Letter: Respect and cover the DI’s doing it right

As a retired U.S. Army first sergeant, I was amazed to see your front page on Sunday, April 30. Given the community focus of the air show at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, I thought the paper’s timing was in very poor taste.

It isn’t that you printed such a negative view, it’s that you didn’t weigh your article with any positive news regarding the thousands of young men and women who have graduated from training at Parris Island, having been instructed by some of America’s finest, including my father during World War II.

At a time when our country needs to be reminded of what’s good, please counter your negative news with stories of the men and women who instruct civilians to become productive members of the U.S. armed forces and do it with only the best intent and results.

To say I would not condone any form of abuse of power is an understatement, and I’ve been where these DI’s are. But poor judgment is the exception, not the rule, and proper respect and news coverage needs to be given to the many who do it right and with every noble intention — to simply do a job well.

Everyone says you print what sells, but more articles like this without the other side of the story and I will no longer be buying. Thank you for your time.

This story was originally published May 3, 2017 at 1:21 PM with the headline "Letter: Respect and cover the DI’s doing it right."