An Open Letter To Barack Obama: Military & Veterans Want To Hear From You

Senator Obama:

On August 11 of this year the 2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall Consortium is planning to host a non-partisan town hall event and while John McCain has agreed to participate in this televised event, you have not committed to participate.

As a committed Barack Obama supporter, and a Viet Nam era veteran, I implore you and your campaign staff and advisers to reconsider your decision to decline to participate in the non-partisan, town hall forum, to be presented by the 2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall Consortium on August 11.  I don’t know the reasons why you are declining to participate in this event, but I can assure you, that despite the fact that this event would occur in a military community with a majority in-house military audience, politically speaking, the audience will encompass a broad spectrum of political ideologies, however, my understanding is that the primary “mission” of the town hall forum is not political debate, but discussion that would lead to greater awareness of the health and welfare issues facing those who serve in our military forces, and an opportunity for each candidate to outline his strategic plans in this regard.

I know that you, Senator Obama was a sponsor of S.1817 and are concerned about the care and support our country is providing to those who have volunteered to serve our nation, and by participating in this forum you can further demonstrate your commitment to be a future commander-in-chief that will exercise compassion and good judgment in your management of our military forces, and your support of those who have served in the past.

From your speech on July 15, it is apparent that if you are elected president, you will move to end the folly of our engagement in Iraq, but will also reinforce our military presence in Afghanistan, for obvious, and logical reasons.  It is only logical then, that Senator Obama, in the short time leading up to the national elections and the sitting of a new administration in 2009, you would be open and amendable to hearing directly from those Americans who will be serving at under your command, on critical, dangerous missions.

If your staff has lost your invitation to this important discussion, you can make contact here for the details: Military Spouses for Change.

Respectfully,

-Big Fella

(USN 1975-1966)

Update 17-Jul-09

This letter has been emailed to the Obama campaign, but with no response, you can lend a hand by calling or sending a fax to Senator Obama’s office and ask him to participate in this town hall meeting:

Washington:
Phone: (202) 224-2854
Fax: (202) 228-4260

Chicago:
Phone: (312) 886-3506
Fax: (312) 886-3514

Update 18-Jul-09

One of the sponsoring organizations (there is a whole coalition of organizations) for the Fort Hood Town Hall meeting is The Brain Injury Association of America, and they have any easy to use form at their web site that will generate an email to the Obama campaign for anyone who would like to lobby Obama to listen to and talk to our military and veterans: http://capwiz.com/bia/issues/alert/?alertid=11644406

You can also call the Obama campaign at (866) 675-2008.

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