The columns by Bill Nemitz regarding possible force restructuring in Maine’s National Guard and personal attacks on the character of Brig. Gen. James Campbell and Col. Jack Mosher have been shameful.

Nemitz has exploited the simple fact that the military does not respond to hysterical conspiracy theories hatched by anonymous critics and rumor.

These men have impeccable service records, and to reduce their pre-decisional staff estimates to personal interest is an outrage.

The complications of force management coming out of war are always an emotional and difficult calculus, and Nemitz’s vilification of these leaders is intellectually lazy.

Both leaders are experienced command and staff officers addressing the very real challenges of a rapidly changing Army.

Gen. Campbell is a distinguished leader.

In addition to significant contributions to the military, he’s an Eagle Scout and has been active in the Katahdin Area Council.

He served in command positions in Europe and the U.S. and as an associate professor of military science at MIT.

He is recognized for serving in strategic positions in Afghanistan and with the U.S. Central Command, as well as being a 59A Army strategist.

For Mr. Nemitz to slander a man of this stature and falsely portray him as an infantry bullet head is repugnant.

Col. Mosher has likewise trained units of every type throughout his career and spent much of it as a field artillery officer.

He is a decorated combat veteran who has served as a national advocate for our veterans.

He has been recognized by the Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Network and organized the first Vietnam Veterans Homecoming Celebration in Waterville last year.

As director of operations for Maine’s Guard, he was responsible for the war readiness of all of Maine’s units for seven years.

I’m sure he understands more about Army force structure management than Mr. Nemitz and the anonymous malcontents he interviews.

John Brier

Oakland

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