I found this on the web and wanted to share it with everyone.

From http://www.vfp50.com/:

I AM A VETERAN by Jim Ramelis
I am a veteran.
I am white, black, brown, and red.
I am from the country, I am from the city.
I am from up North, down South, back East, and out West.
I am usually from the working class, sometimes poor, but rarely rich
Sometimes I joined up because I want to fight. More often, I am a young person who wants to work, to get money for school, or to have an adventure.
I don't want pity, I just want what I earned and was promised.
If I am hurt in service, I deserve adequate health care, both in service and when I am released.
I want the benefits promised me by the recruiter and the armed forcers, not spin, not lies, not homelessness, not drug addiction, not alcoholism, and not years waiting for VA claims.
When on active duty service I don't want to be put in harm's way for greed or opportunity, or the profit margins of large corporations, or to control someone else's country, but to defend my country.
Freedom of speech is my right, too. I can disagree with a policy I don't like. I don't make policy; please don't confuse the war with the warrior.
You don't have to support every con man, liar, actor, and hustler that gets elected to public office to love the kids who are fighting, and demand all the best for troops, both in the field and when they come home.
Please also remember the Veterans who are homeless, who are traumatized both by what was done to them and by what they did, who are drug addicted, and who are alcoholic
Sometimes the way to support the troops is to bring them home. Do you want your child to be the last one to die for a war gone bad?
Stop the War in Iraq. No war in Iran,

I am a Veteran
Jim Ramelis

Viet Nam Veteran