A veterans’ disease, PTSD
Freedom of speech has prompted powerful political, social, and technological movements. These movements can start in the written form, where individuals voice their opinions in an augmentative context. One argumentative approach can be seen in a in a written testimony that advocates for a better veterans’ health system. In this testimony, Reynaldo Leal Jr. testifies to inform the formal audience of congress on the issues veterans face on a daily basis. He starts by detailing his personal struggles as a marine with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). He then transitions by collectively speaking for his struggling comrades; who also face similar war related illnesses. Altogether, his style is extremely fluid, …show more content…
His own personal struggles to find support are detailed with various relatable complications. He explains how his return home with PTSD caused friction between him and his family. Without the proper mental support, he became disconnected and soon spiraled into depression. Revealing this creates a situation that the audience can sympathize with. Although the main audience might not be able to relate to PTSD, many can relate to Leal’s hardship of mentally preparing for a new child. Immediately, the audience can grasp the level of stress, PTSD victims have to go through on a daily basis. Essentially, Leal creates a snapshot of the challenges veterans face in addition to normal life occurrences. He also uses diction to engage the audience. In his testimony, Leal describes PTSD as an “invisible wound”. By using these words, Leal adds emotional understanding of PTSD, thus engaging the audience in the process. Lastly, Leal gives insight on his feelings of abandonment after his return home from the war. He explains to the audience that he felt as if his support system crumbled after his honorable deployment. This emotional response from Leal provides congress with valuable feedback straight from a marine. He even reinforces his statements of abandonment by asking his audience a question. Leal asks, “Are we doing everything we can to reach out to the veterans who have done so much for us? (Leal Jr., Reynaldo Leal, Jr., …show more content…
His personal complications with PTSD not only provide emotional appeals, but rational reasoning as well. As Leal explains, his illness left him dependent on the VA’s mental health system. To get this care, he has to travel 5 hours or go to a local clinic where a long waitlist was usually in place. Both options are extremely unfeasible due to his nagging mental state. Lean’s logical reasoning exemplifies the current struggle to find proper care. This helps the audience understand the inconstancy’s behind the VA’s track record. Besides explanations, Leal uses an array of reputable sources as facts in testimony. He uses highly respected sources such as the RAND study to show that PTSD is a widespread issue. This makes his augment highly convincing because he makes a swift from the first person to third person. He then gives a shocking fact that blends pathos and logos. He states that suicide rates have increased past the death toll in both combat theaters combined (Leal Jr., Reynaldo Leal, Jr., Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Representative, (OEF/OIF Veteran)). This hits the front lines of America, as our own men are dying from issues related to untreated PTSD. Including these facts influences congress to make a change, as lost lives can’t be denied. Leal also asks logical questions that pertain to his testimony. He asks the audience rhetorical questions after giving his reasonable explanations. One such
Freedom of speech has prompted powerful political, social, and technological movements. These movements can start in the written form, where individuals voice their opinions in an augmentative context. One argumentative approach can be seen in a in a written testimony that advocates for a better veterans’ health system. In this testimony, Reynaldo Leal Jr. testifies to inform the formal audience of congress on the issues veterans face on a daily basis. He starts by detailing his personal struggles as a marine with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). He then transitions by collectively speaking for his struggling comrades; who also face similar war related illnesses. Altogether, his style is extremely fluid, …show more content…
His own personal struggles to find support are detailed with various relatable complications. He explains how his return home with PTSD caused friction between him and his family. Without the proper mental support, he became disconnected and soon spiraled into depression. Revealing this creates a situation that the audience can sympathize with. Although the main audience might not be able to relate to PTSD, many can relate to Leal’s hardship of mentally preparing for a new child. Immediately, the audience can grasp the level of stress, PTSD victims have to go through on a daily basis. Essentially, Leal creates a snapshot of the challenges veterans face in addition to normal life occurrences. He also uses diction to engage the audience. In his testimony, Leal describes PTSD as an “invisible wound”. By using these words, Leal adds emotional understanding of PTSD, thus engaging the audience in the process. Lastly, Leal gives insight on his feelings of abandonment after his return home from the war. He explains to the audience that he felt as if his support system crumbled after his honorable deployment. This emotional response from Leal provides congress with valuable feedback straight from a marine. He even reinforces his statements of abandonment by asking his audience a question. Leal asks, “Are we doing everything we can to reach out to the veterans who have done so much for us? (Leal Jr., Reynaldo Leal, Jr., …show more content…
His personal complications with PTSD not only provide emotional appeals, but rational reasoning as well. As Leal explains, his illness left him dependent on the VA’s mental health system. To get this care, he has to travel 5 hours or go to a local clinic where a long waitlist was usually in place. Both options are extremely unfeasible due to his nagging mental state. Lean’s logical reasoning exemplifies the current struggle to find proper care. This helps the audience understand the inconstancy’s behind the VA’s track record. Besides explanations, Leal uses an array of reputable sources as facts in testimony. He uses highly respected sources such as the RAND study to show that PTSD is a widespread issue. This makes his augment highly convincing because he makes a swift from the first person to third person. He then gives a shocking fact that blends pathos and logos. He states that suicide rates have increased past the death toll in both combat theaters combined (Leal Jr., Reynaldo Leal, Jr., Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Representative, (OEF/OIF Veteran)). This hits the front lines of America, as our own men are dying from issues related to untreated PTSD. Including these facts influences congress to make a change, as lost lives can’t be denied. Leal also asks logical questions that pertain to his testimony. He asks the audience rhetorical questions after giving his reasonable explanations. One such