Urgent Update – Whistleblower Tribunal – Winter Soldier: On The Hill

It is four thirty in the morning, and I am about to get a couple hours of sleep before getting on the metro to Capitol Hill. Today, I will be testifying at the Whistleblower Tribunal being hosted by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and the No Fear Coalition. The IVAW press release for this event is at the bottom of this post, and for more details you can visit http://www.blogger.com/www.w3conference.org. In the evening, I will be attending the The Walter E. Fauntroy No FEAR Awards Reception from 6-8pm. From their press release: “Please come and support Members of Congress and courageous individuals who fight for a government free of corruption, discrimination and abuse.”

Location: 2168 Rayburn House Office Building, Gold Room
Master of Ceremonies: Mr. Joe Madison,
Recipients:
Senator John Kerry
Senator Charles Grassley
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee
Congressman John Conyers
Congressman James Clyburn
Congressman F. James Sensenbrenner
Congressman Danny Davis
Mr. Aaron C. King
Mr. Adam Kokesh
Rev. Lennox Yearwood
Mr. Lawrence Lucus, USDA Minority Coalition
Ms. Janet Howard
Mr. Lawrence Lucus
Dr. Roland Chalifoux
Why not news – Kevin Berends and Tylerwestbrook

The next day, Thursday, I will be testifying at Winter Soldier: On The Hill. To find out more, please go to our website.

For the original footage of my testimony at Winter Soldier: Iraq & Afghanistan, please click here.

IVAW Whistleblowers Press Release:

Media Advisory: May 9, 2008
Contact: Adam Kokesh, 505-470-1917, adam dot kokesh at gmail.com
IVAW Members to testify at Whistleblower Hearings

WHAT: Congressional No Fear Tribunal
WHO: Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) & The No Fear Institute
WHEN: May 14, 9:30am-12pm (House) & 2-4pm (Senate)
WHERE: Rayburn House Office Building 334, Dirksen Senate Office Building 215
WHY: To gather information about discrimination and reprisal against whistleblowers.

Washington, DC – On Wed. May 14, four members of Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) will be testifying about retaliatory harassment they have experienced during their military service. As participants in the Congressional No Fear Tribunal, which is being sponsored by the No Fear Institute, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Senator Charles Grassley, they will be presenting testimony to both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

IVAW members will be sharing their personal stories to advocate for legislation that would prevent and/or hold accountable military commanders for punishing their subordinates for speaking out within their rights.

Testifiers include:

Adam Kokesh, former Marine and member of IVAW’s Board of Directors, who will discuss the downgrading of discharges and harassment of members of the Marine Corps IRR (Individual Ready Reserve).

Geoff Millard, Infantryman with NY Army National Guard, who will testify to threats and harassment he received while serving.

Mark Wilkerson, former Military Police Officer in Iraq, who will discuss the harassment he received while attempting to get his CO (Conscientious Objector) status approved.

Thomas J Buonomo, former Military Intelligence Officer, who will testify about being involuntarily discharged from the Army after sending letters to his Congressional representatives.

IVAW members will be joined by attorney Mike Lebowitz, a reserve JAG officer and Iraq veteran who specializes in military free speech issues. Adam Kokesh will also be giving a keynote address on Monday, May 12th, as part of the Whistleblower Week's opening plenary session.

Iraq Veterans Against the War was founded in 2004 to give those who have served in the military since September 11, 2001 a way to come together and speak out against an unjust, illegal and unwinnable occupation. Today, IVAW has over 1,000 members in 43 states, Washington, D.C. and Canada and on military bases overseas.