yourviews
M
may have been at the box offi ce, I
O
I
F
LIT
IC
AR
R
Y
“The preser-
would venture to say not many of-
vation of our
fi cers serving at the time, myself in-
M A RC H 2 0 0 8 $ 4 . 5 0 T H E O F F I C I A L M AG A Z I N E O F M OA A | O N E P OW E R F U L VO I C E® W W W. M OA A .O RG
republic and
cluded, wanted to see in their fi tness
reports any “Rambo-like” assess-
the liberty of ments of their perfomance.
our people
—Col. Dale R. Wildey, USAF-Ret
Front Line
… are well
Stewart, Minn.
Photos
worth our
fidelity and
Letters to Legislators
I cannot tell you how much I ap-
A photographer’s images from
our service.”
preciate your pre-addressed tear-out
the war in Iraq show American
troops doing their best 88
— Col. R.L. Sutter,
postcards. You make it so easy for us
AUS-Ret.
to correspond with our representa-
IMAGE OF AN OFFICER
How has Americans’ view of
tives. I prefer re-typing and sending
military officers changed? 84
in envelopes, but I sure use most of
$2,000 OFFICER TAX?
Health fee plan would be tied
your material. Thanks. That alone is
to retired pay 31
More recently, the worth the subscription.
PLUS: Explore your
options for the future
enemies of the Constitu- —Cmdr. Gene Krier, USN-Ret.
with MOAA’s spring
retirement guide 51
tion have come from an- via e-mail
other quarter. These new
“anti-federalists” harbor During my years of membership
March_cover.indd 1 2/11/08 9:01:22 PM
Image of an Officer romantic sympathies for communist in TROA (and now in MOAA), we
Col. C. Robert Kemble’s analysis of or socialist revolutionary dreams members have been frequently asked
the public perception of the profes- and see the Constitution and its to mail preprinted response letters
sional military leader [“Image of an uniformed defenders as the greatest to U.S. senators and representatives
Offi cer,” March 2008] presents a obstacles to their realization. regarding vital issues which affect
subject which is vital for today’s and In both cases, it is our honorable retirees and the military.
tomorrow’s offi cers and noncommis- commitment as military leaders to the In discussions with other mili-
sioned offi cers to understand. preservation of the Constitution that tary retirees, the following subject
A substantial sector of the Ameri- makes us a target for hostile propa- often arises: Do those preprinted/
can public has, from times even ganda and a variety of undeserved cal- “canned” letters have any real effect?
before we were an independent umnies. When these things descend Does someone (perhaps a staffer)
nation, associated the professional upon us, we should bear them stoicly read them? Or is just a tally made of
military or any individual with am- and be reminded that the preserva- the number of letters received on a
bitions for military command as a tion of our republic and the liberty of particular issue and that number re-
harbinger of aristocracy, monarchy, our people, even when some of them ported to a legislator?
and despotism. This was one of the are howling for its demise, are well —Capt. James H. Charles, USN-Ret.
primary planks in the platform of the worth our fi delity and our service. Jacksonville, Fla.
Anti-Federalists, who opposed the —Col. R.L. Sutter, AUS-Ret., Ph.D.
establishment of the U.S. Constitu- Santa Rosa, Calif. Editor’s note: The cards, letters,
tion and, in the Civil War, attempted and e-mails make a big difference.
to overthrow it. As sworn defenders Be it negative or positive, I would No, legislators won’t read each and
of the Constitution, the military pro- think that Colonel Kemble could every one — but their staffs tote
fessional in America is a symbol to a have offered a more apt image of them up, and numbers defi nitely
small number of our fellow citizens the 1980s military offi cer than John count. At a recent hearing, Armed
of the “oppressive” character of our Rambo, who I believe was enlisted. Services Committee leaders stacked
national government. As popular as this fi ctional character thousands of MOAA letters on a
1 4 M I L I T A R Y O F F I C E R M AY 2 0 0 8
mmay_yourviews.indd
14ay_yourviews.indd 14 44/7/08 5:48:39 PM/7/08 5:48:39 PM
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