Letters to the Editor

Letter: Troops deserve respect

We denounce President Donald Trump’s offensive statements about U.S. servicemen and women. As Alaska veterans of our nation’s armed services, we are proud to live in the state with the highest per person population of vets in the country, a state that treats its vets with honor and respect.

That’s why we are so disgusted but not surprised by the latest comments from President Trump about America’s vets. According to The Atlantic, Trump called U.S. soldiers injured or killed in war “losers,” objected to wounded vets participating in military parades and cancelled a 2018 visit to a French cemetery because he didn’t care about honoring those Americans killed in World War I and II. As he always says to news reports he disagrees with, Trump called the report “fake news.” But he’s said equally disparaging things about U.S. servicemen and women and vets his whole life.

That’s why America cannot tolerate four more years of Donald Trump. That’s why we’re voting for Joe Biden. Joe and Jill Biden’s son, Beau, served honorably in Iraq. Joe has honored and served America’s men and women in uniform his entire career. He is committed to properly preparing and equipping our troops when they are sent into harm’s way and respecting their service when they return home.

Nelson Angapak, U.S. Army veteran (1969-71), Tuntutuliak

Jim Ayers, U.S. Marine Corps veteran

Charles O. Degnan, U.S. Army M.P.C., (1966-68), Unalakleet

C.W. Floyd, U.S. Army (Retired), Vietnam veteran

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Frank Gwartney, U.S. Navy Seabees, Vietnam veteran

Joelle Hall, US Army (1983-87), U.S. Army Reserves & Guard (1987-90) and military spouse

Ray Johnson, U.S. Army, disabled veteran

Danyelle D. Kimp, Captain, U.S. Army (Retired)

Elaine Lawrence, U.S. Air Force veteran

Ronald Leighton, U.S. Army, Vietnam veteran

Jodi Peterson, U.S. Army spouse

Oliver Schiess, Gunnery Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps

Gill Serrano, U.S. Army, Vietnam veteran

John Sroufe, U.S. Air Force, Vietnam veteran

Mike Szymanski, U.S. Navy, Vietnam veteran

Major Felisa Wilson, U.S. Air Force (Retired)

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Joelle Hall

Joelle Hall is the executive director of the Alaska AFL-CIO.

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