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Letters

WASTE OF SEABAG MONEY

I noticed the new Navy Working Uniform Gore-Tex parka and fleece liner for sale in my uniform shop with a price tag of $228 [“Steep drop in sailors’ clothing allowances,” Oct. 26]. I am wondering why we are required to purchase this gear, rather than it being procured, maintained and issued by commands as organizational gear? It seems like a waste of money for the Navy to give every sailor $228 [to buy the parka] when many of us won’t be wearing it often.

I work in an environment where I wear the service uniform daily and, when necessary, my working uniform is woodland cammies. My sea duty has been, and will likely remain, with Fleet Marine Forces, so I won’t be wearing the NWU. Marine units issue the MarPat Gore-Tex jacket as organizational clothing, which must be returned prior to checking out. Why can’t Navy commands do the same?

— HM1 (FMF/CAC) Robert Connell, Bremerton, Wash.

CHANGE PREGNANCY POLICY

I really want to commend retired Chief Aviation Structural Mechanic Aileen Hoke for having the backbone to step forward and tell the truth [“Planned pregnancies,” letters, Sept. 21].

I’m pretty sure a lot of people are asking, “What about all these guys over the years who shot themselves in the foot or broke their arm just to get out of a deployment?” The answer to that is a court-martial under the Uniform Code of Military Justice for malingering.

At the only shore assignment of my career, I served with a lot of women who were good, hard workers, and I would not have hesitated to go to sea with any of them. It is this small minority of women that Hoke talks about that gives everybody a bad impression.

The policy toward pregnancy in the fleet has got to change; for the last 20 years, the entire military, not just the Navy, has become a taxpayer-funded maternity ward.

— OS1 (SW/AW) Dana Jackson (ret.), Fairlawn, Va.

COMBAT CATHARSIS

Your article “Combat catharsis” [OFFDuty, Sept. 21] was excellent. You may want to think about a follow-up with a program called “Stories of Service.” This Web site, www.digiclub.org/sofs, carries stories of men and women who have fought in every conflict since World War II. The stories are produced by high school and college students. The result is a multimedia oral history, providing future generations a glimpse of history.

— Lt. Robert Skibar (ret.), New York

LACK OF SUPPORT TROUBLING

The story “Report: Artillery support denied during deadly Afghan ambush” [Sept. 28] upset me greatly. To deny our fighting men and women proper support when needed is inexcusable.

We lost four good men because those making decisions on support requests were worried about civilian casualties. I agree that we should try to keep civilian casualties to a minimum, but when our fighting men and women need support, they should not hesitate [to use force].

— STGCS (SW) James Willson (ret.), Jacksonville, Fla.

WELCOME BELOW THE WAVES

I have been in the submarine service for 28-plus years. The plan to put women on subs is now becoming a reality [“Women in subs,” Oct. 12]. I welcome the change in policy.

The proposed berthing plan between tubes 3 and 9 [for Ohio-class subs] needs to be modified during refit periods to berth the number of females who will be onboard for an upcoming patrol. An open 24-berth area is not practical. If you don’t have 24 female [crew members] onboard, the unoccupied bunks become “wasted space” — a big problem on a submarine.

Submarine wives, if you believe that women serving on subs threaten your marriage, you need to re-evaluate your marriage.

— ETCM (SS) Mark S. Witherell, Naples, Italy