This week marks the twenty-year anniversary of the start of the second Iraq War. Thousands of allied troops served, including IAM members from the U.S. and Canada.
“This is a time to reflect. These veterans embody bravery, sacrifice, and patriotism,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr., a U.S. Naval Air veteran said. “I will always honor these courageous young men and women who made tremendous sacrifices to protect our country.”
IAM members here at home played a major role in supporting the troops. Machinists around North America were the manufacturing might behind the war effort, building everything from missiles to advanced fighter jets.
“For more than a century, the IAM has been the production backbone of our military,” Martinez Jr. said. “Patriotism is in our DNA, and we are proud of it.”
Since the war’s end in 2011, the IAM has helped Machinist members who are veterans by creating the IAM Veteran Services Program, a groundbreaking endeavor that assists former servicemen and women in filing claims and earning benefits from the U.S. Veterans Administration. Click here for more information about the Veteran Services Program.
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