To the attention of:
Barack Obama, US President;
Martin O'Malley, Governor of Maryland;
US Senators from Maryland: Barbara A. Mikulski, Benjamin L. Cardin;
US Representatives from Maryland: Andy Harris, C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger, Chris Van Hollen, Donna F. Edwards, Elijah E. Cummings, John P. Sarbanes, Roscoe G. Bartlett, Steny H. Hoyer;
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I am a single mother of 2. I find it hard everyday to look at myself everyday knowing I cannot provide my children with the things they deserve. I have never been big on material things. I honestly find it absurd for people to live that way. It is just very disheartening to know my children get ridiculed and picked on for not having the "best" of everything. I served my Counrty with pride. I deployed to Iraq for 15 months in which I had to leave my children behind. I had to endure my ex-husband taking off with my children, moving in and marrying another woman while still married to me, not letting me know where they were, draining my bank account dry, and a Chain of Command who just could not find it reasonable to help me in resolving the issues. It is sad that the programs out there to help Veteran's really DO NOT help us. I may not have served 20 years, but I did serve with pride, committment, and to continue to bring freedom to our Country. I am not one to beg and plead for a hand out. I simply do not believe in that. I do believe in the right to be treated just as all the other Veteran's...regardless of time served! I am a full-time student. I use my Post 9-11 GI Bill, but am constantly being put behind in my bills because I am always incurring overpayments in which I was not aware of. How can we as Veterans...Americans get ahead if we are always being held back? I do not qualify for Food Stamps or other public assistance because of the money I make for the housing allowance...which is not enough to live on monthly. All the money I receive goes to bills to live and shelter my children, but yet the $1500 I make a month is too much for food stamps. Something has got to give here! There are so many people who abuse the system and get away with it, but when someone who genuinely needs the help is refused. If I could work and go to school full-time I would do just that. I cannot seem to find any employers willing to work around my school schedule! Then you have the jobs that say they are willing to work around your schedule, but want to pay you wages that is not even worth the gas you drive to get there. Instead of the Government spending all of its money on helping other countries, it is time for the United States to start focusing on the bigger problem at hand...OUR OWN PEOPLE! The VA Center in Maryland is horrible. The doctors are rude and do not seem to care. There are homeless Vets walking around all the time begging for money, food, or transportation. I would rather pay out of my pocket and endure high doctor bills than receiving care there. It is just really an awful sight and incredibly sad. These are people who served our Country! There needs to be more programs for Single Mothers and Fathers. We did not go out seeking to be this way...well I would say majority of us did not intend on being this way! Action needs to be taken. I am so tired of hearing things and nothing be done.
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