I received this email just now from a Veteran of the United States ARMY who gave me the ok to post this but wanted to remain anonymous, I will respect that request.
Dear Mr. Governor,
I am a current member of the United States Army and currently deployed, I am not a front lines guy, I do not put my life on the line every day in combat but I am a soldier. You see my job is to prep bodies of fallen soldiers killed in action for their journey home. I also am involved in coordinating ramp ceremonies for fallen soldiers before they return home as well. If you have never seen a ramp ceremony I might suggest you do a YouTube search on them but I guarantee none of them have "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston playing during them.
I've been doing this for almost four years now and have seen more men and women flying home in a flag draped casket that anyone in their lifetime would see but it's my job and how I serve the country. Last year a close friend of mine was KIA and I prepared him for the ceremony, and got on the plane with him and accompanied him home. There was no flags at half mass however about 1000 people lined the street near the church including members of The Patriot Guard who stood watch to keep certain members of the Westboro Wackos from protesting.
Whitney Houston was a great singer, and yes she had donated some "Pocket Change" of her multi millions to charity but for you to lower the flag in her honour is a slap in the face to every one of those soldiers I have sent home. You say that the flag have been lowered for every soldier from New Jersey under your administration which is great but again I some how feel when you do this for a "Drugged out pop star" that will in my opinion be tainted.
I am not saying that soldiers are perfect and that none of us have ever done drugss or had to go in rehab either, no one is perfect and we all have our faults but when our heroes return home people also don't dig up their life story and see any bad things they may have done but still they have all served for our country, put their lives on the line for every citizen out there and given the ultimate sacrifice. I feel sorry for her young daughter who is now without a mother, my thoughts and prayers do go out to Whitney Houstons family & friends.
To all the families who have lost love ones to any sort of conflict my thoughts and prayers are with you all and your sons and daughters were all heroes and always will be to me.
Due to my current active role I am not signing this with my name but I wanted speak my mind as per our decision.
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