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John, As a U.S. Army Veteran and former Apache helicopter pilot, Veterans Day is a special day for me to reflect on my own service and the sacrifice of so many other veterans and their families across this country. Growing up on the verge of poverty, moving from house to house, and sometimes only having water for my cereal as a kid, joining the military was a pathway to stability in my life. I entered West Point in the summer of 2006 at the age of 17, after my parents signed an age waiver. I went on to serve as a Second Lieutenant within the U.S. Army Aviation branch and trained to become an AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopter pilot, graduating as the only woman in my Apache class. It was a tough path to pave at the time with a very “old boys club” atmosphere, but I learned to defeat the odds and went on to serve in Kuwait and Iraq and command over 200 soldiers. Like a lot of fellow veterans, I joined the military to unlock opportunities I couldn’t achieve due to our failed system. Many young people make the commitment to serve for the sake of finding stability, a roof over their head, food to eat, health care, and career opportunities. Too many service members make the ultimate sacrifice for our country, and we are forever grateful to them. Even more return home suffering severe health issues, and despite their service, cannot access the care they need. In fact, up to 3.5 million Iraq and Afghanistan veterans were potentially exposed to toxic burn pits while serving overseas, which can lead to severe illnesses such as cancer. And yet, veterans left and right are being denied the insurance benefits and compensation to pay for their care — frankly, it’s a disgrace. As long as we are sending Americans to fight in wars, our country must uphold our part of the bargain in taking care of those who risk everything to serve. That’s why I support the bipartisan COST of War Act, a bill that would provide immediate and lifelong VA healthcare coverage to veterans of all generations suffering from toxic exposure due to their military service.
This is one of many steps that must be taken to ensure we no longer leave our veterans to fend for themselves once they come home. As a veteran myself, I guarantee that I will be an advocate for the veteran community across Pennsylvania’s 1st District when I win this race for Congress next year. Thanks for reading and taking action with me today, Ashley
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