Colorado Veterans for America
Veterans, family and friends taking back America
Colorado Veterans for America helps veterans,
their families and neighbors by providing community services
5891 S Nevada St., #101, Littleton, CO 80120

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release Contact: Jim Callard – 970-382-2625
Sept. 19, 2006 Cell – 970-946-1414

DENVER – Colorado Veterans for America today is pleased to announce we have added to our list of endorsements three candidates running for political office in Southwest Colorado. They are:

Jim Isgar - Senate District 6
Joe Colgan - House District 59
Joelle Riddle - La Plata County Commissioner

Colorado Veterans for America believes Senator Jim Isgar has an outstanding record of support for veterans in the State Senate, and Joe Colgan and Joelle Riddle have the experience and understanding of veterans’ issues to ensure that Colorado veterans are provided the care, treatment, benefits and services they have earned. They understand the solemn responsibility held by this nation to those who served and died in her service. As Congressman John Salazar recently wrote in the Durango Herald, “Our mission is not completed until we find a way to take care of the troops once they return to their families. Caring for veterans is the cost of war.”

According to Bill Holen, president of Colorado Veterans for America (CVA), many troops are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with post-traumatic stress disorder, and from Iraq with dangerous levels of depleted uranium (DU) in their systems.

CVA is working with Congressman Salazar, Congressman Udall, Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Ritter and members of the Colorado State General Assembly to pass federal and state depleted uranium legislation similar to that enacted recently in California. California’s State legislature passed a bill in August that would mandate access to health screenings to determine California veterans’ and Armed Services members’ exposure to depleted uranium. “We need to do this in Colorado and nationwide,” said Holen.

The vision of CVA is “to be an effective organization of veterans, veteran’s families and friends of veterans. We will be supporters of our fellow veterans, our communities and our nation by working within democratic and political processes from the precinct to the highest levels of government. We will forever remain vigilant for the rights of those we support, and true to the solemn oath we took at the beginning of our service to our country: ‘To support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic.’ ”

Colorado Veterans for America are involved in many activities—from helping vets get to and from VA hospitals, to assisting with the Katrina disaster. CVA members are also busy doing phone banking, grassroots door-to-door precinct walks, fund raising, event tables, speaking, attending rallies, making signs and standing on street corners, and showing our colors at parades.

The current list of CVA endorsements as of September 19, 2006

Bill Ritter - Governor
John Salazar* - 3rd Congressional District
Jim Isgar – Senate District 6
Joe Colgan - House District 59
Joelle Riddle - La Plata County Commissioner,
Angie Paccione - 4th Congressional District
Jay Fawcett* - 5th Congressional District
Bill Winter* - 6th Congressional District
Ed Perlmutter - 7th Congressional District
Joe Rice* - House District 38
Morgan Carroll - House District 36
Milt Rogers* - Colorado University Regent (lost contest at Dem State Assembly)
Bob Moser* - Jefferson County Treasurer
Linda Rockwell - Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder
Kathleen Conway - Arapahoe County County Clerk and Recorder
Solomon Little Owl* - State Senate District 13
*Veteran