Letter from a Retired Marine Says it All !!

[Triana]

MODS: we have his permission to distribute this letter
_ _ _ _ _
From NCATL Member: Frank Cassiano, Jr

Folks as a retired LtCol from the US Marines, I would like to weigh in
on the issue that senselessly divides some of us: John Kerry could have
skipped it all. He volunteered and followed through as public
sentiment turned negative. He could have sat off the coast in a large
Navy ship with remote dangers. In stead, he volunteered to join the
Swift Boats and Riverine where danger was ever present. Three Purple
Hearts are three objective awards that really cannot be faked. You
bleed from an enemy wound and you are eligible. Bronze Stars and
Silver Stars are not handed out like candy and the recipient holds very
little sway over the decisions involved in evaluating the same, that
is, after the action that garnered the attention and ultimate
recommendation. Least we forget, Vietnam became a stupid political
football. Field decisions were made willy nilly from, of all places,
Washington, DC. How many US lives were wasted taking a hill or river
camp that had only days earlier been paid for with blood and then
walked away from because someone in Washington said give it up; then
take it again....? John Kerry more than earned the right to be
critical. He became immeniently qualified to speak and he spoke with
unrivaled clairity and passion.

Compare that background to the current occupant of the most prestigous
office in the land. Objectively, there is no comparison. Bush cannot
admit a mistake. In refusing to, he cripples this country from being
able to modify its plan of attack or for peace. He squandered every
ounce of worldly good will following 9-11 by brushing off all counsel;
called our next move a Holy Crusade repeatedly, a point I'd like not to
have to make in light of the fact that not one of the Holy Crusades
ever succeeded and we entered this one after essentially spitting in
the eye of the world. Oh, and where exactly did Bin Laden fit into all
of this? He sure as hell was not in Iraq!

And what has happened to our envirnment? Or how many jobs have been
lost to overseas markets? It really is not a big deal unless you don't
own several thousand shares of the company that now makes its product
somewhere else and still sells it for the same price back here in the
ole USA. Oh, and then there is the matter of Tort Reform. When they
manage to stop pain and suffering, I'll consider their idea. Until
then, I'd like them to think about the what the options will be if we
have to tell a parent that there is nothing that can be done for their
maimed child. Payback will be way more personal than the damn
insurance money. And that does not even address the idea that the doc
that keeps getting hit by a lawsuit might just need to stop practicing
medicine.

So guess who I am voting for.

My humble sympathies for us if Bush or his congress are allowed to
haunt us any longer.

Respectfully Submitted, this the 20th day of October, 2004.

Frank A. Cassiano, Jr.
LtCol, USMCR (Retired)
TruckCrashAttorneys.com
Greenville, North Carolina

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Whew! Thanks for posting this. :^)

[NewYorkerfromMass]

2. About Frank A. Cassiano Jr.

He's a bit younge than a Vietnam vet, but I hope the hell he can help us win NC.....from his website:

FRANK A. CASSIANO, JR., was born May 29, 1957 in Morehead City, North Carolina. Following graduation from High School he attended and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland with a B.S. in 1980.

Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps, Lt. Cassiano attended flight school and assumed duties with a photo-reconnaissance squadron in California where he flew more than 340 hours, including carrier operations and armed engagements during the Grenada Invasion in 1984. In May of 1985, Captain Cassiano accepted orders directing him to law school at his own expense; he was accepted, attended, and graduated from Vermont Law School in South Royalton, Vermont. While attending Law School, Captain Cassiano served as Editor of the Vermont Legal Research Group, participated in the Thomas Debevoise Moot Court Competition, restored a hundred year old house, and worked 20 hours a week at a local restaurant.

Following graduation from Law School in May, 1988, Captain Cassiano sat for and passed the North Carolina Bar Exam, attended Naval Justice School in Newport, R.I., and executed orders to Japan where he began a three year tour as a criminal defense attorney. While home-based on Okinawa in southern Japan, Captain Cassiano won numerous Acquittals based on a combination of skillful and relentless investigations within the various military services and his persuasive argument skills. In addition he wrote and supervised the Deployed Family Assistance Program which now applies service-wide for the benefit of every service member's family whenever the active duty service member is deployed. Following the first Persian Gulf war, Captain Cassiano separated from the active duty component of the Marine Corps, returned to North Carolina and opened his Law Office in Greenville, North Carolina.

After initially continuing his successes as a criminal defense attorney, he accepted the position of Police Attorney for the City of Greenville and proceeded to standardize all procedures. With Accreditation of the Greenville Police Department well under way, Mr. Cassiano returned to the full-time, private practice of law, concentrating on serving accident victims and their families as an investigative attorney, trial attorney, and certified mediator.

Mr. Cassiano remains active in the Marine Corps Reserve and currently holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He is licensed to practice law in North Carolina, the District of Columbia, all of the Federal Courts, and Japan. He is a Patron Member of the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers as well as a member of both the North Carolina and District of Columbia Bar Associations.

http://truckcrashattorneys.com/frank.htm

[Triana]

4. Quite an impressive resume, eh? :)

thanks for posting it!

[Cha]

3. Yes, thank you ..

Frank A. Cassiano, Jr. LtCol, USMCR (Retired)!

I hope your vote really counts in North Carolina..even though Kerry hasn't been able to have ads there for a while now.