August 5, 1997

My name is Aimee Luffman and I am a 21 year old citizen of Summerville, SC. I recently found something on the internet that I would like for you to read.

"We cannot emphasize enough how important it is to keep pushing this issue inside the Beltway... The need to get specific answers is more important now than ever before. If still alive, some MIAs are now in their 70s... They don't have much time left. We have to demand answers from the bureaucrats and keep standing on their necks (figuratively speaking) until they get the message that THEY work for US and that we are serious about getting these long overdue responses. Diplomatic considerations aside... We can no longer allow questionable protocols established by pseudo-aristocratic armchair strategists, to determine or influence the fate of the men who were in the trenches while the diplomats were sharing sherry and canapés and talking about "Their Plans" for the future of SE Asia. If we do not make this issue our "Highest Priority" now, then you can bet if the need ever arises and our sons and daughters go off to war, their husbands, wives and children will end up carrying the same torch. We do not want our grandchildren to ache with the pain of not knowing. This outrage must be stopped NOW, and we must not accept any more excuses."

To say that this disturbs me is putting it lightly. Being in a family of career Military men, I am lucky to not be in the group of families with POW/MIAs from Vietnam. Both my grandfathers and my father have served in the Navy, my dad's Dad was in Vietnam as a Naval Chaplain. I am very fortunate that he came home. Some families, on the other hand, are not so lucky. There are many families STILL who do not know if their father, son, brother, or husband are alive. This is an outrage. It is also an outrage that more is not being done to rectify this situation. Put yourself in their shoes, how would you feel if it was your family that would never see you again?? Better yet put yourself in the soldiers shoes, how would you feel if it was your country that seemed to have turned its back on you. Just something to think about.

Sincerely,

Aimee L. Luffman