Dear Vietnam Veteran,

To start this journey I wanted to say welcome home. The bravery that it takes to fight in any war is tremendous, but to come home and receive the treatment that you did takes even more. You, as a veteran, have impacted the lives of so many people- that includes me.

I plan on going to college, but I am not sure for what yet. What I do know is that this letter is long overdue. I truly hope that you enjoyed your trip on the Honor Flight, that is a very special way to show you how much you are appreciated for what you sacrificed. Those memorials are time capsules for the brave men and women who served our country, for you.

I understand that the physical demand on soldiers is great, however I also know that the emotional struggle for you and your fellow Vietnam Veterans is greater. The bonds that you formed overseas may not have returned home with you, and I cannot express my sincerity in thanking you enough for staying strong through all of that.  I can assure you that everything you gave up or lost was for the best cause- the way younger generations live now. My brother, sisters and I can live in peace knowing that you fought bravely for our home.

You may not realize how much you are appreciated all over the country, you may not realize the extent of what we owe you, you may not be told this enough, thank you for your service. I have never met my family members that served our country so to be able to write this letter to you is more than an honor. You hold an amount of self-discipline and morality that I can only dream of attaining. What you went through will never be forgotten and will never be taken for granted, the appreciation for our Vietnam Veterans can only grow with the increasing education on that war.

Again, thank you from my entire heart. You deserve all the appreciation in the world for what you sacrificed and I want to be one of the first to let you know how much your service means to me and to the United States of America.

Welcome home!