Letters to America – David Huston

Dear America,

We live in a time of endless wars and conflict that jeopardizes your security. As a third generation Marine Corps veteran, for decades my family has understood the real-life impacts of these wars and conflicts. My grandfather fought for you in the battle of Iwo Jima during WWII, a war that required bold intervention against a clear existential threat to your ideals. Unfortunately, today’s endless wars do nothing but overextend our commitments without a clear strategic mission. We must rethink America’s foreign policy; one that prioritizes your interests and avoids the unnecessary conflicts that have impacted the lives of countless men and women that have served you for generations.

Restraint respects the sacrifices of my family’s legacy and that of many others. Like my grandfathers and father, I was called to serve to defend the American Dream, not to police the world. Now, after service, I am fighting for a better future with a foreign policy approach that ensures your military’s strength is preserved for the direst threats to our interests, not squandered on nation-building or blank check campaigns. I am fighting to ensure my son, if he chooses to serve like the generations before him, will face fewer vague missions with no clear objectives, drastically reducing the risk of him losing his life and ensuring his sacrifice is undoubtedly for the security and safety of his fellow Americans.

I’ve seen the toll war has on families, communities, and you, America. By focusing on diplomacy and economic strength, we can reduce the human cost of war and prioritize our needs at home. For my son, it offers a future where service is a proud choice to defend your ideals, not a path into endless conflict. For my grandfathers’ courage, my father’s duty, my own service, and my son’s future, this is a legacy worth protecting.

For you, America.