Get veterans issues straight

The writer is responding to Monday’s AskUs question about the veterans service office and a Sunday story from the Associated Press, “Report: 60,000 vets get triple benefits.”

We have two full-time veterans service officers. I keep hearing that this office will relocate to a larger facility in the mall. We are still operating out of an old broom closet. These personnel represent over 14,000 citizens who bring $450 million into Rowan yearly.

With the exception of John Barber, commissioners think $100,000 per year is sufficient for our Veteran’s Service Office. If the people of Rowan consider this fair, I guess the animal shelter, severance packages and other matters are of more importance than our veterans.

About triple-dipping by military veterans: This article was written by a person who never served in the military and has no idea what he was writing about.

Social Security is paid for by all military personal, unlike Civil Service employees. A person with a Civil Service job can work a whole career without paying into Social Security. They leave and work a civilian job for a few months; upon leaving they can collect Social Security for life. If you want to fix Social Security, start with Civil Service and large unions. Stay off the backs of your military.       

The military is an adult occupation. Many functions performed in our daily routine would be considered hazardous in the civilian world. OSHA is not allowed on our job sites.  Our troops bleed and die while not being shot at or in a declared combat zone. An example is the  Pentagon tragedy on 911. Or the killing of soldiers at Fort Hood. Planes having flameouts while landing on carriers. Rocket fuel cells exploding while in launching cells. I could fill a book.

Remember what one founding father said. “What type of government do we have?  We have a republic!  As long as you have decent and informed citizens.” Sadly I’m not so sure we have this in today’s world.

— Andrew Garner

Rockwell

Be respectful

The following two letters are responding to a letter, “This voter is fed up,” from Jan McCanless in Sunday’s paper.

Many thanks, Jan McCanless, for your letter. I too have a dream. The dream is about our political candidates running for office, from the president to the county commissioners. What a wonderful world it would be if, in place of the disgraceful campaign advertisements, we could better accept honoring God and at least be respectful to one another. Instead, Satan surely must be happy to accommodate your slanderous, million-dollar campaigns. You feed him well.

Respect for our country and people of the government, for the government and by our government, so help us, God.

It would be wonderful to hear that you have a plan to resolve and to earn our taxpayer dollars.

You seem to forget you work for us, not to feed your pocketbooks and ego.

Jan McCanless, this voter is fed up, too.

— Carol Cauble

Salisbury

Ditto on that

Well said, Jan McCanless! Your letter in the Salisbury Post was right to the point. I share the same thoughts and views as you. We can only hope that others feel the same and that it will show come Election Day.

— Marty Barnes

Salisbury