Letter From an Air Force Flight Surgeon

Honorable Robert M. Gates,

Enough is enough! You must be aware at this point of the tempest brewing among the Rank and File. I am writing you in an effort to appeal to your sense of concern for the Military; a concern we share not only for the Military as a whole but for each and every individual who wears the Uniform in the Service of our Country. I am in this regard specifically asking you for your help. I implore you to not wait until the “pot boils over” and we find ourselves in total disarray.

I am convinced, beyond any doubt, that the moral well being and efficiency of our fighting forces to defend our Country is soon to be hanging in a precarious balance if not already. In my humble estimation this is NOT a theoretical possibility to construct a thesis or a contingency plan about. It is a reality and is happening right now. Resolution of this issue must be accomplished in the most expeditious manner available at your disposal to gain immediate relief to those of us who are struggling to fully comply with our sworn Oath to the Constitution while being conflicted by questions relating to the qualifications of the POTUS to hold the office in full and absolute compliance with the Natural Born Citizen Clause.

Regardless of differences in the color of our uniforms, the color of our skin, religion or gender WE are Brothers and Sisters in Arms and our family is being torn apart. Are you not looking and listening to what is happening around you? How can anyone of good conscious stand by and let this happen to us? I for one cannot! You must care enough to intercede to stop this. Is this not within your power to do so? Why have you not acted already? What is it that you are waiting for?

If you have any doubts of what I am saying is true you need look no further than the comments made on the Military.com site regarding the actions of Lt. Scott Easterling who in my opinion is an absolutely courageous young Army Officer. Irrespective of your personal opinion of his actions, one thing is abundantly clear; the horrible, hateful and demeaning things that were being said about him and one to the other among my Brothers and Sisters in Arms were things that I have NEVER experienced in ALL my years of military service. It is no less than gut retching to see this happening. The wounds that are being inflicted will NOT be healed by any Medicine I have at my disposal. There is nothing I learned in Medical School or in my training as a Flight Surgeon that can fix this; save the absolute power of Truth. The POTUS must stop concealing the documents once and for all and the issue of his qualifications must be addressed. Make no mistake; any adverse consequences to the troops as a result of your failure to act responsibly will be in large part directly on your head.

Have you considered the legal ramifications for our fighting forces if for any reason the POTUS is not qualified. Are they in Iraq illegally? If so does this make them terrorists under International law as the Islamic radical elements have been calling them? Have they given up their Geneva protections and do not even know this? If so when captured can they be killed or tortured without International legal ramifications? Have they been stripped of the legal protections by the Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief act? Are you willing to allow this risk to them when they are fighting for us?

Once again I find myself at a loss of words to try to explain the abject and total dismay I have at the administration to include the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to allow the painful division now occurring in our military to proceed unabated. I hope that do not need to remind you that you as well took an Oath to support and defend the Constitution. As a point of honor you are either willing to do this or you are not. If you are not then preserve your honor, resign and let someone who cares more about us than that do what is right.

I again respectfully implore you to act within your powers and help us. It is absolutely true and is my Prayer to my Creator to allow me to suffer the slings and arrows of being thought a fool rather than to have my convictions realized that persons of responsibility have allowed through negligence to have the Office of the President of the United States to be USURPED; it is self evident however, that whatever the outcome we must know the truth.

V/R
Lt Col David A. Earl-Graef USAFR MC