Article: Serving on the Home Front

I am livid! Twenty years ago I was required, by regulation, to force a mid-career NCO out of the Army because he was 17 pounds overweight. The Sergeant had been a productive soldier, and a proven combat leader. He was married, and had three children. I fought for more than nine months until all appeals were exhausted. I felt horrible because he was an excellent leader, and an exemplary family man. But I was given to understand that the Army could not begin making exceptions or the entire system would suffer. I look at MSG Minnie Hiller-Cousins and I am sickened. How can this be? She may be a nice person ... but a good representative of our nation's Army??? Her picture in an Army uniform is a travesty. LTC Jerry Guareno ought to be ashamed; our men and women in service of their country deserve to be represented by something or someone that at the least approaches conforming to the Army's regulations. If you are going to praise an organization's member, make sure that individual is not in violation of the organization's minimum standards.

J. Carter

First, she's National Guard, not career Army. Second, the article highlights a job well done in support of the troops in Iraq by someone who apparently is also a good influence on young people in her civilian life.

Aim your anger at Army regs and don't bring down a good article by your indirectly calling the Master Sargeant a shameful representative of the Army. If anything the Master Sargeant supports your position about not forcing people out because they don't quite meet the regs. She is worthly of our respect.

L in California

Master Sgt. Minnie Hiller-Cousins does a very good deed both National Guard wise and Civilian wise. When I was younger, my parents would tell me and my sister about how military life was and how they wanted a better chance for us and our futures, by not following their footsteps and think the military is the only good option for great paying jobs or a good life.

Since then, I have not been tempted to or will ever want to go to the military as a means of financial support like most indivuals think the military is good for. No offense, but the military is not very reliable as to preparing our younger generations as it did back when. I have encountered many young persons who come out of military service and most of them are very arrogant and rude towards the people who don't prefer military. Many civilians have come up to me and told me how some of these persons should be sent back to where they were discharged and taught manners of how to come back into civilian life with civilians who don't want to be pushed around by some youngsters who think they were so "hot stuff" in the military ranks but here they are normal average joes just like everyone else.

I think we should print articles that supports the military, but also supports the "no names" that don't care about military ways because civilian life has been good for them and they prefer to stay civilians. The military may protect us and our freedoms, but it's the civilian "no names" that makes sure there is a home to come home to.

While many of our troops fight overseas and else where, it's the workers, teachers, police persons, gas attendants, grocery store managers, fast food crew members, and so on and so far that keep the military what it really is.

Please don't forget to recognize the individuals that work for a living, not in the military, and in what most of us call "real life".

Thank You and God Bless,
Donna Leeman