Shame, shame, shame. To even remotely imply with your April 11 front-page headline “Good will, but good enough?” that our military forces went to mainland Japan as a way to garner a trade-off on keeping bases on Okinawa is insulting.

All the servicemembers I know (across the board as Marines, Navy, Air Force and Army, officer and enlisted) went [to assist disaster-relief efforts] because it was the right thing to do. To help others, to utilize our knowledge and resources, and to provide comfort and aid during a time of tragedy, are noble reasons that our military members deserve to be proud of doing. Do not denigrate their work and effort by changing it into some political ploy.

Those of us living here on Okinawa realize how far away it is [from the areas affected by the earthquakes and tsunami], but it did not lessen our desire to provide as much aid, food and supplies as we possibly could — not because it would ease tensions, but truly because it is the least we can do.

Charlotte Semple

Camp Lester, Okinawa

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