LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Honor and hope

I had the privilege of attending three Memorial Day events Monday wherein area residents visited the cemeteries in Soap Lake, Ephrata and Quincy to honor those who served our country and are no longer with us. Some of those soldiers died in combat or in the course of military service away from the front lines. The lifestyle associated with putting on a uniform isn’t easy and there are all sorts of reasons we lose those in the service. Training accidents, helicopter crashes and way too many more. All too often these days, it isn’t the bullet of an enemy that takes down a service member or veteran – it’s mental health issues related to the things people have seen and done in service to our great nation. I spoke with one veteran at the Ephrata event who said he’s lost 11 of his brothers and sisters in arms to suicide after getting out of the military.