On Wednesday Nov. 23rd I got an email from Laine Evans, Congressman Philip Roe's aid asking if I could come to DC on November 30th to the VA Health Sub Committee. By the time I got the email and called I was unable to reach their office, it was closed for Thanks Giving till Monday Nov. 28th. When I got in touch on Monday she asked if I could make it and told me the meeting was on Friday Dec. 2nd? I said, yes.

Flying in Wednesday night I was met by Russell who took me into his home, fed me and the following day helped me get to the capitol to see the committee members. I spent the day going to all of their offices meeting their aides and handing out our letter. Before the day was done I did get a few condescending looks from some of the staff, maybe because of the absence of shoes? Some were very receptive because they had family in the military.
The last person I went to visit wasn't on the committee, but had got in touch with me when I was walking across the country. I stopped in at Congresswoman Grace Napalitano's office and saw her aide Anne who was my contact. She was so happy to see me I thought I was a long lost relative. She said, I wished I had known, my boss would really like to meet you, are you available later I will call her and see what we can do. I said, yes. I got a call later asking if I could come by the office at 5pm to meet, I said, yes. When I got there at 5pm Anne told me we were going to meet her down on the house floor. When we got there and told the guards what we were doing they let me go to the entrance where Grace came out, she couldn't thank me enough, then introduced me to about 20 Congressmen and women. I was somewhat overwhelmed.
The following day at 9am I was at Congressman Philip Roe's office where he wished me luck and said he would see me at the meeting as he had other meetings to go to. His aid told me I wouldn't be allowed to speak, but would be recognized, I was a little disappointed, but figured God had a plan, which so far has been better then the ones I come up with. Some times I think I could hear him say, What were you thinking? I sat in the front row while the sign I carried across the country was displayed in the back. The chair person Anne Berkele from NY said that Phil Roe asked if he could introduce a special guest, one of his constituents. Phil said, I would like to recognize Ron Zaleski who isn't my constituent, I met him as he walked across the country to raise awareness for Vets and he has legislation with him. When he was done Congressman Reyes from Texas who I met yesterday on the house floor with Grace Napalitano said, I would also like to recognize Ron Zaleski, I have read his legislation and think we should act upon it.
I sat through a few hours of experts with degrees talking about Veterans and when it was over I gave each of them a copy of the petition, had an interview from the paper. The speaker of the committee came to me and said, I was sorry I didn't have you speak, I didn't have enough notice, what can I do for you, my brother was a Marine. I said, we can't wait for the Government, it's up to us to reach out to the individuals not looking at the effect, but the cause. Ask that young man or woman to go for a walk and talk with you. You don't talk, you listen to them. They aren't different from us,we are all the same just having different experiences,
Before I left DC I was told by Ane that Congresswoman Grace Napalitano and Congressman Reyes are working on turning the petition into legislation plus 2 additional points that were in the letter we submitted to the committee. The petition can be found on our website and the 2 additional points are an anonymous PTS support group available for active military personnel and that the family of those coming home are involved in the counseling, for who they sent over isn't who is coming home.

~Ron Zaleski

To read his journal and the background of Ron's mission, please see www.thelongwalkhome.org