Letters to the Editor July 13

Vietnam vet had difference experience than Cobb

I have a great respect for Ty Cobb, but I have to rebut much of what I read in his column about Vietnam veterans and our treatment upon our return.

I am a retired Marine First Sergeant with more than two years in Vietnam - 1965, 1967 and 1968, and finished up with Desert Storm. When I returned from Vietnam, I went through the Los Angeles Airport twice and San Francisco once. I proudly wore my uniform each time and was never called a baby killer, at least not to my face, and no one ever dared spit on me.

When I returned to my home in Missouri, I was greeted not with parades, but with honor. Some Americans in the Midwest may not have supported the war, but they did respect the warrior.

I maintain that most of the veterans who turned to drugs in Vietnam were weak in character and mind, and would have done so even if they had never left the states.

Today, I greet all veterans, young and old, with a handshake, and give them my blessings. I have special blessings for their wives and mothers who have had to endure the separation and the anxiety that goes with it.

For those who mistakenly believe nothing is worth war, I say that there has never been a peace that was not preceded by a war, and there has never been a war that was not preceded by a breakdown of peace.

Clifford Yeater

Stagecoach

Operation Fast and Furious back fired on the U.S.

Operation Fast and Furious is a big story with international implications.

The Justice Department, led by Eric Holder, gave an order to allow illegal gun purchases by Mexican nationals. The alleged purpose was to facilitate tracking of these arms to Mexican criminals.

However, this daunting task backfired when we lost track of the firearms and they ended up being used to assassinate/murder a U.S. federal agent on the border.

Video evidence shows border patrol agents monitoring and surveilling an illegal arms deal taking place. They asked superiors to intercede and arrest the suspects, but their request was denied, per Justice Department orders. As a result, those guns were used to murder a U.S. border agent.

My sympathies go out to the agents' family and loved ones. I can't help but wonder if this misguided U.S. policy isn't also a violation of U.S. law.

Unfortunately, I don't see any media outlets covering this cover-up. I guess when the guy in the White House is a Democrat, the media isn't interested in exposing the truth.

Dan Cerda

Dayton

Closing NSP is a political statement

Acting Director of Prisons Greg Cox refers to the Nevada State Prison as antiquated, and Gov. Brian Sandoval says closing it will save Nevada's taxpayers about $17.5 million every two years.

The reason the prison is antiquated has nothing to do with its age, but rather the fact that our past and present directors of prisons have misappropriated millions meant for its remodel and maintenance and used it elsewhere - Southern Nevada prisons . And as for saving the taxpayer money by closing it, not happening, just smoke and mirrors folks, just smoke and mirrors.

The cost to incarcerate inmates in Nevada remains constant no matter where they are incarcerated. However, the cost can vary from prison to prison if all costs are included in the averages, such as including all transportation, rural pay and overtime costs in the equation.

And if this were done, said prison wouldn't even come close to being the most costly. That distinction would fall upon the Ely State Prison. The transportation costs alone needed to service that ultra-remote prison could keep all other Northern Nevada prisons updated and in fantastic condition.

About the allegations that NSP holds only 682 inmates, said prison has bed space for more than 1,000 inmates -- that is, when it is properly maintained. Bottom line, closing NSP is nothing more then a political money grab by Southern Nevada, as in jobs created for that region at the expense of Northern Nevada jobs.

James R. Parker

Dayton