Re: “U.S. Army quietly discharging immigrant recruits” (July 6, Page A5):
It was with utter disgust that I read the Associated Press story on the Army’s attempt to surreptitiously discharge immigrant recruits under the guise of weeding out “security risks.” The xenophobic hysteria fomented by the titular commander in chief continues to undermine our collective identity as a nation of immigrants.
In 1915, my paternal grandfather immigrated to the United States from what is now Poland. In 1917, when his adopted country entered the Great War, he enlisted. On Sept. 13, 1918, during the Saint-Mihiel offensive, near the village of Jaulny in northern France, he repeatedly crawled out of a trench and into no man’s land to pull wounded comrades, fellow immigrants to the United States, to safety. In the process, he was seriously wounded. For this act of selflessness on behalf of America, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and, later, American citizenship.
I recommend viewing the documentary “Restrepo,” an account of gallantry and survival at a U.S. military outpost in Afghanistan, named after a Colombian immigrant who enlisted in the U.S. Army and who died fighting for a country of which he was not yet a citizen. I also recommend visiting PBS’ website and viewing the “NewsHour” commentary delivered by Sebastian Junger, co-producer of “Restrepo.”
In his presentation, Junger mentions that 4 percent of those in the United States armed forces are foreign born. Those in executive authority now aim to reduce that figure to zero. This callous act is contrary to our heritage and, in itself, endangers our national security.
Joe Wagner
Lyman
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