Letter to the Editor: Connolly Discredits Perkins' Service

To The Editor:

I am terribly disheartened that a Congressional candidate – let alone an incumbent– could say something so disparaging toward the members of our armed forces like Gerry Connolly has.

By discrediting Colonel (Ret) Chris Perkins’ service, saying that it is not good enough experience to qualify for a seat in the United States Congress, Congressman Connolly has essentially issued the proverbial slap-in-the-face to all of our servicemen and women out there. Connolly believes that his experience working at the local level building schools and paving roads before entering federal politics makes him the more qualified candidate. He forgets that military men and women like Colonel Perkins also help build schools and pave roads; however, they do this in faraway places like Afghanistan and Africa.

If anyone has the leadership needed to serve in Congress, it’s a military officer who’s successfully led hundreds of troops into battle, and not someone who knows how to pass a city ordinance.

Michael Albin
Springfield, VA