Dear Editor,
As a veteran of the Vermont Air National Guard, I understand that military service is not simply about following orders. It also involves sacrifices by those who serve and the families who stand behind them.
I served four years in the Guard. My husband also served while we were raising our family. I chose to leave because I did not want to risk an overseas deployment and its impact on our family. My husband continued to serve.
That experience is one reason I am concerned about Gov. Phil Scott’s apparent lack of response to a letter signed by 27 Vermont veterans, retired military officers and Guard family members calling on him and state legislators to support the Defend the Guard Act. The letter raised concerns about deploying Vermont National Guard members into overseas combat without prior congressional authorization and called for a public legislative hearing. It was publicly reported on Aug. 20. To date, as far as I know, there has been no response from the governor.
Reasonable people can disagree about the legislation, and a governor is entitled to explain his position. But when veterans and military families raise serious concerns, they deserve more than silence.
Leadership does not require agreement. It requires listening. It requires responding. It requires being willing to explain decisions to those affected by them.
I served in the Vermont Air National Guard. I know that service comes with obligations. Our elected leaders have obligations, too.
Lonnie Poland
Milton, Vt.
