My brother, Philip Crosman Ferris, was not a sucker or a loser. He was a patriotic American who gave his life in service to his country almost 50 years ago. At 19 he flunked out of college and knew he would be drafted very soon. He could have fled to Canada as many did in those days but he wanted to be a teacher and figured draft dodger would eliminate that goal. 
He survived his year in Vietnam including participating in the Cambodian offensive but picked up an infection over there. Six months after he returned home he died of staph pneumonia. I cannot explain why Trump’s reported comments about our service men and women should have affected me so profoundly but they brought me to tears. 
To all the men and women currently serving and all the veterans, thank you for your service. May God bless and keep you.
Diana Cotter
Middlebury