Austin's newly formed GI Rights Hotline is part of the national GI Rights Hotline, a network of organizations that provide information to members of the military about discharges, grievance and complaint procedures, and other civil rights.

The Austin GI Rights Hotline will receive calls from Texas-based service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast Guard who are AWOL, are experiencing sexual harassment or discrimination, or need assistance with military discharges and conscientious objector applications.

In 2004, the national GI Rights Hotline received 32,000 calls, an unprecedented number. Texas is home the largest number of active-duty service members - 114,000 - in the nation. In all, one in ten active duty personnel calls Texas home. Because of Texas's high concentration of military bases and armed services personnel, our state has a unique need for local assistance for men and women in the military.

To get involved email austingirights-at-mail.com.

If you can't give your time, we can put your financial donation to good use.

Your receipt will say "Tax deductible contribution to Third Coast Activist Resource Center for the Austin GI Rights Hotline."