Editor, Gazette-Journal:

We have some of the best and brightest people currently serving in our military. I know, my son is one of them! My father, husband and father-in-law all served proudly in the United States military. We do not overpay our soldiers. They are just making a living. Cuts do not need to be made to the pitiful compensation we give our troops. These are people who are sacrificing on a daily basis to perform tasks deemed necessary by the Commander in Chief. But it would seem that Secretary Panetta and those that create and vote on our budget seem to think those kind of cuts are viable. The strongest military force is one that values, educates and respects its soldiers. The stronger our soldiers’ families and education are, the stronger our national defense will be.

If we would all be brutally honest regarding the defense budget, it is apparent that it is bloated. The problem is a circle of money. The big defense contractors make larcenous profits off our tax...