Jane Dyer For Congress |

Recently, while I was in the midst of my workday routine (flying, sleeping, eating), I received an email from my stepson who is serving his second tour in Afghanistan. I was solemnly reminded of the high cost of war.

My stepson described the procedure when the soldiers are notified of the loss of their fellow servicemen.

At the airfield, the coffins of the fallen are moved across the tarmac to the aircraft that will carry their bodies’ home.

The date and time of this procession along the flight line are posted.  Hundreds of service men and women line the path as they pay their final respects to our brave heroes.

As we carry on our everyday lives, let’s not forget our brave men and women fighting on our behalf.  Let’s remember those that have fallen — the high price they paid, the personal loss to the families, and their commitment to our freedom and security.  It is the very least we can do.

“ One small step for man, one giant step for mankind.”

That statement by Astronaut Neil Armstrong as he became the first human on the moon signified the culmination of an entire decade of American scientific commitment.

Where is our commitment today? What kind of large scientific goal are we pursuing?

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Martin Luther King dreamed of a country where there was no discrimination, where we truly loved our neighbors and even our enemies, a country where we fought poverty and stood up for what is right.

More than forty years later, we have made great strides toward his dream, most markedly the election of our first African-American President.  But we still have a long way to go.

While minorities are more respected, prejudice still lingers.  Because of that prejudice, many Americans fight every day against poverty, homelessness, and hunger.

We have much to do to honor Dr. King.  We must develop a true respect for all of our people.   We must eliminate poverty by providing good jobs in manufacturing tomorrow’s energy solutions.  We must fight against the power of money and greed by supporting those who will stand up for what is right.

As we celebrate the memory of Dr. King, let us all start believing in the dream that makes us Americans.  We must not only believe in this dream but work together to create it.

Regardless of how difficult times are, there are gifts that we can give that don’t cost anything.  These are the gifts of joy, peace and hope.
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The US military is the best.  You who have served know that.  I learned that when I served in the USAF. Our military people are committed, hard working and selfless.

Unfortunately, we as a country have opted to save money by contracting out many of our military responsibilities. But there are no savings.  According to the Congressional Budget Office, the cost of hiring private guards versus using US military units is the same.

The problem with hiring private contractors?  The damage to our country’s reputation.

Remember the guards in Kabul? The ones who created a den of inequity with photos of their disgusting parties?

Then, there are companies like KBR whose contracts allow its employees to rape and discriminate workers with no recourse.

And, now, The New York Times reports that Blackwater private security guards acted as CIA agents in Iraq, blurring the roles between government and private agencies.

The rules of conduct for these contractors are not well-defined.  Accountability is hard to find.

The numbers are large. In Iraq in 2008, there were at least 190,000 contractors working directly for the US Department of Defense.  For every US military man or woman, there is one private contractor.  In the Vietnam War, that ratio was five to one.  

We must stop using contractors who are hurting our reputation and return these jobs to our military.  We must ensure that we are using US military personnel where our reputation is at stake.

We take the high road, and we do the right thing.

Now is the time to put our military where they are needed and remove the contractors who are hurting our reputation and ultimately harming the very values of the United States of America.