Dear Future President of the United States of America,

In this turbulent time in America, of terrorist threats, police brutality, and the looming presidential election, one important factor of the face of our country is our military, and more specifically, what happens to our men and women after they serve. To serve one’s country is viewed as one of the greatest honors but also one of the greatest fears to many people in this world. In our militia’s history however, many times the real battle fought is the one soldiers face in returning from war and beginning to live a normal life with opportunities again.

I bring this to your attention because I feel as a citizen whose freedom is fought for by these brave men and women, that more should be done to help these soldiers cope with post traumatic stress disorders, have a home to return to, and not be left on the streets. Every year thousands of men and women report and return from America’s military, after facing possible death for our freedom, only to be left with no applicable work opportunities. Recent studies have shown that 1 in 5 people who returned home from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were diagnosed with some type of post-deployment symptoms or signs, a statistic that needs to be dealt with, providing the right treatment to our troops so their service does not go down in vain. In your young presidency, I ask that you consider the sacrifice given by your citizens to protect our freedom. To many, life is the impact one has on others. I feel like it is your duty to ensure that impact is fought for by our troops is a worthy one.

Sincerely,

Beau Lawrence