Georgia Green makes several good points in her letter (“War on terrorism: Military personnel trained to do job,” Oct. 14). It’s probably best if we keep our squeamishness to ourselves and encourage our military to do its job. People die in wars. Service personnel know that. We can’t flinch from defending ourselves just because of the threat of death.
Her son’s recent oath while being sworn into the military brings back memories for me. During the Vietnam War I enlisted and re-enlisted in the military. My first oath was before leaving for Fort Ord and my second was two years later before leaving for Lackland AFB. Both were sworn out at the Armed Forces Induction Center on Leary Way in Seattle. In a a big room full of people going into the Army, Air Force, Marines and Navy, we all swore both times to protect The Constitution from enemies both foreign and domestic. I’ve always remembered being surprised by that – swearing to defend the Constitution and not America.
I also have never forgotten what happened to me when I got off the Travis Shuttle Bus at San Francisco International Airport. A bunch of us from all branches of the military were real glad to be back in “The World.” We had come back from places like Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. As we dismounted from the vehicle a crowd of people on the other side of a cyclone fence threw things at us and shouted obscenities. I hope that never happens again to American soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines.
Our nation’s men and women in the military are trained and ready to do their jobs. Let’s show them our support, put aside our doubts and let them get to work.
Arlington
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