[ Post a Response | Vipers Vietnam Veteran Message Board ]
Posted by Andee
on 3/24/2009, 5:29 pm
67.11.162.90
Andee M. Ledger
2523 Pollote St.
San Antonio TX, 78224
210-375-9927
254-466-4497
Dear to whom it may concern,
I am on an extremely important quest. I am sending you a copy of this letter I wrote to President Obama to get your advice and to see if you can help it find its way into the hands of the President. Not only are families at risk but so is the city of Killeen, Texas. If this is out of your hands thank you for giving the time to read my letter and addressing our concerns.
Thank you,
Andee M. Ledger
March 16th, 2009
Dear, Mr. President Obama
First I want to start off by thanking you for taking time out of your hectic schedule and precious family time to read a letter from a concerned citizen with a family full of men serving in the armed forces. Mr. President the reason I am writing you with such concern is basically a plea for help. My name is Andee Ledger, a daughter to a father, a step-father, a sister to two brothers, a sister- in law to my sister’s husband, a niece to an uncle, all serving our country. I am trying to do anything in my power to find a way to help not only to all service members including their families but most importantly my father, Sgt. Fremont Claude Shaver Jr.
The history behind my father is that he is currently flying back home from his eighth deployment of the seventeen years of being in the U.S. Army. Out of those eight major deployments three are back to back of serving one year or more in Iraq. My father is a part of the 4th Infantry Division out of Fort Hood, Texas. Come May he would have attached to this company for four years.
The reason I am speaking on behalf of my father and the rest of these families, is it seems that every avenue they try, ends in a dead end. Ending in no results or any offer of advice or direction in order for these families to live without losing their homes, ruining their credit, being put in debt where they have to take away from their family, who they‘ve been separated from. My father and mother for example bought a brand new home a year ago in Killeen, Texas. Being promised once my father returned from Iraq they would still have time to get settled back home before the mass move to Fort Carson, Colorado. Ensuring not only my family but others in the same area that their homes would gain value and that these families would have time to transition into selling their homes and organize before pcsing. With the way the economy has suffered and tries to pick itself up from such a hard recession it also hurts the ones that we should be helping the most. The one’s fighting for our safety and our freedom, Our Troops.
With that being said, My Father and mother are on the brink of losing everything they’ve worked so hard for. My mother, being alone while my father is still in route to being sent home from Iraq must try and find away to sell their home , which has no value yet. Try to sell their home in a market hit the worse in years with more than a hundred other families trying to do the same thing at the exact same moment. The Unit that my father is stationed with is one of the largest in the Fort Hood, Killeen, Texas area. This town and base are in the middle of nowhere, majority being U.S. personnel. How is it possible for these families to sell their homes in such a short time without hurting them financially. Even when my father is sent to Fort Carson and my mother tries to stay back in Texas to sell their home, it’s financially impossible. Once my father leaves he’s assigned duty station to another, his BAH follows. Since these families were told that their husbands and wives would not qualify for barracks due to being “ecological bachelors” they will be forced to stay in hotels. My father and mother would have to pay out of their pockets while there savings diminish as they try to at least get a price negotiated to sell their home. If it even gets to that point.
My family and these other families do not deserve to have to come home, from such a long journey to have to worry about how they're going to feed their families or how their credit is going to allow them to buy a home again. These men and women do not get paid enough. Majority of them are middle class to being even lower class families, being hit hard as the rest of the world. They are getting worked to the point where soldiers are dyeing not only by the enemy but by their own hand. Stretched to the limit where their minds are no longer able to focus on the real world anymore. These are the men and women who should be taken care of the most, not forgotten or put through more hardships then they already have to face.
I plead at least to give light on this situation, or pled for help for my family. My father has been in the U.S. army for seventeen years soon to retire and he doesn’t deserve to lose their home. The stress alone is enough. When is it time to let him rest and be given that dream that America is supposed to stand for. Right now the U.S. Army adds that run on the Television and Internet are focusing on our youth telling them that if they join they have a chance to receive a large sum of money to buy a house or open a business. How is this so if you're helping the ones that have already given their blood, sweat and time lose their homes and a chance to live the American dream? There should be exceptions made. They have a saying that if the military wanted you to have a family they would have issued you one. I grew up military my whole entire life. Coming from generations of military background. The chance to see the world. Honestly it has torn my family apart. Even as an adult, transitioning from being in a military family to civilian world has been intense.
Mr. President, you have been in situations that you’ve needed help. You are one of the realest person’s I think that America has come by. Someone who is able to see from the outside. One that hasn’t been brought up being taught that same routine. America is far from routine now. You came at the most crucial time. Not only for members in the military but for the world. I ask you Mr. President to take a look at my suffering family and the families around them. I understand there are absolutely more important situation evolving as we speak, but when you start with my father it will create an ongoing effect. That’s what I believe. I believe in you and trust you as a person, a friend, and the leader of our country, our President. You believe in change. Once a forgotten word. You’ve given me hope that change is possible.
I hope this letter reaches you in good spirit. I only hope that if you cannot shine some light on this situation that you are able to send someone who can help. This is a situation that needs to be dealt with now and I can only pray out of the millions of letters your office receives this will actually find its way to your desk. I have also written every congressman in Texas hoping that maybe they could help as well. I thought before writing this letter that it seemed to far from reality to get help especially with me being one person asking help from the most important man in the world. But like I have said you believed in change and hope and I can at least try. Just like you. Thank you and I appreciate the time you’ve given to read this letter. Not only am I grateful but so is my family.
Thank you,
Andee M. Ledger
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