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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 11, 2009

Loss of veterans

"Keeping Veterans Day Alive" by Ed Hooper (Other Views, Nov. 10) caught my attention.

While there may be 23 million veterans alive in the United States today, that number is rapidly dwindling. There are several reasons for this, some political and some demographic.

I was born in 1946 and served in the U.S. Air Force from 1964 until 1990. Throughout my childhood, adolescence and early adulthood, almost all adult males that I knew were veterans. This was primarily due to the draft.

In the 1950s and 1960s the military services were experiencing a glut of World War II and Korean War veterans staying on active duty for 30 years, regardless of rank. In 1969 Congress passed up-or-out legislation that established limits on the number of years personnel could remain on active duty by pay grade. This created a mass exodus of veterans back into civilian life and was the last major infusion of military personnel into the civilian community.

In 1973 the draft was abolished and a more stable active duty and reserve volunteer force was established. Since then the veteran population has been rapidly decreasing through attrition. Today, all World War I veterans are gone, our World War II veterans are dying at a rate of 1,000 a day, the Korean War vets are quickly joining the club, Vietnam veterans are now in their 50s and 60s and are starting to depart the world at an ever increasing rate.

The first all-volunteer force members from 1973 were forced to retire in 2003. The stable volunteer force will result in a stable veteran population that will be much smaller than that of the last five decades.

DON HOLDERNESS

Valrico

Resume the draft

If the government starts a military draft, the wars will stop very quickly. When the rich and politically connected are required to face combat, the whole country will become involved.

Right now, if the people are not directly connected to a military man, then they are not really concerned about the war.

CHARLES KELLY

Tampa

Late indignation

After being fawned over by your previous editorial board members, a former sports editor, the Tampa Sports Authority and former Mayor Dick Greco and his minions, why do you now expect the Glazers to be forthcoming with the community concerning the state of the Bucs ("Bucs' fans deserve straight answers," Our Opinion, Nov. 8)?

Your indignation should have been voiced years ago when those in power and influence sold their souls to the Glazers.

DICK POWERS

Tampa

TECO fees

Tampa Electric Co. is a dinosaur. You can pay your bill by mail, and it will cost you 44 cents. Or you can pay online, and it will cost $4.95.

Perhaps TECO could reduce its costs - and hold down our rates - if it could just figure out the basics. Electricity is the only light coming out of that organization, that's for sure.

D. BECKHAM

Tampa

Litterbug smokers

Regarding "Make city safer with red light cameras," Our Opinion, Nov. 9):

If you look down at the curb of a major intersection, you will see thousands of cigarette butts illegally thrown out by litterbug drivers waiting for the light to turn green. This is a violation of the law, and these people should be fined for littering the roadway just as red-light runners should be fined for running red lights.

These cameras should be used to issue fines to people who toss out their cigarette butt or any other litter. This would not only raise revenue, but also make the streets cleaner.

JAMES WISNER

Tampa

Sears' announcements

I have heard that around the year 2030 or so, whites will be a minority in this country. At Sears, however, this appears to have already occurred.

In more than one Sears location, I have heard announcements in Spanish, and Spanish only! Is Sears ahead of its time?

I have no trouble with hearing announcements in both English and Spanish, but Spanish only? I don't think so. I have written to the Tribune before and pointed out that I am of the liberal persuasion; however, I am not willing to shop at a store where English is a dead language.

RONALD MEDVIN

Tampa

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