DEAR SENATOR, MY NAME IS ASHLEY MILLER AND I AM A VETERAN OF THE IRAQ WAR. I LEFT THE U.S. ARMY IN 2006, AND I AM A SUPPORTER OF THE BARACK OBAMA CAMPAIGN. I FEEL THAT YOU ARE A GREAT CANDIDATE, FOR MANY REASONS. I BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE A NEW VOICE THAT WE AS AMERICANS NEED IN ORDER TO HELP OUR COUNTRY AND ITS PEOPLE IN THE YEARS TO COME. I FULLY SUPPORT YOU, SENATOR OBAMA, AND I WANT YOU TO WIN. HOWEVER, AFTER READING THE PRESS RELEASES ON THE EVENT THAT IS SET TO TAKE PLACE ON AUGUST 11TH, AT THE TOWN HALL IN BELTON, TX, I AM DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR THAT YOU HAVE NOT YET COMMITTED TO COMING TO THIS EVENT. THE EVENT WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO SEAT 6,000 SOLDIERS, SPOUSES AND VETERANS CURRENTLY ONLY HAS A COMMITMENT FROM SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR SENATOR OBAMA TO ATTEND. IT IS TO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT BOTH PARTIES, MCCAIN AND OBAMA HAVE BEEN INVITED TO ATTEND. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO REALIZE THAT BY NOT ATTENDING THE EVENT HERE AT FORT HOOD YOU ARE RISKING VOTES OF 44 MILLION PEOPLE. ALL OF WHICH ARE SOLDIERS AND VETERANS AS WELL AS THEIR SPOUSES. ALTHOUGH I AM AN OBAMA SUPPORTER, I CAN'T STRESS TO YOU ENOUGH HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR BOTH PARTIES TO ATTEND, SO THAT THE ISSUES OUR MILITARY HAS BEEN FACING CAN BE DISCUSSED. WE AS OBAMA SUPPORTERS NEED YOU TO BE HERE AS A VOICE FOR OUR SOLDIERS AND VETERANS. WE NEED THAT COMMITMENT, AND I THINK IT IS OWED TO ALL OF OUR SOLDIERS AND OUR FAMILIES FOR THE NEXT PRESIDENT TO COMMIT TO DISCUSSING THESE ISSUES AND MAKING LIVES BETTER FOR THE MILITARY. WE NEED BOTH CANDIDATES TO HEAR OUR SOLDIERS, THEIR SPOUSES AND OUR VETERANS. AS WE ARE THE LARGEST PART OF AN ELECTION PROCESS. THIS PETITION IS FOR EVERYONE WHO AGREES THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR SENATOR OBAMA TO COMMIT TO SPEAKING WITH THE SOLDIERS HERE IN THE FT. HOOD AREA. IT WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO BOTH PARTIES, AS THEY WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH MEMBERS BOTH OLD AND NEW OF THE MILITARY TO DISCUSS ISSUES, AND TO HELP FIND A WAY TO PROVIDE BETTER BENEFITS AND LIFE FOR OUR HEROES. IF SENATOR OBAMA DOESN'T COMMIT TO COMING TO THIS EVENT IN AUGUST, NEITHER CANDIDATE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT THIS CONVENTION. THUS, RESULTING IN OUR SOLDIERS NOT BEING ABLE TO SPEAK WITH OUR FUTURE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES ON THE ISSUES THEY ARE FACING. IF ANYONE BELIEVES THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR BOTH PARTIES TO ATTEND THIS EVENT, AND FOR SENATOR OBAMA TO COMMIT TO THIS EVENT SO OUR MILITARY CAN SPEAK ON THE CURRENT ISSUES THEIR FAMILIES AND THEMSELVES FACE, PLEASE SIGN BELOW. REGARDS, ASHLEY N. MILLER OIF VETERAN KILLEEN, TX 76549