Ryan Conklin Goes To NACA

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In the middle of February, 2010, Ryan Conklin attended the 2010 National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) convention in Boston. NACA is an organization that brings people at colleges who book campus events together with people who represent artists, lecturers and performers. At the convention, people from the member colleges can meet some of the talent that is available for booking at their schools.

Ryan attended as one of the bookable speakers for the Hope's Voice organization. He is part of the group's "Faces of War" educational lecture series. The lectures are to help young people understand the realities of war from the perspective of one of their peers.

While he was there he met another celebrity who does college engagements, Dennis Haskins (Mr. Belding from Saved by the Bell.) On Twitter, Ryan wrote, "I just met Principal Belding and he gave me great advice. I couldn't help from looking over my shoulder, expecting Screech to be around."

Besides working the Hope's Voice booth at the convention, Ryan was able to spend time with JD Ordonez, who was also in town for the convention. And since they were near where Scott Herman lives, they were able to go visit him at his home (see photo above).

Scott is a prolific video producer, and having guests didn't slow him down. While Ryan was there, Scott made a rap video about his views on the NOH8 campaign. Ryan showed up in the background doing a guest appearance as the character "Slo Rida" (below).

Ryan Conklin In White House Briefing

After several days of meeting with members of Congress, Ryan Conklin participated in a briefing at the White House to present the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America's legislative agenda to members of the Executive Branch. It was part of the IAVA's "Storm The Hill 2010" campaign to let Congress know what the most important issues are for the Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.

During the week of February 8-11, 2010, Ryan had been part of "Team Bravo", one of the IAVA teams walking the halls of the Capitol, meeting with Congressional leaders. On the last day, Ryan was on the special team, Team Whiskey (referring to the letter W in military parlance) that was sent to the White House.

Ryan was glad for the opportunity to be part of an effort to gain real assistance for veterans. He was also excited to be able to do it so soon after leaving the Army, being a representative for America's newest veterans. In Stars and Stripes, Ryan is quoted as saying: "I'm just out of my uniform, and now I'm up on the Hill in a suit talking to senators. It's left me very optimistic that we can get our voices heard."

Ryan Conklin Meets With U.S. Senators

A little over a month after leaving Iraq, Ryan Conklin was in Washington D.C., meeting face-to-face with U.S. Senators, like Senator Max Baucus of Montana (at right, with Ryan), speaking about the needs of veterans. Ryan was part of a team from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) to explain the organization's legislative priorities to members of Congress. It's a campaign that the IAVA calls "Storm The Hill 2010".

Senator Baucus is chairman of the important Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over tax matters. His help is needed to pass tax credits for businesses that hire veterans. This is a vital issue to the IAVA because from 2006 to 2009, the unemployment rate among male veterans ages 18-24 increased by 11.5 percentage points to 21.7%. Among female veterans of the same age, the unemployment rate increased by 7.5 percentage points to 20 percent.

One of the areas that Senator Baucus has already been working for veterans is the establishment of mandatory mental health screenings. The specific legislation, which is modeled after a program currently used by the Montana National Guard, requires the military to provide a live screening for all military personnel before they deploy to combat as well as no later than six, twelve and twenty four months after their return.

It must be noted that Senator Baucus had a hand in passing the abomination that is the Senate version of health care "reform", but hopefully he can make up a little for that by doing something that instead helps Americans, like getting the IAVA's priorities passed through the U.S. Senate.

Ryan Conklin In Storm The Hill 2010

Braving the 2010 "snowpocalypse / snowmaggedon" in the Mid-Atlantic states, Ryan A. Conklin (at right) went to Washington, D.C. to be part of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) "Storm the Hill 2010". The IAVA will be meeting with Senators and Congressmen and their staff to present the organization's legislative priorities for helping to meet the needs of our military veterans.

This is the IAVA's fifth such all-out push to make sure that Congress understands the needs of America's newest veterans. From February 8th thru the 12th, the group will present its 2010 priorities, which are to modernize the VA claims processing system, streamline and simplify the post 9/11 GI bill, secure jobs for veterans, eliminate combat stress stigma, and support better health care for female veterans.

Ryan is part of "Team Bravo", one of the seven teams of veterans that will be speaking to the Congressional offices. They are scheduled to meet with well-known Senators such as Max Baucus of Montana, Olympia Snowe of Maine, and Daniel Inouye of Hawaii.

You can learn more about the work that the IAVA is doing that week and see how you help by going to www.stormthehill.org.

Team Bravo in front of the White House

Ryan Conklin Is Hope's Voice Speaker

Ryan A. Conklin is a speaker available for scheduling through the Hope's Voice organization to speak as part of the group's "Faces of War" educational lecture series. All the available speakers are soldiers or a loved one of a soldier who has served and returned from war. The purpose of the lecture series is to help young people understand the realities of war from the perspective of one of their peers.

The format of the speaking engagements includes the speaker telling their story and relating the impact that their service overseas has had on their life. The lecture is also interactive with time for questions and answers with the student audiences. It is expected that the lectures will provide valuable and meaningful information and share the emotional and eye-opening realities of the people who have bravely served our country. Hope's Voice states that "the Faces of War lecture and campaign is encouraging young people, regardless of their political views, to put aside their differences and come together to be educated and inspired."

In the bio for Ryan posted on Hope's Voice website, the story of his initial deployment to Iraq, his uneasy return to home, his experience appearing on The Real World Brooklyn, and his involuntary recall to Iraq, are laid out for those considering booking him as a speaker. It gives a glimpse of what we know is the fascinating story of Ryan, although it probably doesn't in a few paragraphs give a picture of how amazingly well-spoken he is and how impressively able he is to relate the Iraq War to those who have not experienced it first-hand.