The military.com buletin board had an article that I think that all of us should take note of. There was a meeting where several of our service organizations were denied the opportunity to express the needs by Rep Steve Buyer. The meeting included a bunch of Generals, Senior Officers, Congress Representatives and News personnel. They didn't want to hear what the rank and file have to say, but they are going to make decisions on support for the VA and several other military support activities. I had to write, and Military.com forwarded my letter to Senator Hutchinson, Senator Cornyn, and Representative Hall. This is what I had to say.

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Message sent to the following recipients:
Representative Hall
Message text follows:

William Weissinger
(my address here)

April 4, 2006

[recipient address was inserted here]

Dear [recipient name was inserted here],

To not listen to the Veterans groups is akin to saying that the true veterans have nothing to say. I say to representative Steve Buyer, and others on the Veterans Affairs Committee, get out of the Washington think tank and go to the streets of this country where they can find the Veterans who are really impacted by this committee. Go to a Veteran's Stand Down in a large city and see the homeless Veterans, take the time to talk to the ones who are truly impacted by their decisions.

If you take your perspective from the Generals and Leaders in Congress and the media, who had little to do with the real fighting of any conflict, you get an overview, not the real information that is impacting the soldier who is dumped back on the street when the conflict is over. The soldier lives the battle, and then is left with little support, basically left on the street.

A figure that one might find interesting is the number of veterans who truly wind up on the street. Messed up by the military making them virtually unemployable, and they don't understand why. These people virtually hide from life and live as a homeless person below the line of visibility by the Congressional groups making decisions about how they are going to be supported or not.

I am a Disabled Veteran, rated at 100%, who was saved from suicide by another veteran. I was shown that there is support available through the
Veterans Administration. That saved my life, and since then, I have done the same for many veterans. The soldier doesn't understand what is available for him, and the military generally doesn't prepare the soldier for life after the military. So how can a successful Retired General, or leader of the Congress, or the media know the impacts on the soldier who had his life thrown on the line?

Note: This message was sent through the Military.com Legislative Center. Connecting over 6 million members to all the benefits earned in service to America.

Sincerely,

William Weissinger

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All of us need to become active in contacting our representatives to this government. The more information that they have from us, gives them the backing to take a good stand. Hopefully in our favor.

Dave