IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN VETERANS OF AMERICA INC
Organization Details
Mission Statement
WE ARE THE LEADING VOICE OF THE POST-9/11 GENERATION OF VETERANS, AND WE BELIEVE THE DYNAMIC MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR COMMUNITY REPRESENT AMERICA'S FUTURE OUR NEXT GREATEST GENERATION. THEY ARE OUR TRUE NORTH, AND IAVA'S WORK IS DESIGNED TO ELEVATE THEM, SHED LIGHT ON THEIR CONCERNS, CENTER THEIR STORIES, AND FOSTER THEIR LEADERSHIP. IAVA INCREASES AWARENESS IN THE MEDIA, ON CAPITOL HILL, AND AMONG THE PUBLIC, LEADING THE CHARGE TO CHANGE THE LANDSCAPE FOR VETERANS TODAY. WE REPRESENT THE MORE THAN 3.5 MILLION VETERANS WHO HAVE SERVED SINCE 9/11. AT A TIME WHEN OUR VETERANS CONTINUE TO LEAD AND SET AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT MEANS TO SERVE, WE MUST ENSURE THEIR LEADERSHIP IS SEEN, HEARD, AND FELT BY THOSE WHO ARE DESPERATELY SEEKING MORE FROM THEIR LEADERS.
Financial Information (2023)
Recent Progress (2026)
From March through June 2026, IAVA's defining story was one of sustained, high-stakes legislative advocacy — culminating in the successful cancellation of a House floor vote on the Take Care of America's Veterans Act, which would have cut disability compensation for veterans with tinnitus and sleep apnea. The period opened with the Cavalry Fly-In, securing bipartisan support for all 2026 policy priorities across every congressional office visited, and CEO Dr. Kyleanne Hunter's testimony before the Joint Senate and House Committees on Veterans' Affairs. IAVA simultaneously championed the Major Richard Star Act — which could restore nearly $2,000 per month to combat-injured veterans — reaching 176 House co-signers on its discharge petition by June. Alongside legislative battles, IAVA expanded its public reach through the American Solitaire film screenings, a Memorial Day partnership with the 52nd Annual American Music Awards, and the launch of the America 250: Built on Service initiative as the nation approached its 250th anniversary.
Key Achievements
- 🛡️IAVA advocacy helped cancel a planned House floor vote on the Take Care of America's Veterans Act, protecting disability benefits for veterans with tinnitus and sleep apnea.
- 📜176 Members of Congress have signed the discharge petition for the Major Richard Star Act, which IAVA championed at a Capitol Hill press conference.
- 🚴IAVA members Ashton and Casey Kroner cycled from Green Cove Springs, Florida to Washington, D.C. (June 13–28) to raise awareness of veteran cancer risks, followed by Capitol Hill advocacy meetings.
- 🤝Hundreds of veterans mobilized through the Battle Buddies Program to attend immigration hearings in solidarity with former Afghan interpreters and partners.
- 🏛️The Global War on Terrorism Memorial design concept was publicly unveiled on June 10, with the project on track to break ground in 2027 and complete by end of 2028.