Editor,

I am simply amazed at Maryon Attwood’s characterization of the USS Nimitz Family Day event as “an extravagant use of public military funding to provide entertainment for a picnicking crowd.”

This “picnicking crowd” is typically comprised of families — spouses, children and parents of sailors attached to the sponsoring command, in this case the USS Nimitz and its embarked air wing.

Family Days are exceedingly rare events for our deploying forces. To object to this one is simply mean-spirited. To answer her question, “Don’t the families already get enough services?”

No.

Nothing truly compensates for sending your sailor off to sea for yet another extended deployment.

Nothing.

P. McCartney

CDR, USN (ret.)

Oak Harbor