RE: Bonnie Wright's letter

In response to your letter, I am not going to say that you are unpatriotic or against the freedoms that you are afforded here in the United States. What I will say is that unless you are a mother, sister, aunt, cousin or wife, you have no idea what that sound means to any of us who are related to military men and women. I happen to live where I hear those Marines and I am a mother of military men who go to fight for the freedoms that you have here.

If you think the noise is a nuisance here, maybe you should go to Iraq or Afghanistan and live the way our military men and women have to live 24/7. These wars are being fought on land, not in the ocean. And those on ships are doing their job by maintaining the jets and other equipment the land crews will need during their deployment. They must be able to adapt to the environment to which they are sent.

It saddens me that people like yourself can write such letters with no real regard to those who have given their lives and/or body parts and go through such hard times when they return home. Did you see the hospitals on the news where these military personnel have been sent to for treatment of all kinds of injuries? And you worry about noise from time to time? Where is their peace of mind?

Walk in their shoes for one day. If you think such letters are necessary, then write to their boss – the President of the United States.

My last comment to you: live safe and enjoy your freedom.

E.K. Merritt