Dear Editor,

I was at the meeting with the Navy and feel the need to respond to other letters to the editor. The young man that is so concerned about the electronic warfare needs to be informed. My sister, husband and I have all lived through three wars, World War II, Korean and Vietnam, plus the 6-day war, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan. We are grateful for the protection from the military and in order for the military to continue protecting us,they need to train. Any occupation needs training or there is chaos. So if we deny them the training because of our shortsightedness, we deny them the opportunity to protect us as they have sworn to do.

My husband has written numerous Environmental Assessments (EA’s) and other legal documents for the Air Force under strict requirements and scrutiny. The Navy was under the same very strict rules and complied with those rules. If he had an open mind, had read and understood the EA’s, he would know that the Navy could truthfully say (which they did) that there is no danger.

It was addressed very well at the meeting, if they listened, that someone or some animal would have to be stationary in front of the 14-foot high transmitter for 20 minutes before anything would be dangerous. If that young man wants to put an elk up that high for that length of time, let him do it. I would welcome a few of the uncontrolled elk herds to be diminished some, because they are so devastating, eating our gardens, trampling our flowers and running rampant.

He talks about the exposure to low intensity radiation as being harmful. Yes, that is right, BUT, what about the low intensity radiation from TVs, microwaves, radio transmitters and cell phones? Do people think about them? Those are around us 24-7.

Might not those things do a lot more damage than the electromagnetic waves that will be heading out into space intermittently? If you think the emitters put out electromagnetic waves, study the sun and really find out where the dangers lie.

As for the airplanes, we have been hearing them for years. I don’t think the airplanes participating in this training will create the same level of noise the Navy fighters are now producing in their mock air combat training already going on. Stop complaining.

If we can’t trust the military to think about us, and they do, we better do some soul searching. If we stop them from training and trying to protect us, we might just as well send letters to the enemy and say, “Come get us, we don’t care.”

I for one find it comforting to know, that they are working to protect us, not put us in danger as the young man indicated. The research has been done, and updated from years ago, laws are conformed to and we need to realize that self centered, petty ideas, are antiquated and not as factual as some think.

DeeAnna Beck

Forks