Letters to the editor for Friday, July 3, 2009

European and Mideast editions

(EDITOR’S NOTE: These are the letters that appeared in each edition of Stripes on this publication date. Click here to jump ahead to the Pacific edition letters)

Lack of loyalty inexcusable

In response to “‘Fix’ Reserve, Guard troops” (letter, June 26), in which the writer disrespected and made generalizations about the National Guard and Reserves: He’s right, there is no excuse for deviation from policy.

However, there also is no excuse for the lack of professionalism and loyalty shown by this presumably active-duty writer. The right thing for him to do would be to pen a letter of apology to all guardsmen and reservists, and even the families of the fine Pennsylvania National Guard soldiers we have lost in combat here in Iraq since January.

I’m sure I could inspect any unit and find infractions. But to say we are not really soldiers because we only train “once a month”? He is sadly misinformed. Most of these Guardsmen are on their second tour, a lot are former active-duty as well. All are civilians with jobs, schools and families too.

I served five years active-duty Marine Corps, and this is my fifth combat tour.

As far as the comment about the forward operating base being “overrun by Army Reserve and National Guard units,” if you do the math, I think that active-duty soldiers are the visitors — considering Camp Taji, like many bases in Iraq, was built and maintained by Guard and Reserve personnel.

Spc. Jack Knouse
Joint Security Station Tarmiyah, Iraq

Any fixing is up to the NCOs

In response to “‘Fix’ Reserve, Guard troops” and other complaints about soldiers out of uniform or out of regulation: People, stop complaining to Stars and Stripes about what you see. The officers, noncommissioned officers and senior NCOs who see the problems have the inherent authority and responsibility to correct the problems. Am I saying rip the violator up one side and down the other? No. I’m saying address the problem, cite your source, make the on-the-spot correction and move on.

I have made corrections on soldiers, sailors and airmen alike when I see something out of place, whether they are active-duty, National Guard or Reserve.

Do what your rank and position demands you to do: Enforce the standard. If anyone should be making the corrections, it’s the NCOs. We know the standards, and it’s up to us to enforce the standards. So, enforce the standards.

Seeing a problem and doing nothing about it only perpetuates the problem. Complaining to an entity that has nothing to do with how the U.S. military acts, works or looks won’t “fix” the problem, either. It also won’t help the image of the complainant.

Sgt. Joseph (Jay) Ward
Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan

Italy deserves better coverage

I’ve lived in Italy since 1998, except for a two-year return to the U.S. I’ve read many of the articles in Stars and Stripes and have come to the conclusion that the paper as distributed in Europe ought to be renamed “The Stars and Stripes of Germany,” because you rarely write anything positive about Italy and write only articles about Naples that are undeniably denigrating to Naples.

Naples beats about anywhere in Germany (and Germany is a beautiful country) with a stick — for people, food, weather, historical places and a conspicuous lack of the inane rules that characterize life in Germany.

Colin Payne
Vicenza, Italy

‘Heroes’ section ‘wonderful’

Thank you for your wonderful magazine (“Heroes,” June 14 in Stripes) in The Washington Post’s June 18 edition. I am not from a military family, but I have tremendous respect and appreciation for all who have served, or are serving, in the military.

My late brother-in-law was a prisoner of war of the Japanese for three years; he was the kindest, most generous and considerate man I have ever met, worthy of so much pride and respect.

Thank you again for being such a wonderful publication and for honoring the men and women who will always be part of the U.S. military.

Paula Hougen
Williamsburg, Va.

Pacific edition

Reporter disrespected troops

There are two sides to every story, and it appears that you have intentionally forgotten to report the true side of the U.S. Army’s 1st Cavalry Division (“Army denies Stripes reporter access to combat team in Mosul,” article, June 25). Every embedded correspondent who is assigned to a military unit should have as his first and foremost responsibility the safety and integrity of the men and women with whom he is serving. Reporting a story should not ever take precedence over that.

My daughter served with the 1st Cavalry in Iraq in 2006-2007. During that year they lost 23 soldiers. Their mission was hard, they endured 140-degree heat, constant improvised explosive device attacks and hardships that most Americans cannot even imagine. Keeping up morale was always a tender situation. It did little good to hear news that they were not wanted in a country they didn’t want to be in to begin with — it was bad enough to be kicked at by locals, but to hear it from their own countrymen in the news was intolerable.

Stripes reporter Heath Druzin made a fatal mistake. Although he was trying to be truthful with the whole news, he disrespected the soldiers he was with — in essence, he made a mockery of the jobs for which they were risking their lives.

Reporting “the truth” should be weighed against the collateral damage to your own troops that will result from thoughtless reporting. The saying “some things are left better unsaid” should be remembered.

Embed is an action that carries great responsibility, something that reporters sometimes take for granted. It appears that in the eyes of 1st Cav commanders, Druzin did not take his responsibilities to the soldiers and the unit seriously, thus resulting in the end of any invitations to embed with them. If it saves one soldier’s life, it was, is and always will be a very wise decision. It does not matter the reporter’s political beliefs; what is important is that every soldier in a deployed area is risking his or her life every second of the day and should be supported by that embedded reporter with them like he or she was their father or mother, remembering it is the soldiers who protect the reporter while on duty.

I do not feel that the commanders of 1st Cavalry, U.S. Army, broke any rules, impeded any reporting of “the truth” or anything else you may come up with. They did what they were supposed to do — protect their soldiers.

Lynn Gloyekse
Fayetteville, N.C.

Soldiers’ safety is paramount

I do not know if Heath Druzin behaved in an unprofessional manner while embedded or if the Army is attempting to be too controlling. What I do know is that he has failed to maintain a good working relationship and a sense of trust with the 1st Cavalry Division’s 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team. Whether Druzin is in the right or the wrong, he has become a disruptive force in the unit and a distraction from the job our troops are there to complete.

The Army has made it clear they will happily accept and protect an embedded reporter in that unit, just not Druzin. They have also made it clear Druzin is welcome to embed in a different unit. Freedom of the press is not in danger. However, our troops are, as Mosul is a very dangerous place.

Please do not put our troops at any increased danger by insisting that this particular reporter be embedded in this particular unit. Please allow our troops to focus on the threat from the enemy without the distraction of Druzin in their midst.

Sage J. Tremberth
Anchorage, Alaska