Veteran creates activist group

An Ohio man was fired from his job after being called to serve in Iraq .
SEBRING -- A bill introduced by two Ohio state senators after the Iraq war ended to protect military personnel from discrimination spurred Cliff Hayes of Sebring into action.
State Sens. Teresa Fedor and Peter Uvagi, both of Toledo, introduced H.R. 526, which blocks members of the armed forces from being evicted from their homes or discharged from their jobs when they are called to duty. The legislation was in addition to existing federal law that protects service personnel from losing their employment while on active duty.
The need to oppose discriminatory acts against active military, as noted in the legislation, encouraged Hayes, a Vietnam veteran, to form his own activist group, the Ohio branch of the Veterans and Military Families for Progress.
"We started during the congressional campaign season," he said. "Candidates running for Congress needed help with veterans' issues to bolster their platform, so we gave them briefing books and acted as liaison officers."
Hayes said the briefing books contained information on veterans' affairs, budgets and other issues.
Hayes cited the firing of Sgt. Preston Anderson from his job as a shift supervisor at a tire store in Carrollton, Ohio, two months after being called to Iraq, as an example of what the group is trying to stop.
Founding
On Feb. 24, Hayes and a delegation of veterans traveled to Milwaukee, Wis., to participate in the formal founding of the national veterans' group, Veterans and Military Families for Progress.
"More than 32 other veterans groups were there, including Vietnam Veterans For Peace and Vietnam Veterans Against The War," he said.
"A lot of supporters in my group were also members of other veterans' groups, so they knew how to get things done," Hayes said.
Hayes said the group's influence and popularity will increase steadily. More speaking engagements, talks at Veterans of Foreign Wars halls and a Web site are in the works.
"The VMFP will wake up a lot of veterans," Hayes said.