Air Reserve Station carries out important missions

Air Reserve Station carries out important missions
EDITOR:
This is in regard to a letter I recently read in this space pertaining to the writer's own question, "Why keep the air base here?" I would like to respond.
I am the wife of a proud member of the 910th airlift wing at Youngstown Air Reserve Station. My husband has been sent to many places, operating C-130 aircraft in response to actions required by the U.S. government, including Saudi Arabia, in response to Iraqi aggression; Europe for peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and Kosovo; and to Virginia and North Carolina to prevent a deadly outbreak of equine encephalitis.
As far as research goes, the base is the only test and training center in the entire Department of Defense for aerial spraying. They have many missions: pesticide sprayings for reasons of human health (preventing the spread of infectious diseases), remediation of oil spills to prevent damage from Exxon Valdez-type oil spills, spraying herbicides to protect farmers from crop-damaging weeds, just to name a few.
For every world crisis that pops up you can bet the military at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station is part of a remedy. Although stem cell research is very important, there are a myriad of instances of life-saving events that the proud military personnel at Youngstown are involved with daily. They deserve every bit of government funding they get.
MICHELLE WHITTENBERGER
Canfield
Steel workers brought problems on themselves
EDITOR:
The whining and gnashing of teeth continue from the soon to be unemployed American steel workers. It is time that the greed and indifference by the steel workers' bargaining units across America be held accountable for their actions. Let their plight not go in vane. There comes a time when the workers' demands are more than the companies can afford. The companies filed for bankruptcy and filed again and again to the point the lenders have said no more. Let this be a warning to all the unionized workers as they approach the bargaining table that there is more at stake than a few extra bucks in their paycheck from the negotiations.
My two-watt brain recalls a sound bite from a news broadcast regarding the closing of Republic Steel. The reporter asked the expert why was the mill closing? The response was it was very simple. Under ideal circumstances a Republic worker could produce steel valued at $20 a ton. The cost of the wages and fringe benefits for that employee was $24 a ton. You will please note that nowhere in the equation was there any mention of foreign steel imports or influence. The simple truth is that the unions priced themselves out of a job.
General Motors, which has weathered an invasion of foreign autos over the years, has lost market share but is still in business by smart business practices, They have managed to stay competitive in one of the most cutthroat industries in the world market. They did it without the aid of federal government intervention. (Read H.R. 808) Do you recall what their response was to LTV's business practices? They informed LTV that because of their insolvency, that they could no longer do business with the steel company. It is time for labor from the steel industry to move on to other jobs in other occupations.
THADDEUS M. PRICE
Warren