Combat valor not a flippant matter

Dear Editor,

A Whiner’s answer to The Panolian, Aug. 14, Opinion: “Enough With The “Stolen Valor” Whining Already.”

1. The Opinion Writer declared: “Gov. Tim Walz’s stated he carried a weapon while he was in war is true because:” The US hasn’t been – legally/constitutionally speaking – at war since 1945, two decades before his birth. Senator J. D. Vance from Ohio, accusing Democratic VP nominee apparent Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota, of engaging in stolen valor is “GARBAGE” “when he declared he was in war when he was not in war.”

I find this line of gotcha name-calling, and the whole concept of “stolen valor,” boring and silly. As for false or embellished claims as to the character of a veteran’s work, who cares? If the idea of “stolen valor” bothers you, you’ve got too much time on your hands and probably a tendency toward unjustified grievance.”

My Answer: This opinion “since technically war is not war unless the word “DECLARED” is on a Document,” this would abolish the Veterans of Foreign WARS (VFW) and make liars out of millions of Veterans who served in war in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq , Afghanistan and other places since WWII.

Ask to speak at your local VFW and tell them you find stolen Valor boring and silly garbage. Maybe you don’t care, but veterans, parents, and friends of those Patriots who served in battle protecting the Freedoms in America and each other’s lives are a large part of the population WHO care about TRUTH as in whether one lies about serving in war! Seeking TRUTH about one embellishing his Resume for gain is not an unjustified grievance.

2. The Opinion Writer declared: “If I had a dollar for every former US Navy SEAL “I’ve met,” I’d have more dollars than the number of SEALs who’ve ever existed.”

My Answer: Because others lie, Walz, seeking the job of second in line to be Commander in Chief of all Military is ok in lying about serving in war? While it is true there are thousands of stolen valor with one lying about being in war, Walz’s lie about being in war doesn’t make it right. I am of the generation taught that two wrongs don’t make a right!

3. The Opinion Writer declared: “A veteran is just a former government employee who may have held, but didn’t necessarily hold, a job with “kill people” in its description of usual duties. There’s nothing inherently more “valorous” about that than there is to any other government jobs/workfare program.”

My Answer: For combat veterans, the valor doesn’t come in killing people, the valor comes in defending combat veteran buddies from being killed or injured in battle, if that’s not valor, then, yes, your opinion of a combat veteran being equal in valor to a 9-5 Government worker’s duty in a safe environment in Italy stands true.

s/Bobby D. Jefcoat

Combat Infantry Veteran

Co. B 4 ^th 47 ^th 9 ^th Infantry

Vietnam 1968-69

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