DEAR EDITOR:

I live in Acworth in Bartow County only a few yards away from the Cobb County line. My husband works in Cobb, we shop in Cobb, eat at your restaurants, get our power from Cobb EMC, etc. Even though we are Bartow residents our lives revolve around Cobb.

As I look at the front page of Thursday's MDJ, I implore County Manager David Hankerson and all residents not to be deceived by the claims of Cobb Public Safety Director Mickey Lloyd.

If Lloyd is having problems verifying his military records, all he has to do is send his signature to authorize the release of information to the following agency:

National Personnel Records Center
9700 Page Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63132-5100

He can also fax his signature to (314) 801-9049.

I am a Vietnam-era Air Force veteran. My husband was a Marine who served in Vietnam. My oldest daughter is an Army veteran and my son is serving in the Air Force. I have four brothers who are also veterans; one Navy (deceased), one Army (deceased), and two more who served in the Army. My oldest brother's service record goes all the way back to World War II and he has a copy of records validating that service. It seems to me that if the National Personnel Center has been able to provide all of us with our records over the years that Lloyd is just not in touch with the right agency. He really should give the above listed folks a try.

As stated in the article by Lloyd's attorney, there was a fire several years ago at the records center, but it is my understanding from notifications sent to both my husband and me that military personnel records were safeguarded. I just think that it would be highly unlikely that Lloyd's records would be the only ones destroyed.

I do disagree with FBI agent Oliver Halle's statement that two DD 214s "can't happen." My former husband of 23 years was career military. We met when we were both enlisted in the Air Force. When we were discharged, we were both issued DD214s. Upon discharge, we went back to college. My husband enrolled in Army ROTC and subsequently was commissioned into service upon graduation. When he retired from the Army, he was issued another DD214, but that DD214 did contain all his prior service record.

I'm sure that Lloyd would like to forget all this controversy regarding his prior service record. All his claims can be so easily proved. Many politicians have tried this antic in the past only to be proved wrong. Shame on you, Mickey Lloyd, for adding your name to that list. It is a slap in the face to all of us veterans, past and future, who have and will continue to serve all the local hometowns and our nation with honor and integrity.

Jenny Bratcher
Acworth