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Sorry everyone and this goes to you vets, but the report is accurate concerning vets.

You, sir, are greatly and gravely in error. You have made a broad judgment and sweeping statement on the basis of an incredibly small number of “bad apples.” Had you inserted modifiers such as some or a small number of in front of “vets” in your statement, then you would have been correct. As it is, you owe an apology the veteran community at large, including my uncles, my sister, my brothers-in-law, my nephew, my son and me, personally.

Veterans are ordinary citizens who volunteered to serve their country. If it was unknown to them before they entered service, they were taught the meaning of discipline, teamwork, leadership, organization, esprit de corps and, by the way, how to handle weapons (they already knew the meaning of duty and patriotism). For the most part, these people are a cross-section of the best in our society.

Unfortunately, any cross section of our society is going to contain some bad apples. Consequently, a few slip by the military entrance screening and training regimes as is evidenced by the fact that we still have to have a limited number courts-martial and less than honorable discharges. A very, very few bad apples even “scrape” through a complete term of service to an honorable discharge as is demonstrated by a few rather infamous, current politicians.

However, the exceedingly, overwhelming number of veterans have demonstrated outstanding character through their willingness to sacrifice comfort, wealth, some freedom and, even, their lives during their service. Furthermore, all but a miniscule number of these veterans continue to demonstrate that character after they leave the service. They are the core of our citizenry, still setting the example of placing duty, honor and country before self and striving for excellence and integrity.

For a Presidential Cabinet Secretary to authorize and, then, approve of a report disparaging veterans without any facts or foundation, goes beyond the definition an outrage. Such an act represents not only dishonor to the office she holds but to the man who appointed her and disgrace to the members of the Senate who voted for her confirmation. Moreover, rather than humble and abject apology, her defense on national television of the report, and her approval action thereof, is a disgusting shame heaped upon the disgraceful and dishonorable action she has already perpetrated.