Homeless Veterans

Dear Mr. or Mrs. President, Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to read these letters. I know it must take a while to read them. Today in my English class, I saw a picture in the newspaper that really traumatized my heart. It showed a African American veteran getting a bill in the mail. The bill was for his prosthetic foot. It shocked me that veterans who served for our country are having to pay for the injuries they got protecting us. Why aren't we protecting them? Why are they getting treated so horribly? There are over 49,333 homeless veterans right now. The numbers get higher every day. Most of these homeless veterans suffer from a disease called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Some have gotten limbs of their bodies blown off. Most of these men and women come back from the service and have mental illness, alcohol abuse, substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders. Most come back with nowhere to go, have no money, no food, no family, and no home. The worst part is we're just watching it happen. What if men and women decided they weren't going to join our service anymore? Not protect our country? Well, I wouldn't blame them one bit. Why would you give up everything, family, friends, etc, for a society where you’re getting nothing but bills in return? Sure, there are a few perks in joining the military like thirty days of vacation a year, you get to travel around the world, you and your family get free health and dental care. But is it really worth not being with your family and coming home not knowing what happened while you were gone? Imagine leaving to go to the military, sure you're excited and a little scared. Then, you come home months, even years later to nothing. Now you're broke and by yourself. That is the problem. If reading this letter has made you see how big of an issue homeless veterans is, I have made my point. If changes come, then our society will become a better place for veterans. I really appreciate you reading my letter. Sincerely, Nicoma Sayles