Editor:
Well, it has finally happened - political correctness is directly responsible for the deaths of our heroes at Ft Hood. In the military that I served in during the 60s, 70s, and 80s this U.S. Army major would have been relieved of duty and brought up on charges for his anti-American statements. It appears that he was even counseling our returning and wounded veterans that what they did in Iraq and Afghanistan was wrong.
It appears that the US Army was very negligent and toeing the line on political correctness because they evidently didn't want to offend his Muslim sensitivities. They simply transferred him and allowed him to continue his diatribe against the very nation that he served.
It should be crystal clear the Islam religion is not the religion of peace as we are constantly advised from the President on down. I am a practicing Christian and nowhere in any of the different bible versions that I have read does it direct me to kill non-Christians.
I believe that if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, etc, etc, this guy is clearly a Muslim terrorist and we all need to be told the truth and to hell with sensitivities.
DENNIS SOLARI
Warner Robins
Marshall missed the boat
Editor:
U.S. Rep. Jim Marshall's unrealistic plans for health care reform will only make things worse. His basis is catastrophic coverage at $50,000 and above for everyone. Plus individual health saving accounts (HSA) to cover routine health care needs. The HSA concept is so bad that AARP and NARFE are both against it. They are OK if you are young and healthy but no good for the rest of us.
My 41-year-old niece is a single parent with two young children and a schoolteacher, and she signed up for an HSA because it sounded great. Then she had to have two unexpected major surgeries that proved to be very costly. She quickly changed back to Blue Cross-Blue Shield when she could.
HSA's tend to attract affluent, healthy, young folks who are attracted by the promised financial benefits, which are considerable, but only if you stay healthy.
Jim Marshall wants to phase in his plan slowly, excluding millions who won't be able to afford HSA's. His Yuppie plans will be no good for the average citizen. Health insurance companies will have to be forced to accept everyone into their HSA's. This will not happen.
Impracticality is Jim Marshall’s biggest character fault whether it is Iraq, Iran, or Afghanistan. His failure to create salary schedules for Macon's city police and firemen are still being dealt with by their new mayor.
Jim Marshall is wrong on health care as well as his votes on every military appropriations bill as he voted against S-CHIP because it would be funded by tobacco taxes. Today it is funded by tobacco taxes.
FRANK W. GADBOIS
Warner Robins
An idea whose time has passed
Editor:
I also believe G-Ramp is a mistake but not for the reasons that Mr. Gadbois cited in his recent Letter to the Editor. Robins AFB seems to be undergoing a basic mission change. The base does not have Depot Maintenance for two of the three UAV's. It does have management oversight of all three. Robins does not have complete Depot Maintenance for the C-17. It does not have depot maintenance for the F-22. The avionics upgrades on the C-130 are not being funded. This was to be done at Robins. J-Stars if not re-engined will be taken out of service J-Stars also requires a new airframe that has not been funded. If J-Stars goes the last flying mission at Robins will also leave. The Marine Unit from Dobbins AFB has not moved yet, wonder when they will. The number of F-15's in the fleet will be reduced because of the F-22 and the F-35, Who will perform Depot Maintenance on the F-35 will be decided later. The new tanker is way down the line. It would appear that Robins AFB while it will not close will re-engineer itself. There will be less blue collar jobs and more white collar. The number of white collar will not make up for the loss in blue collar. Look around the base and see the new buildings going in they do not appear to be maintenance facilities? These are the reasons G-Ramp makes no sense as well as the up-front dollars the city, county or state will have to put out there, there are other considerations. Security being one, I am sure that the Air Force is not going to accept responsibility for the security of the G-Ramp area which will hook onto Robins. I would imagine that the Air Force and especially Robins AFB will want the G-Ramp facility secured in a manner commensurate with the security at Robins AFB. Will a civilian entity be willing to do that? Were talking dollars here and Boeing, Northrop, Lockheed don’t operate at a loss like the government. You don't have to look far to see what happens when a large contractor pulls out. Just drive down I-75S toward Perry and look at the huge facility on your right that has been sitting empty for at least ten years. The leadership of Warner Robins and far that matter the leadership of Houston County needs to look around and see the number of empty and in some cases derelict buildings. The number of new strip malls and office spaces that are sitting empty and never been used. The city and county need to quit looking at Robins AFB as a cash cow and their savior. G-Ramp is a mistake, DOD told you as much when they said "You pay for it."
ROBERT H. BRAUER, MSgt USAF (Ret)
Warner Robins
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