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Letters

I am writing to express my heartfelt appreciation to the members of the Robins Air Force Base (Ga.) Honor Guard at the interment of my husband’s remains at Andersonville National Cemetery on Sept. 23.

My husband, retired Senior Master Sgt. Howard L. Sheffield, would have been as impressed as we all were at their impeccable military appearance and bearing, and would have been most gratified to see what fine young men and women we have serving now. They performed their difficult duty with flawless precision and great compassion.

As Howard’s national flag was so honorably prepared and presented to me in the ceremonial gesture that pays such fitting tribute to him, those patriots who preceded him and those who will follow him, I was especially moved by and appreciative of the obvious sincerity and true empathy reflected by the professional young airman whose eyes welled and lips quivered as he spoke those enduring words — “on behalf of a grateful nation.”

My husband was a loving man. He loved me. He loved his family. He loved his friends.

But perhaps more than anything, he loved his country. By the presence and performance of this honor guard, it was clear that his country loved him back.

Elaine R. Sheffield

Wetumpka, Ala.

‘Insensitive’ contest

The only acceptable caption for the photograph chosen for contest No. 639 [Nov. 3 and Nov. 24] is the original one.

It is in extremely poor taste to use this outstanding photograph of maxillofacial reconstruction of what appears to be a presumably wounded airman to solicit “the most laughs” in a “humorous” caption.

I’m disappointed in your lack of editorial judgment.

The original photograph clearly reveals that the “burned face” in the photograph is not that of a real person, but it’s still an inexcusably bad call on your part.

Master Sgt. Richard B. Hodges

South Carolina Air National Guard

I’ve been an occasional participant in your caption contests and think they are a great way to have a little fun and show the lighter side of ourselves.

While I’m sure many funny captions are possible with the photo removed from its proper context, I’m fairly confident your readers would be more hesitant to participate if they knew the context: The airman pictured is practicing facial reconstruction for wounded warriors who have been severely maimed. In fact, he is the only full-time maxillofacial prosthetic technician in the Air Force.

The work he is pictured doing means a world of difference to those who face an uncertain future due to their injuries.

Through his work, at least they may come to once again resemble their former selves.

In light of the Air Force’s designation of November as the month of the wounded warrior, I feel your choice is ill-timed as well as ill-advised.

Tech. Sgt. Mike Hammond

Randolph Air Force Base, Texas

A different view of Gates

I have been following the editorials and columns lionizing Defense Secretary Robert Gates [“Straight-talking Gates is best SecDef in a long time,” Back Talk, Oct. 20], and I’m afraid I see it differently.

Gates spent his “management” energy jawboning the Air Force and its leadership, rather than directly challenging its most senior leaders.

He finally fired the top two leaders in the Air Force, but much too late. He wasted so much time berating and browbeating the Air Force he finally had to qualify his statements because they were being cited in most newspapers and began to affect morale.

In addition, after confirmation he greatly moderated his opposition to torture, which makes me question his honesty.

He rightly stopped the Air Force downsizing, but failed to ask for the additional funding that it would require; now those costs are likely to come out of general Air Force programs.

I rate him as one of the worst defense secretaries. President-elect Barack Obama’s first order of business should be to return Gates to the private sector.

John Minker

Davis, Calif.