is director of Citizen Soldier—a GI and veterans' rights organization that cosponsors the Different Drummer Internet Café near Ft Drum in upstate N.Y. Ensign will discuss his coffee house experience from working with soldiers and families over the last two years.

Additionally, we can explore how to effectively engage our communities to support the local coffee house.
Sponsored by

Endorsers: Seattle Veterans for Peace Chapter 92, Western WA and Seattle Fellowship of Reconcilitation, Citizen Soldier, Iraq Veterans Against the War (WA), Sound Non-Violent Opponents of War (S.N.O.W.), Physicians for Social Responsibility (WA PSR)