The bills are already piling up so it is important for our leaders and our citizens to realize the high financial cost of fighting two wars doesn’t go away when our soldiers come home.

Recent reports by The Associated Press reveal that the government’s health care costs to care for America’s soldiers will double over the next 25 years, going from today’s $29 billion a year to an estimated $59 billion each year.

Legislators, political candidates — and most importantly the voters — should make this need amongst our highest priorities as we continue to send soldiers overseas and fight two wars that have no clear end in sight.

Regardless of which side of the political aisle someone sits, each of us must remember that our nation has asked tens of thousands of men and women to make a commitment to the military to defend our great nation.

Now, our government must honor the commitment it has made to bringing our soldiers and home and providing the care and services needed.

The United States continues to spend billions to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan and, regardless of individual feelings on the politics of this, we must all hold our leaders accountable to the fact that we must spend similar funds to recover from those same wars.

The recent issues with health care at places like Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington D.C. show that the health care system for our veterans is far from perfect and needs a comprehensive evaluation.

And the cost fixing any problems will only get more expensive.

Every leader in Washington should prove to the taxpayers that they see this problem for what it is and will do their part to honor the responsibility we have as a country for providing quality and lasting health care for our veterans.

America’s sons and daughters pay a high price for our freedoms.

Our country must be ready to foot the bill when those soldiers come home.