No guarantees in the Merchant Marine
I happened to see your June 2 editorial concerning the Merchant Marine and World War II, and there have been thousands more of us who’ve provided military support in Vietnam, Somalia, the Balkans and other places in the world.
Sure we’re “contractors” in a sense, but we do it voluntarily. We often pay for our own transportation, incur medical costs, training costs and licensing, all of which take away from time from family and work. We’re forbidden to have weapons aboard, no alcohol, and have nop input on where we go sometimes. We pay dues in many ways, and have no guarantees.
Rick Levandowski
Independence, Wisc.
Levandowski is a veteran of the Merchant Marine.