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Lack OF SUPPORT TROUBLING

The story “Ambush kills Marine trainers, raises questions” [Sept. 21] upset me greatly. To deny our fighting men and women proper support when needed is inexcusable.

In this case, we lost four good men — three Marines and a corpsman — because those making decisions on support requests allegedly worried about civilian casualties. I agree that we should try to keep civilian casualties to a minimum, but when our [troops] are in need of support, they should not hesitate to use force.

Why aren’t we making every attempt to win this war?

I am a Vietnam veteran who has seen this before. The politicians don’t have the backbone to stand up and do what is right to protect our troops. [The troops] must come first.

The military stated that the embedded reporter who was with the Marines had his facts all wrong. That sounds like a cover-up to me.

— Navy STGCS (SW) James Willson (ret.), Jacksonville, Fla.

Hazing accountability

I read the article on the harassment at the dog handling unit in Bahrain [“Report outlines abuse within Navy security unit,” Oct. 12]. I am a retired command master chief, and I cannot believe that in this day and age something like this has happened. Everyone needs to be held accountable all the way to the top.

For so many incidents to happen over such a long period, I know people knew this was happening and did nothing. The investigation took place two years ago. The Navy has done too little, too late, in this case.

For the first time since I retired, I am ashamed. Big black eye for the Navy.

— Navy CMDCM (SW) David Pudim (ret.), Chillicothe, Ohio

WHEN DISSENT MATTERS

I read with interest Army Maj. Santel H. Powell’s letter [“Respect the president,” Oct. 5]. Powell writes of having heard disrespectful conversations about the president, saying that some may violate Article 88 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice and warrant courts-martial.

However, news reports show that Defense Secretary Robert Gates, speaking to graduating West Point cadets in 2008, said that officers have a duty to provide “blunt and candid advice” to their superiors, including civilian leaders.

He went on to say, “If as an officer you don’t tell blunt truths — or create an environment where candor is encouraged — then you’ve done yourself and the institution a disservice.” He also said, “There has been far too much careerism, far too little dissent when dissent really matters, which is when you are in government and serving, and a tendency to take revenge after leaving,” he said.

So can speaking critical of the president be considered “contempt toward officials” and warrant court-martial? You make the call.

— Army Maj. Steven D. Stock, Honolulu

PT CLAIM ‘A JOKE’

I was more humored then angry when I read “Trash talk, Marines squash Air Force video claiming PT supremacy” [Oct. 26]. I thought it was funny when the Air Force’s damage control spokeswoman said the claim that airmen are more fit than Marines was a “personal opinion of the basic military training instructor and was in no way intended to disparage Marines.”

That is a joke. The video was produced by the Air Force. At a minimum, it was edited by a team who pieced together the footage and created the final product. After that, it would have been reviewed by a series of officials and approved at a few levels before being uploaded to an official Web site. This was more of a retraction then a slip of the tongue. I know they try to “aim high,” but they should think twice before trying to step on the physical-training field with Marines.

— Staff Sgt. Daniel A. Cortes, Los Angeles

FAILURES IN LEADERSHIP

Let’s see:

• Allowing politicians to take us into war without a constitutionally required declaration — our founding political document that we, as officers, swore as our first duty to preserve, protect and defend.

• Deploying forces without proper personal and vehicular protection — or at least minimal planning to cover those contingencies.

• Eight years into the “struggle” — a term coined by former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Air Force Gen. Richard Myers — and we still do not have the best weapons with which to kill the enemy.

We can no longer move, shoot or communicate well, or efficiently close with and kill the enemy. We have become engaged by the military-industrial-political complex.

What we have here, folks, is a complete failure of senior leadership.

— Army Col. Joseph C. Kopacz (ret.), Louisville, Ky.