TO THE EDITOR: THE NORTHFIELD NEWS AS THE DEBATE concerning the "Veteran's Place" continues (nothing is a "done deal" in our legal system; for better or worse) it's becoming wholly apparent that the only response from Veterans Place proponents to the concerns of this community about the safety of our children given the location of this center, is to suggest that opposition is unpatriotic and/or uncaring towards the plight of our veterans.

Indeed, the heart-wrenching statistics given by Lise Ewald are verifiably certain. And we should honor and respect that caring organizations like VPI and devoted persons such as Sandy Combs (no relation to myself) are at the forefront of caring for our underserved veterans.

Sadly, since Mr. Combs has defiantly stated that moving the center to a location away from the school is untenable, we now have two noble causes, protecting our children vs. caring for our veterans, in conflict in our community.

Personally, this is an especially painful conflict. I too am a Veteran and a father of two small children soon to attend the elementary school. However, most importantly I am a son of a very special father who was himself a Vietnam-era veteran, career soldier whose battle with PTSD gradually worsened as he eventually became a tally in each of those statistics given by Lise Ewald. Thus, unlike many whom now picture nameless souls watching their children and grandchildren pass by from the Veterans Place. I envision my deceased father, wrapped in the bondage of his struggle against his demons and addiction, as he catches glimpses of the grandchildren he's never met bounding down the street in their first years of school. On one hand, I want him to have this respite of joy. I assume his struggle has made him weary and this would hopefully give him strength. On the other hand, I've lived those naive days and the hard realities which followed me to manhood have made it clear that this interaction will most likely remind him of his failures as a husband and father. Aiding the cycle of selfloathing which nourishes his disease.

I am now the father. It is my strength which my boys most require. I loved my father, and I love my boys dearly. However, I am acutely aware of those demons which swirled around my father, and ultimately it is those demons from which I am bound to protect my children. Painful as it would be, I would not want my father in that home next my children's elementary school. And if asked during one of his sober and lucid periods throughout his 30yr struggle, neither would he. His abandoning us was a way of avoiding our judgement and that of the world which will soon be watching and judging these men at the Veteran's Place. This is why having this facility next to our children's schools is illogical on both behalfs.

Ultimately, it is not TVPI or Mr. Combs' responsibility to care for or protect our children. I'm sure we're more than capable of this ourselves. What we should want to know from Mr. Combs' is whether he thinks this is the best thing for those veterans whom he says he serves? I'm personally certain of the response those men would give him, if told of the situation and asked their thoughts. Why then must we have a conflict which serves neither our children or our beloved veterans?
MARK J. COMBS
Northfield