To the editor:
Right now, on almost every U.S. Navy ship and every Army, Marine and Air Force base, there is an office or ship's compartment with a file cabinet with a padlock or a safe.
The contents depend on the job classification of the work they do. There is an enlisted serviceman or woman who is responsible for the contents. They are probably of the rank of E-4 or E-5. I know, because I was one of them once.
The contents are classified. When I was in the Navy, the locked file cabinet was inspected once a year. The inspectors wanted to make sure every booklet was there and correctly updated. The petty officer before me, the petty officer after me and I knew the penalty if something was missing -- the brig.
The president of the United States also is the commander in chief of the military. The present president and past president have really set a great example for enlisted men and women. Their handling of much-higher classified material is a disgrace to the office of the president and our country.
Larry Dennis
Wintersville