"Stars and Stripes" letters

Erroneous info is true problem

This is in response to the March 5 letter “Attribution didn’t make paper.” Yes, plagiarism is a serious offense and should be addressed. But the writer did not address the even larger problem: He presented erroneous information as fact. He didn’t take the time or trouble to check out any of the allegations (read: lies) asserted in his copied data. Basically, the writer presented and shared malicious lies.

This is a typical knee-jerk, radical reaction to facts that don’t fit into the writer’s political world view. Unfortunately, it happens too often, from President Bush on down. Remember the imminent threat of weapons of mass destruction? It was repeated over and over and over. That allegation is still not true today. Unfortunately, as a result of some lies, our soldiers die. Just because some lie is repeated time and again, it is still not the truth.

The writer’s letter should have included an apology for presenting lies as facts.

Bonnie Spoales
Wiesbaden, Germany


Tour lengths and insurance

While living with our troops in tents in Afghanistan in October and November of 2003, I really appreciated more what they’re going through — the isolation and living conditions they’re in and the reality that the war still goes on and people are still getting killed.

About a week before I left Afghanistan, I celebrated my 47th birthday and the soldiers I lived with learned that their tours were extended from nine months to one year. It was not a happy time, especially for those with families. The day I left Afghanistan, another plane was flying out the body of a soldier who was killed in action. All the soldiers from the base camp lined the roads to say farewell and honor their fellow soldier. It was a somber ceremony.

I’m preparing to leave for Kuwait and Iraq next week to again experience several months of living in tents with our soldiers and facing the chills of driving around these areas while terrorism is still thriving. While I prepare for this, there are two concerns I wish to express: the tour lengths for soldiers and the lack of Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance for civilians downrange.

Several Stars and Stripes articles have noted that the services have different tour lengths. It would be a great morale booster for the Army to change its downrange tour policy to reflect that of the other services. It should be four to six months, allowing options for volunteers to stay downrange longer. Only those in key positions should be required to stay from six to 12 months.

I also suggest that the Department of Defense offer SGLI to civilians downrange. The recent killings of two civilians and rocket attacks in Iraq show that civilians downrange are also in harm’s way. Many life insurance policies don’t cover war situations. This action would support our motto of being an “Army of One.”

I believe doing these two things would boost the morale of our troops, our civilians, and their families. Establishing these policies would also send a clear message that our leaders are listening and that they care about the morale and welfare of their troops, the civilians supporting the troops, and the families concerned about their loved ones downrange.

Gary Dissette
Wiesbaden, Germany

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=125&article=21050