Letter to the Editor

Resigning was a difficult decision

Friday, August 7, 2009

Dear Editor:

I wanted to take this means and opportunity to speak to the good people of Nevada. This is a wonderful opportunity to express my thanks and gratitude for being able to serve you for almost three years as a councilman for the city of Nevada. I have not taken this privilege lightly. The continued progress and growth of the city of Nevada is very important to me. I did not make my decision to resign lightly. Allow me to give you a clearer understanding of the needs faced by our service men and women and their families.

Since the start of our military involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq almost nine years ago, our military personnel have been called on to make extreme sacrifices on behalf of their country (you and me). They have faced multiple deployments to war zones, hot spots, and overseas assignments. In the Air Force, they are called on at a minutes notice to deploy without time for their families to adjust. The divorce rate has skyrocketed, and children have anger problems that lead to aggression that would otherwise not be present in their lives. Spouses are left to cope with the problems of finance, housing, and family without burdening their deployed spouse because of the extreme nature of their work in a war zone. This nation has been at "war" on foreign soil on two fronts for almost nine years, (World War II only lasted four years which was a long time), with an all volunteer military. This is what has led to multiple deployments, the calling up of Reserve units, and National Guard Units. Replacements are not new, raw recruits for the most part, they are soldiers, airmen, and Marines who have already done one or more rotations. This is a tremendous sacrifice for them to make, and they make it with honor for the sake of their country.

This brings up my resignation from the city council. An unfortunate comment was made in the process of accepting my resignation that "I've taught my children not to quit a job before completion," indicating that I am quitting the job of city councilman. Another comment that Tim has pulled a Palen. I guess no one knew the contents of my resignation letter. My decision to resign from the council is directly related to the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform. During the course of my current assignment, I have been brought face to face with the great need that military families face. I do not look on my resignation as "quitting," but as a sacrifice that I must personally make in order to serve and support of my country and it's military forces. My sacrifice of my position on the council may be small in comparison to the sacrifice made by these brave men and women, but it is a sacrifice that I would not hesitate to make again in order to assist these wonderful people who have given so much. I have been offered two more assignments and in order to serve, I had to resign. It is as simple as that.

I thank the people of Nevada for the opportunities afforded me in service to you.

Be careful in your voting choices to fill my vacated seat. Nevada needs open and honest persons to serve them. Too much in the way of "conspiracy theories" have been floated about, where no conspiracy exists. May God bless you all, and I look forward to seeing you between Aug. 13 and Sept. 9 when my next assignment begins.

Sincerely,

Tim Wells

Tinker AFB, Okla.