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Friend --
One of the great pleasures of running for President is getting to meet people from across this country. I'm particularly honored when a member of our armed forces supports me. While I'm running to be every American's President, I know that, to these brave individuals, I'm running to be their Commander in Chief.
However, I also hear a lot about the issues facing our veterans, and how we can and must do better by them. Many receive a handshake when they return home, and a thanks for their service. After hearing from so many of these heroes about all the ways their community struggles, I knew that I had to put forward a plan to address their concerns. That's why, today, I'm announcing More Than A Handshake: My Plan to Better Serve Our Veterans.
Richard Ojeda, an Army combat engineer who rose from the enlisted ranks to retire as a Major, has become a good friend since we bonded over our outsider campaigns for the presidency. I've spent hours with him, discussing how we can better serve those who have risked their lives to protect and serve us. I've also met with Common Defense and signed the pledge to End the Forever Wars and bring our troops back home.
This isn't an easy issue, and there aren't simple fixes. We have to do much more to enable a successful transition out of the military and into civilian life.
We need to invest in their health, in particular the myriad and unique mental and physical health issues our veterans face. We can ensure that they have access to whatever is needed to alleviate these issues, including by prescribing and providing waivers for the use of controlled substances such as marijuana.
One way we can help them more easily find gainful employment in the civilian sector is through easing the red tape around education. Also, the skills they develop during their service should qualify them for licenses and certifications without spending the time or money to get recertified. Finally, we desperately need to confront the homelessness and suicide crises facing this community head-on.
In short, we need to give veterans more than a handshake when they return home. When I'm President, I'll be honored to ensure that More Than A Handshake: My Plan to Better Serve Our Veterans will be the top priority for my Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
You can read the entire More Than A Handshake policy here. And if you decide that this is the right path forward for our American heroes, please sign my petition here.
Gratefully,
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