Letters submitted by BDN readers are verified by BDN Opinion Page staff. Send your letters to letters@bangordailynews.com
I served as commander of the Maine Air National Guard, and in my many decades around military life in this state, I’ve seen a lot of people talk about supporting our troops and veterans. Few have backed it up the way Sen. Susan Collins has.
As chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Collins has always worked to bring defense dollars home to Maine. That means steady work at Bath Iron Works, where generations of Mainers have built destroyers for our Navy. It is investment in our shipyards and our National Guard units, and it is investment in the people who serve.
Her commitment extends to the next generation, too. Collins secured federal funding for Maine Maritime Academy’s new training ship, so MMA students get the hands-on experience they need to become the mariners and maritime leaders of tomorrow.
I watched firsthand, for years, how federal support, or the lack of it, affects military families and the communities that depend on that work.
Collins has also been a consistent voice for veterans’ health care and benefits. And she’s never missed a vote in the Senate, which says a lot about how seriously she takes the job.
At 96 years old, I’ve seen many senators come and go. Very few have Susan Collins’ record of delivering for Maine’s military communities.
I believe she’s earned the trust of the people who serve and the trust of the communities that depend on defense jobs to get by.
I hope Mainers remember that record.
Ralph Leonard
Retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general
Old Town