It makes me sad when veterans tell me that they are re-enlisting, not because of patriotism, but for a job.

After all, we all went the patriotism route the first time, figured we did our share and then returned to civilian life.

Is this all we have to offer our returning veterans? An economy in the dump, and no signs of reviving for years?

Meanwhile, these men and women risk their lives helping to build roads, dams and infrastructures in foreign countries, countries that just take and take while our own country is falling apart.

Solution?

Bring back all that money wasted in nation-building then do like they did when I came home.

We poured money into Germany and Japan to rebuild their infrastructure, but our troops didn’t do it. Granted, we paid a lot, but Germany and Japan appreciated our help and didn’t funnel off billions of dollars to the “in crowd,” at least as far as I know.

I admire all our men and women in our military, but wish they could operate in a defense mode: protect our borders and let the enemy come at us on our soil for a change. Seems it works better to defend the homeland.

Frank “Smilin Jack” Slason

Somerville