Nine readers penned letters to the editor for the May 4 issue of Navy Times. Have thoughts you'd like to share on Navy Times stories 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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DELAY IT SYSTEMS CONTRACT

Back when I was a colonel in the Air Force, I flirted with death. But the closest I came was not on a battlefield. It was in a civilian hospital where I was rushed after my aortic valve blew while boarding a plane to the Middle East.

Amazingly, it wasn't the valve that nearly killed me. It was the civilian doctor's inability to access my military health records. Two weeks later, while languishing in a medically induced coma, the information finally arrived.

From then on, I became a tireless advocate for something called interoperability — the capacity for electronic health records to be easily accessed and shared anywhere, anytime. Sharing data doesn't just save lives. It reduces health care costs, prevents medical errors and avoids unnecessary testing.

As a former chief information officer with a long career in information technology, my focus has intensified since the Defense Department announced plans to spend $11 billion on a new EHR system — one that can seamlessly exchange health data for the country's nearly 10 million military personnel, employees, retirees and their families.

But DoD's plan will fail because most EHR systems, including the bidder finalists, are designed only to work within their own system. That allows them to charge physicians and hospitals outside their system for access to your data.

DoD's acquisition strategy is flawed because it is predicated on pre-Internet technology. In essence, the request for proposal seeks EHR software that will do nothing to advance true interoperability, or improve patient outcomes. DoD can demand a system that seamlessly connects health data with civilian hospitals — or the Department of Veterans Affairs — but it has failed to do so.

The solution is simple: DoD must delay this award pending a congressional review.

I am not alone in my concerns. Industry analysts say the system will not only prevent the open exchange of data, but will be obsolete at launch, and will easily balloon to $30 billion over the life of the program.

Putting service members at the center of care and ensuring that clinicians have all the information needed must be a minimum requirement for any future expenditures on health IT systems. My hope is that congressional decision-makers understand this powerful reality before the contract is awarded in the coming months. I'm talking to every senator and representative I can, pressing for a delay. I urge you to do the same.

Brig. Gen. Thomas Verbeck (ret.)

Burke, Va.

Editor's note: Verbeck has 40 years of IT leadership experience, including the development of the Blue Button App — which allows veterans to securely access their VA medical records from any mobile device. He has no commercial interest in DoD's EHR acquisition.

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MORE THAN MONEY

I read with great interest the Times' editorial opinion "Don't forget the money" [July 6]. Unfortunately, the author of the opinion doesn't "get it," as is the case with most of our current Defense Department leadership.

While the observation that the erosion of pay and benefits will affect recruitment and retention is spot on, the fact is that our all-volunteer force has been living on borrowed time, a development that continues to elude our leaders.

History has shown that what makes any military force successful in battle is the esprit de corps, sense of camaraderie and common belief of purpose. While our national and DoD leadership has made efforts to "professionalize" the force (here to read politically correct, socially engineered and religion-free), it has missed that the largess of recruits has been a direct result of a poor job market and the high levels of retention.

But "the times are a-changing." The economy is improving and the millennial-plus generations, both within and without our military, will cast their votes with their feet when better opportunities present themselves.

In prior generations, Americans joined the military to fight for their country because they believed in what America stood for — peace, freedom and democracy — but now universities insist it's wrong even to say that America is still "the land of opportunity."

So, if the Navy Times is correct, and it's all about the money — in conjunction with no foundation or conviction — then what we have is a bunch of mercenaries on our hands, and the track record of mercenaries in battle is not good.

The only force still holding onto its traditions and principles — and only holding on by its fingernails — is the Marine Corps. Like the Marines, our military leaders need to start thinking about what makes service to the nation something to be proud of rather than just a "great job with good benefits." Everyone with whom I have served over the course of time that stayed, even when the duty or assignment was crap, didn't do so for the money. It was never about the money. It was about the guy next to you, the pride in the uniform and service to the nation. So, let's stop talking about the money and start talking about service to our country. The money will come with the prestige of that service.

Capt. Michael R. Merino

Orange, Calif.

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CORRECTING AN IMBALANCE

When all combat roles are opened to women, the U.S. experience will likely be similar to Canada's armed forces, which opened all occupations to women in 1989. Women make up about 2.6 percent of the infantry in Canada's active and reserve components. Canada is, of course, a major military power, right up there with the Netherlands and Denmark. Our most likely combat opponents (North Korea, China, ISIS, Russia and Iran) have a much different percentage of women infantry.

Since women make up over half the U.S. population — and to fix eons of male chauvinism — there is only one solution: Mandate that for the next 50 years the infantry and all combat specialties be at least 60 percent female.

This can be done by reducing physical fitness standards, and by having the Departments of Defense and Education, starting in kindergarten, build stronger, more aggressive females, or by drafting women if enough do not volunteer. Barbie will be out and GI Joe will be in for girls. Boys will get Barbies.

Only by massive federal intervention can sexist stereotypes be eradicated, since girls are really no different biologically than boys in physical and mental characteristics, if I understand the world today correctly.

It is our culture that make males aggressive and females nurturing, and this must, of course, be changed at all costs.

Our national defense depends on it.

Cmdr. Wayne L. Johnson (ret.)

Alexandria, Va.

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MATERNITY LEAVE VS. READINESS

I'm a bit perplexed by the Navy's recently announced change to its maternity leave policy. I applaud SecNav Ray Mabus' focus to "recruit and retain the best people," but at what cost to readiness?

Let me state upfront that I'm far from a Navy expert. I've admired my sister-service from afar, especially the rigor and sacrifice necessary for sea duty.

In the "old days," Navy women were not allowed to go to sea. As a disparate substitute, women sailors would end up at remote shore duty assignments like NAS Adak, Alaska, and the like. There they'd hone their skills and prove their worth.

Then Navy officials came to their senses and opened up the fleet to women. The playing fields and aircraft carriers were level. Calm winds and following seas prevailed.

Fast-forward to today. Navy women still want to and should be treated equally. That would include sea duty. Women, unfortunately, will now be even more limited in their availability as a result of this new maternity policy.

Like former sailor and baseball hall of famer Yogi Berra said, "If the people don't want to come out to the ballpark, nobody's going to stop them." That can be applied to sea duty as well.

Not to worry. One hopes Navy leadership has a good supply of sailors with go-by names like Joe, Bill or Mike to fill those interim gaps and keep the ships at sea and not in port.

So much for level aircraft carriers.

Air Force Col. Bill Malec (ret.)

O'Fallon, Ill.

* * *

DEADLY ENCOUNTER AVERTED

I served aboard the guided-missile frigate Curts in 1990, assigned to Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 43 as an aviation electronics tech. One night in the Sea of Japan during Recovery Assist, Secure and Traverse system transition at 2 a.m. in pitch-black conditions, while the tail was folded, a gust lock for the tail rotor failed, sending it freewheeling.

Immediately, with the help of the night crew, I obtained a broom and deck rope. The sea was rough and the ship picked up speed. As I scaled up the tail, the rotor continued to spin. I tied one end of the rope to the pylon step and wrapped the line around my arm. In attempting to stop the rotation with the broom, everything around me sounded with alarm.

Seconds after the first horn alarm, a rogue wave struck the starboard side of the ship. The wave crested over the side of the hangars and made its way toward the helicopter, washing me off the tail pylon. I was dangling from the helicopter by the rope over the edge of the flight deck. I'm not sure why I had wrapped my arm in the rope, but it saved my life.

AT2 Duane Jacques (ret.)

Bullhead City, Ariz.

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PII BODY ARMOR NEEDED

In light of the massive Office of Personnel Management data breach, I feel it is only prudent to take a hard look at our data security ["Data breach 'absolute calamity,' " June 29]. In the world we live in, this is our "new normal." There is no escaping the fact that our adversaries will use any and all means to reduce our abilities.

With senior leadership's plans to create more Navy apps for smartphones, provide tablet computers for all sailors and whatever else the good-idea fairy can come up with, our vulnerability will increase. Who does not think hackers will camp at any locations our sailors frequent just to hack into their devices.

How much time, effort and money is lost having to review members' security clearances that have been suspended due to identity theft? How many members have had to be replaced for a mission because of this growing problem?

It's time for some PII (personally identifiable information) Body Armor. We have to have SGLI to deploy and be enrolled in Tricare medical and dental, correct? Well, what about identity theft insurance?

What I would recommend is that we no longer act like a timid consumer who feels lucky these companies will do business with the Defense Department when, in fact, we are one of the largest consumer blocks within the federal government. It's time we started to leverage this strength.

Let's call providers of identity theft protection and ask them to provide their best product at the lowest cost, to provide and manage this program so as not to incur any cost to the DoD.

The carrot for the company or companies selected is that it would be open to and mandatory for all active, reserve, retired, DoD civilians, and VA patients and their dependents. By providing this service at their lowest cost, the company could say, "We provide identity theft protection to the entire DoD."

As an employer who has its employees' personal identifiable information on numerous data bases, which are accessed many times a day, the responsible thing to do is take more proactive steps to safeguard that information.

We are in a cyberwar. Make no mistake. We would not send our sailors or Marines into harm's way without proper protection. This is just a different kind or armor.

Reserve HMCS (AW/SCW/FMF) Carl Blay

Framingham, Mass.

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ACCOUNTABILITY LACKING AT VA

In what alternative world does Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson live ["VA deputy: Accountability push is making a difference," June 30]?

He explains away citizens and lawmakers' frustrations with VA workers who retire or resign before administrative reviews are completed, and says this does not send a bad message to other employees.

"People see these investigations, and they'll tell you these investigations are unpleasant," he said. "They see how demoralizing this is, to go through the process and to be accused of wrongdoings, to have these kind of questions asked. This is not people getting away with whatever it is."

Want to talk about "unpleasant" and "demoralizing"? Talk to the whistleblowers.

Citizens, taxpayers and veterans continue to wonder why there have been no criminal prosecutions for the most egregious cases in which VA employees knowingly submitted falsified data so as to obtain undeserved bonuses, promotions and training opportunities, all while denying veterans the timely access to healthcare they had earned. Sounds a lot like fraud. VA Secretary Robert McDonald and the deputy secretary ought to provide the public with the rationale by which the Department of Justice has refused to prosecute.

What administrative reviews have been done of the executives and managers who supervised or worked at close range with the bad actors? Have they been dinged on their performance reviews, promotions or bonuses? What was their self-evaluation? How did their bosses rate them?

"If somebody decides they're going to leave, retire or resign at any time in that [administrative review] process, they have the right to do that," Gibson said. But that "right" is preserved because criminal prosecution appears to be off the table. Couple that with the lengthy administrative process, and there is little downside for the truly bad actors to wait until the last possible moment to hit the "eject" button with full pension.

Gibson may not think this approach "takes the edge off of accountability in the organization," but why are so many veterans, citizens, taxpayers and, I dare say, many within the VA, outraged?

Cmdr. Jack Flanagan (ret.)

McLean Va.

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WHO IS ENDORSING CHAPLAIN?

As a former Marine Corps judge advocate in the early

1970s and as a lawyer/CPA who spent a career in dealing with tax-exempt organization issues, I have some observations and comments regarding Jason Heap's lawsuit ["Navy lawyers defend rejection of atheist chaplain," June 18].

The central question is whether a federal judge should, in effect, reverse the rejection of humanist/atheist Jason Heap's application to become a Navy chaplain by ordering the Armed Forces Chaplains Board to recognize the Humanist Society as an "ecclesiastical endorsing agent"? Such recognition may not be appropriate.

An IRS-designated "church" must endorse a chaplain's application.

Is the Humanist Society, recognized many years ago as a "church," the substantive endorser of Jason Heap, or is it the American Humanist Association, which is tax exempt but not a church?

AHA has been described as the parent organization of the Humanist Society.

Since a parent organization typically controls its subsidiary, did the chaplains board deem the endorsement as coming from the non-qualified AHA or the Humanist Society "church"?

Did it matter that the Humanist Society is an affiliate of AHA, and that its assets and those of AHA are shown in combined audited financial statements?

Since the audited statements say that the Humanist Society pays a monthly fee to AHA for performing management functions for the Humanist Society, does the Humanist Society have any of its own employees?

If not, can it realistically endorse Mr. Heap?

I wonder if the Armed Forces Chaplains Board considered these issues when it denied his application.

Former Marine Capt. David Nelson

Houston

* * *

VEGAS HAS MUCH TO OFFER VETS

In response to "Where to live: The top destinations for post-military life," June 15:

When my wife and I retired in 1987, we looked very hard to find a good place to live.

We expected to see Las Vegas — or at least Nevada — identified as one of the top 75 spots in this story, but there was no mention of either. Here is what we have to say.

We moved here in 2003 from San Diego. It's beautiful there, but too crowded and expensive. Taxes are high, and water is scarce. We've been in Vegas for more than 12 years and know it well. We will stay here the rest of our lives.

Nevada is very good to veterans. With no income tax, significant breaks on property and vehicle taxes, and an 8.1 percent sales tax, we save hundreds of dollars a year. Most places also give us at least a 10 percent break on purchases, including home needs, dinners and drinks.

A new Veterans Affairs hospital was just completed and is accessible, and Boulder National VA cemetery is nearby.

Now some will counter with "It's too hot there," but we're originally from St. Louis and nothing was as warm and sticky as that city on a hot summer day. We still visit relatives there several times a year and have literally had to take four showers in one day. We are happy that we have dry heat here. Every building is air conditioned, too. So you leave an air-conditioned home, head to your air-conditioned car and arrive at an air-conditioned diner or entertainment spot.

And we don't have to worry about water here. Our bill is about $30 per month for a single-family dwelling with desert flora.

We live in Sun City Summerlin, which is absolutely unbeatable. There are four recreation buildings, several indoor and outdoor pools, and tennis, bocce and shuffleboard courts. We even have our own theater where we get Las Vegas-level entertainment. We have three inexpensive golf courses, one of which was just voted the best in Las Vegas.

Two-bedroom, two-bath homes run between $200,000 and $400,000 on the golf course. And for all of the amenities, we pay only $107 per month.

We rarely go to the strip, which is about 17 miles away, but it is available for outstanding entertainment or food. There continues to be housing availability as you have to be 55 or older to own in our community. There are some 9,000 homes here.

And no, I don't work for the community or a realty firm. Just check out the area before you retire. An addendum should be made to the article since it was directed specifically at veterans about their future lives.

Marine Col. Jon Dale Hollabaugh (ret.)

Las Vegas

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