JD Vance’s negative remarks, alleging that vice presidential candidate Tim Walz was a coward, reminds me of similar nasty feelings against us Vietnam-era vets.

We were welcomed into our New England chapter at first. But some combat vets proposed not allowing non-combat vets to join. Nearly all of their contemporaries rejected their obnoxious intent. But there is an accepted principle of military service which Vance either does not know or misunderstands; we do not criticize another vet’s service even if we think it was cushy.

In the military, enlisted members go where they are ordered and do their job as ordered. Period. One person’s service is no less valued than any other. The key is that they served.

Joseph Hachey
Gorham