I am supporting Barack Obama for president to honor my late husband, who died last year with complications from his exposure to radiation during World War II. This exposure gave us many opportunities to use the VA system of health care and while each individual provider could not have been more concerned and professional, the system as a whole was much like negotiating a never-ending maze. I do not want any other military family to face such a heart-rending process as they care for their loved ones.

It appears that many veterans were exposed to harmful radiation without much regard for their personal safety or the well-known effects such exposure would have on future generations. Now the veterans have been exposed to other dangers and are returning with serious, though not always visible, wounds. Many wives like myself will become daily caretakers and will need to negotiate a system that has been broken for too long and desperately needs repair.

I believe that it will take someone like Barack Obama with energy, commitment, and a far reaching vision to bring some degree of efficiency and compassion to this system. I am proud to give him my full support.

Linda H. Small

Bangor