THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, December 16, 1995 TAG: 9512160017
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 36 lines
I have a husband deployed on the USS America. Over the long months of separation, I have had the anticipation of seeing him at Christmas to help. That was, of course, until the recent developments in the Bosnia Peace Plan. Last week when the first announcements came out that a preliminary plan had been developed, I was dismayed to hear that it may require deploying troops before Christmas. I realized then that if they deployed 20,000 troops before Christmas that the America's port time would probably be affected. That many troops would require air cover at the ready, since we cannot be sure what their reception would be upon arrival.
I watched with interest the president's address and had my fears confirmed.
Unfortunately, no one seems to be addressing at all what appears to me to be a basic question: Why do we need to deploy 20,000 troops less than two weeks before Christmas? Do they not realize that besides the 20,000 Army families that will be disrupted there are several hundred Navy families that have been planning trips overseas or anticipating the Christmas return of their sailor?
I know that this issue is minor in the eyes of the negotiators, but I find it a bit cavalier of the government to offer our help and decide that it simply cannot wait a few more weeks until after the holidays.
BEVERLY NOFFSINGER
Virginia Beach, Nov. 29, 1995 by CNB