LINDA SANDERS: Our choices in life affect us in old age

I am writing this letter in answer to Kenneth Nixdorf’s letter “U.S. veterans left to suffer” (Perspectives, Aug. 13, 2016). I felt your letter was extremely one-sided. You failed to state how many years you were in service and what you did in civilian life the years following.

My husband spent only two years in the service, but because he was in enemy waters or ashore during a conflict on standby, he was given the right to have a military funeral, but I declined because I thought such honor should only go to the ones who spent years in service, them and their families. This honor should only go to them.

I have a friend who spent 30 years in the Marines and loved it, but had to retire due to a back injury. He then spent years as a schoolteacher, a job he loved. In those years, he went through much pain and three operations. Then he had to retire again. You can’t teach kids while taking the pain drugs.

I’ve never known him to be bitter about it. His motto is once a Marine, always a Marine. He deserves anything the VA can do for him.

When my husband got out of the service, he worked 49 years at a textile plant and I put in 35 years in the plant. We raised our five kids with no federal handouts and we ensured that when we got old, we had everything we needed, medical insurance and the rest. But we were blessed. Our health allowed us to ensure it.

I have nothing but compassion for you, sir, but Sanford Bishop did not set the standards for receiving VA benefits. Sometimes we make bad choices in our life that affect us when we are old. God bless you, our country and our veterans.

LINDA SANDERS

Albany