Letters to the editor Feb. 16

Standing up for veterans

I served for 17 years in the U.S. Navy and the majority of that time as a SEAL before the Navy abruptly ended my career in 2022 for refusing to take an experimental vaccine.

Since then, I made many inquiries regarding my prior service and the reenlistment that I was ultimately denied. I turned to Rep. Ryan Zinke, a man who served in the SEALs himself and understands the meaning of serving your country. Zinke and his office reached out to the Navy in 2024, but under the direction of the Biden administration’s policies, received a response that was dismissive and unhelpful. There was no solution to move forward.

Thankfully, President Trump’s recent Executive Order 14184 has created a new path for me and my family, to get my career reinstated, with back pay, and finish my service as I had always intended. Zinke once again advocated on my behalf, sending a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appealing for my situation.

Zinke stands up for veterans. He knows what it means to fight for your country, and he understands the betrayal I and many others felt when the government chose to mistreat its men and women. Zinke went to bat for me, something I am incredibly grateful for. I implore any veteran or enlisted service member to reach out to him and his office if you need an advocate.

— Blake Martin, Whitefish

Lake management

“Failure in management.” That’s the problem according to Rep. Ryan Zinke. He told the Daily Inter Lake when it comes to maintaining Flathead Lake at an elevation that allows boating and recreation on Flathead Lake, “No one is steering the ship.”

Or as he suggests, there are too many helmsmen at the wheel. His solution is to “direct the secretary of the Interior to ensure full pool levels of Flathead Lake” between June 15 and Sept. 15 every year.

One could argue that the ultimate manager of how much water is available to fill the lake is God. So if, God forbid, we have several years of drought, has His management failed? Perhaps Zinke is right, and there are too many earthly hands at the wheel. Should we tear down Hungry Horse and SKQ dams and let God manage the lake level?

As compelling as that solution might be to some, that’s not going to happen. So it begs the question: Who is going to direct the secretary of the Interior to keep Flathead Lake high this summer?

Currently we are witnessing a more immediate “failure in management” from Trump presidency 2.0. The hiring freeze imposed by one of Trump’s first executive orders puts at risk another tourist-industry gem in Northwest Montana. With seasonal hiring stopped, the prospects for opening the Going-to-the-Sun Road in a timely manner, as well as the 13 Glacier National Park campgrounds, is in doubt.

I haven’t heard any complaint about this from former Interior Secretary Zinke. If Trump is willing to “manage” the Flathead Valley’s tourist economy by forcing the closure or limited opening of the park, does Zinke, or anyone else, believe he gives a hoot about management of Flathead Lake? 

Look to two California reservoirs, Lake Kaweah and Lake Success, for answers.

— Roger Hopkins, Columbia Falls