Five readers penned letters to the editor for the March 2 issue of Navy Times. Have thoughts you'd like to share on Navy Times articlesstories or letters? Send them to navylet@navytimes.com. Include your name, address, phone number and rank. Submissions may be published in print and online.

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FINANCIAL SAVVY SAAVY NEEDED

How nice that a recent congressional commission came to the conclusion that service members need better and more financial literacy education ["Commission: Beef up troops' financial education," Feb. 23].

They could have just asked any commanding officer, executive officer or command master chief who is willing to tell it like it is as to how serious the problem really is and has been for quite some time. Or they could have asked them how much time they spend dealing with financial problems.

Better yet, ask Navy Times reporter Karen Jowers, the author of the story, who really knows what type of training works best.

As former CO of Naval Air Technical Training Center, Pensacola, Florida, I witnessed firsthand sailors and Marines getting ripped off by creeps who claim to love our military, but cheat them out of thousands of dollars selling them insurance policies, junk cars, laptop computers, even cameras. Some tried to persuade them not to buy their Servicemembers Group Life Insurance, inmstead going with their "better deal." Yeah right! We even had a very beautiful young lady call sailors, offering them a tour of Pensacola Beach in a new Mustang GT convertible, only to stop later at daddy's insurance office.

I will also tell you what works, and that is the program the Navy had for nearly seven years, where only trained financial specialists, military spouses, chief petty officers, senior noncommissioned officers, senior NCOs and select Mustang officers, were hired and taught a mandatory two-day personal financial management class at all "A" schools. Who knows more about managing funds than these people. This program was so successful that the Army Emergency Relief Office wanted this same training duplicated at their Advanced Individual Training commands.

The current system — having an inexperienced petty officer teach personal financial management after recruit training — is marginal at best. The command financial specialist is often well-qualified but can never teach all new sailors.

I am also a big fan of the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society's budget counselors, a tremendous asset to any command.

Some questions to consider:

* How many people lose their security clearances due to financial problems?

* What do married people argue about the most?

* Could financial problems be a factor for divorce or even suicide?

* How do people deal with the stress associated with financial problems?

* Senior people, enlisted and officers, rarely seek help for fear of ending their career. Hos can this change?

It is time to get real again and use the program that we all know worked best for many years, and I can assure you it will not cost the $80 million a year the commission believes the Defense epartment will need.

Capt. (LDO) Ron Jaeh (ret.)

Hoschton, Ga.

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NO HAMMERS ALLOWED

Regarding the letters to the editor from Lt. Cmdr. Ignacai Castro Jr. and Chief Ronald Baptista, both retired, in the Feb. 16 issue ["Drop the hammer"].

The two writers believe that Petty Officer 1st Class Dan Layug, Cmdr. Michael Vannak Khem Misiewicz, Cmdr. Jose Luis Sanchez and Capt. Daniel Dusek should be court-martialed and receive harsh punishments for accepting bribes and improper gifts from a Navy contractor. As a result of the goods and services they received from Leonard Francis Glenn, owner and CEO of Glenn Defense Marine Asia, and his cousin, Alex Wisidigama, the Navy was overcharged for more than $20 million in services.

Unfortunately courts-martial cannot occur. Double jeopardy has attached since they were all charged in federal, not state, court. Why the government decided to have them prosecuted in federal court instead of the military court-martial system was a management decision made between the Justice Department and the Navy.

The Navy, however, will most likely take steps to administratively discharge them under other than honorable conditions, which, if successful, will mean they will not receive their military retirements. Another option is to have a board convened to determine what was the highest rank they satisfactorily served at for which they can retire.

We should be thankful they were not civil servants, since even if they were fired there is no way for them to lose their civil service pensions or be reduced in pay grade under current federal law if they have vested in the retired system.

Cmdr. Wayne L. Johnson, JAGC (ret.)

Alexandria, Va.

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FIGHTING ISIS

The Obama administration's strategy to degrade ISIS is totally inconsistent with U.S. military history.

During 12 weeks of boot camp at Great Lakes Naval Training Center, Illinois, in the late 1940s, we "boots" many times daily were indoctrinated as to the "mission of the United States Navy."

At muster, close order drill, training exercises, classes, etc., the company commander or instructor would bellow "What is the mission of the United States Navy"? Then all 240 of us boots would shout back at the top of our lungs, "To seek out the enemy and destroy him."

Roosevelt and Truman had it right. Why can't Obama?

Former SO1 Jerry Mazenko

Garden Grove, Calif.

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SAD TO SEE GREYHOUNDS GO

I noticed in the Jan. 26-Feb. 2 issue that the Navy is going to replace the C-2A Greyhound ["Report: V-22 Osprey to take over aircraft carrier deliveries"]. That saddens me and some of my squadron mates.

I am a plank holder in Fleet Tactical Support Squadron 50, the first squadron to operate the C-2. We arrived in Cubi Point, Philippines, on Dec. 8, 1966, aboard the USS Enterprise with the first three C-2As to enter service in the Navy. We went to WESTPAC with these planes to replace the C-1s.

I can't say that we loved the aircraft, but it was a vast improvement over the C-1.

Former ATN3 Ken Berges

Julesburg, Colo.

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I retired in 1982 after a very satisfying 22-year career. I remember being thrown over the side in San Francisco Bay when I earned my dolphins, getting my diver's helmet a few years later, having my third class crow tacked on, and all the later advancements — with the most memorable being my chief's initiation.

I have proudly occupied the bench at several initiations, and I flew to San Diego to be the defense counsel for and welcome a fellow sailor into the chiefs ranks several years after I retired.

The traditions falling by the wayside are shameful. I don't know of any old sailors who are any worse for wear from the traditions.

TMCS (SS/DV) Bill Robinson, (ret.)

Alto, N.M.

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