I'm gravely disappointed in the failure to find an alternative to the March 2013 sequester. Furthermore, I'm deeply concerned with its impact on the total force and the security of the United States of America.
Military unit readiness will steadily decline as key wartime training is cancelled and air, space and cyber systems maintenance is deferred. Thousands of Department of Defense employees including guard and reserve technicians will be furloughed and active duty Airmen could lose their jobs.
Military quality-of-life programs will be affected as commissaries close on Wednesdays; tuition assistance programs are curtailed; children's education via the defense schools system is impaired; and eventually there is a reduction in services under TRICARE.
In the end, our "all-volunteer force" will be required to carry twice the burden of these cuts as compared to other federal programs. In my opinion, our government is asking those currently serving and veterans of the past to accept a renegotiation of their service contract, as you attempt to balance the country's budget on the backs of those who served.
Time remains for Congress to find a solution to end the terrible effects of a sequestration and ensure the nation's ability to defend itself. I urge our legislators to do everything in their power to make this happen!
Chad Stephens Sr.
Milford
-
A letter to the editor expresses a reader's opinion and, as such, is not reflective of the editorial opinions of this newspaper.
To submit a letter to the editor for publishing, send an email to viewpoints@capegazette.com. All letters are considered at the discretion of the newsroom and published as space allows. Due to the large volume of submissions, we cannot acknowledge receipt of each submission. Letters must include a phone number and address for verification. Keep letters to 400 words or fewer. We reserve the right to edit for content or length. Letters should be responsive to issues addressed in the Cape Gazette rather than content from other publications or media. Letters should focus on local issues, not national topics or personalities. Only one letter per author will be published every 30 days regarding a particular topic. Authors may submit a second letter within that time period if it pertains to a different issue. Letters may not be critical of personalities or specific businesses. Criticism of public figures is permissible. Endorsement letters for political candidates are no longer accepted. Letters must be the author’s original work, and may not be generated by artificial intelligence tools. Templates, form letters and letters containing language similar to other submissions will not be published.
