Dear Vietnam Veteran,

In my U.S. history class we learned about the Vietnam War. I learned about how horrible the conditions were and how long it was. But I was most shocked when I found out about the awful treatment you received after returning home. So I wanted to give you a proper welcome home and thank you.

In a year, I will be deciding my future and picking out a college. At my age, you were probably getting ready for war. I can’t imagine how scary that must have been, to leave your family and fight. And I also can’t imagine what it was like to come back and be forced to adjust back to normal daily life. It must have been hard. For that I am grateful for your courage.

I remember visiting D.C when I was young. At the time, I didn’t fully understand what the memorials meant. After learning about the Honor Flight, I decided to change my spring break plans. I requested a trip to Washington D.C.  Now that I’m older I want to truly appreciate those memorials.

I want to specifically thank you as a Vietnam Veteran. I believe your service matters, not only because you fought for our country, but because you sacrificed your own freedoms. After a exhausting, difficult battle, your welcome home did not properly thank you for what you did for our country. I think it makes you brave that you continue to tell your story even after all the negative treatment.

I hope this Honor Flight will remind you of how thankful Americans are for your sacrifice and I hope those moments will stay with you forever. But most importantly I hope that you finally got your proper welcome home!

Thank you for your service