What ‘contract’ on VA?

Mr. Huntling’s letter in the Sept. 12 Mailbag came across to me as extremely misleading. He claimed that when “we” entered the service “we” signed a contract that guaranteed VA medical care (apparently for life from the tone of his letter). Well; since I served almost 28 years on active duty I guess I’m included in his “we” group.

During my career I enlisted, re-enlisted or extended at least 10 times. At each and every one of those occasions I signed a contract.

Strange, though, not one of those contracts ever mentioned VA or for that matter any other form of medical care.

Mr. Huntling also comments that the VA suspended enrollment of new members into the priority 8 group. Yes they did, in 2003, so that’s not exactly breaking news. He conveniently fails to mention that this group 8 includes veterans with family incomes (here in Linn County) of between $27,050 and $51,000 depending on family size. Not exactly a destitute group.

Also, these are veterans with absolutely no, repeat no, service-related disabilities.

I seem to remember that the continuation of health care for veterans with service-related disabilities was the reason that the VA medical centers even exist.

Mr. Huntling, I thank you for your service. But, please don’t look at your military service as winning the VA health-care-for-life lottery.

For our military service “we” got exactly what “we” deserve. The benefits of living in a free country. That’s all we deserve for our sacrifices. Nothing less, and nothing more.

Ted Salmons, Lebanon

Gays? The way I see it

I agree completely with Ted Gay’s letter on Aug. 27. Just because some of us don’t accept their lifestyle they say we are full of wrath and no mercy.

If you are a consenting adult and you choose that lifestyle, then so be it, but don’t expect everyone else to accept it. The gay people want acceptance so they can have the same benefits as married people, man and woman. That should never happen. They have the same benefits as the rest of us already, the same as any single person. That’s what they are, an unmarried person.

I certainly don’t care to have my personal life broadcast in the news and I don’t care to hear about theirs. The gay people always talk about sex, shouldn’t that be a private conversation?

The saddest part of all is that they are allowed to raise children — not a good environment.

I don’t like to be mean or nasty, but this is just the way I see it. Marriage will always be between a man and a woman as far as I’m concerned. I would say that should be born as a man or woman, not by sex-change operation.

Rita Wagar, Lebanon

Cry for money — pathetic!

I read in the Sunday, Aug. 31, paper a lament from a local candidate about sharing the wealth from his party of choice when it comes to political financing. Could it be that the party in question is channeling all of its efforts toward getting their national team elected and has little to spare?

There are few things more pathetic than the cry of a politician for their share of the contributed wealth to further his cause.

To paraphrase a remark from the California governator, “Don’t act like such a girly man!”

Jim Engel, Albany

Kids learned at ceremony

I would like to thank AnneMarie Knepper for her article on the Sept. 11 remembrance ceremony.

I was greatly honored to be asked to be a participant in the ceremony and enjoyed the feeling of patriotism that was generated during this small gathering. I did want to clarify one comment that was made by Mrs. Elliot. There were in fact at least two school children in attendance for the ceremony. My sons Brady, 12, and Alex, 10, attended (by their choice) because although I feel that attending school is very important, there are certainly many different educational and meaningful ways to learn and to teach, both history and what the price of their freedom truly is.

If we do not learn from our mistakes and past, we are bound to repeat them and possibly fall victim to them again. God Bless all the true patriots who are fighting now for our country and who have fought in the past.

Samantha Dragt, Eugene

Adopted a gem at SafeHaven

Last week we adopted one of the rescued dogs that you may have read about in this paper recently. He is a gem! He relates beautifully to people and is gentle and eager to please.

We went to SafeHaven planning to find a more perfect dog, but couldn’t get this guy out of our heads when we got home. We went back to adopt him, and it turns out he is the perfect dog for us.

He has a lot to learn about the world; everything is new to him — coming in the house, riding in the car, walks, even treats and toys are completely foreign to him.

But we’ve been amazed at how fast he’s been catching on — and delighted that, however it happened, he’s housebroken and fastidious.

All the dogs from this group were amazingly responsive to people. Don’t pass them by without at least a visit, we are so happy we brought him home.

Terry Weiss, Corvallis

On the path to fiscal ruin

As the days go by, our country digs further and further into debt. Our national debt is now approaching $10 trillion.

Eight years ago the national debt was approximately half this amount. I thought conservatives were supposed to be fiscally conservative, not borrow and borrow and spend and spend. If individual Americans had this relative amount of debt, we’d be prosecuted and thrown in jail. Our nation has a federal budget deficit projected this year at $492,000,000,000 (deficit is the yearly amount by which spending exceeds revenue), and a staggering foreign trade deficit.

As concerned Americans we need to vote for the presidential candidate who will reduce both the deficit and the debt. We should be writing or calling our U.S. senators and representatives to tell them our concerns and ask them what they’re doing to solve this problem. If you don’t like their answers, vote them out of office!

You can also call the Concord Coalition, a group dedicated to eliminating federal budget deficits, at their toll free number: 1 (888) DEFICIT (333-4248) and ask them your questions.

Yes, we are currently on a fiscal path that is unsustainable. Former U.S. Comptroller General David Walker says, “It could swamp our ship of state.”

As citizens of the United States we have a civic duty to insist on fiscal sanity from our leaders.

Nancy Lochner, Albany