Dear Vietnam Veteran,

In eighth grade, I got the opportunity to go to visit Washington, D.C and look around at all the memorials and museums. Each of the memorials left me in awe and made me really think long and hard about the different wars the United States had to fight to give the best life for its citizens. But the one memorial that struck me more than all the other ones was the Vietnam War memorial. The moment I started reading the names on the wall tears started to swell up in my eyes. I felt the emotions of all the students around me and I really understood the impact that this war had on America and the citizens; how you fought this war and the impact it must have had on your life during and after the fight. Welcome home to the place where you belong and where you are honored for what you did.

My name is Sammy and I am a junior in High School. I am currently 17 years old and that is probably around the time when you were thinking about getting drafted into the military. Having to go fight in a completely different country as a new adult. To venture off into war and leaving the people you care behind makes me consider one of the many sacrifices you made. I can never repay you for the sacrifice that you made and that you deserve the biggest welcome home because how you were treated after the war breaks my heart.

I am exploring the possibility of joining the military after college and fighting for our country as you did. Your honor and courage have led many young people to follow in your footsteps to fight in battles across the world. The service men and women who fought with you has inspired me to help my country as much as possible in any way that I could. Hearing your stories about what you had to go through makes me emotional and I can never be the same person. Hearing about what you had to go through physically and mentally has changed my definition of what a strong person is. A strong person is someone who overcomes obstacles no man should ever have to overcome. A strong person is someone who cares about the best interest of the people around them no matter how they feel. Someone who can overcome adversity and still continue on in life. You are the definition of a strong person, family member, veteran and so many more things. I want to welcome you home where there are many people that care about you because of who you are and the sacrifices you made.