Dear #VA, I went to the post office today to mail the completed form (you know, the one you say you mailed more than a year ago... but we never actually received... the 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper that instead of double checking you instead sent a new rating decision taking away a hefty chunk of our monthly budget and my childs health insurance). Of course, I mailed it certified mail with a return receipt. I always (always) do. I have lots of those receipts filed away... actually dozens... from over the last 6 years. Records... a way to cover our six (sadly necessary, and have had to use them more than once to then prove that someone at a Regional Office had in fact signed for and received a piece of paper the you said we never sent). I walked up to the counter and the postal employee took one look at the address and looked into my eyes and rattled it off - from memory. Shes a veteran. She knew all too well what the heavy envelope and my tired eyes meant. So she stood there and rang up my postage and told me her story... a catch in her throat as she got to the part about the years of fighting and finally giving up and her family falling apart and everything going to crap. And then she looked again at me - almost embarrassed - like she didnt mean to reveal so much to a total stranger... but then at the same moment relieved when I answered I understand. Thank you so much for your service. Im so sorry that you fought for your country and then had to fight again here. Thats not fair. Its not okay. You deserve better. You and you sacrifice matter. Thank you. And she nodded. And I nodded. And I walked away... leaving our future in her hands, on its way to you. Its sad that there are so many of those stories out there. So many that you cant help but run into them... almost trip over them... in every city and neighborhood and random errand and innocuous daily moment... they are there. They should never be there. Those stories. And thats the responsibility of the #NewVA if its really going to be new at all. Sincerely, Me - one of many who are keeping track and know the costs and refuse to let our heroes and families go on feeling like they dont matter
Posted on: Fri, 14 Nov 2014 05:30:17 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015