U.S. Navy

This letter is in response to the one written by Joe Galliani of Long Beach (May 23) regarding his diatribe against the United States Navy.

While I can accept skepticism about our public affairs policies from someone obviously not familiar with the system, I cannot accept being called “fat, arrogant, impotent and clueless.” I joined the Navy five years ago to serve my country and to try to improve my experience and education level. I have done so, but the price has been a taxable income of $12,000 last year. I also receive about $630 a month to subsidize my rent of $660 per month.

I have a wife and two small children, and I have spent over 18 months away from them at sea, twice for six months at a time. My shipmates and I work 10-12 hours a day, longer at sea, in a dangerous and generally thankless environment. One comfort we have is the general belief that the American public knows of our sacrifices (danger, low pay, family separation) and appreciates it.

Recent events such as the people of Long Beach contributing funds to the families of the men killed on the Iowa and the Torrance Armed Forces Day parade make Galliani’s contempt for the men and women of the Navy an obvious minority point of view. Remember, sir, trite as it may sound, those men on the Iowa, White Plains and Enterprise died for you, too.

JO2 WAYNE GATES, USN

Long Beach