HONOR: You have to earn it

I read Cecil Kelley's first letter, and the response from the Senior Chief. It seems Cecil's second letter changes the topic.

In his first letter, he advocates civil rights and trials for terrorists. He calls those that disagree chickenhawks, and cites his belief that the military justice system is corrupt. One of his examples is an enlisted man who solicited an officer's wife for sexual favors, and was given extra duty and a transfer to the Wasp. He believes the Chief's and Officers treated the man unfairly, and lack the honor necessary to be leaders.

Unfortunately Cecil forgot or overlooked the fact that Combat Veterans disagree with him, and the term Chickenhawk is offensive to them, making his wording hateful. Although he did serve, and extols that service, his boots on the deck of an air conditioned radio room are far from heroic compared to those who captured the terrorists.

I failed to see where the Senior Chief called you unpatriotic, but he implied that your denigration of officers and chiefs while grandiloquent reference is made for your service would imply of self-serving attitude. I really fail to see any relevance to those subjects in Joan Harmon's letter. Other than wanting to demonize a retired senior enlisted man, she just wrote a poison pen crackpot letter. It would seem that Cecil and Joan have similar views of military service as mistreated junior enlisted people.

JASON GOOLEY

Fernwood