Traumatic Brain Injury - Speaking Up for Your Service Member or Veteran

Identify yourself - State your name and identify yourself as a caregiver and/or constituent.
Be specific - Clearly describe the issue and state your goals. If you are advocating on behalf of proposed legislation, include the name and number of the relevant bill.
Make it personal - The best thing you can do as an advocate is to give the issue your individual voice. Use personal examples and speak in your own words.
Be confident - You may also know more about the issue than the person to whom you are advocating. That is why it is a good idea to offer yourself as a source of information.
Be polite - Always work on the basis that your opponents are open to reason and discussion. If you are rude or argumentative, your message will not be well-received.
Be brief - Communication that focuses strongly on one argument is the most effective. Keep it to one issue. Limit written documents to one page.
Be timely - Your message is more likely to be considered if it is immediately relevant.
Be factual - Use facts and statistics. Make sure the information you provide is accurate.