I do not usually respond to comments made about me in the “Letters” section of this newspaper. I have found it serves no useful purpose. However, this seems to be a personal attack on me, and I will not sit by and have my and, through me, my family’s military service attacked. This is especially true when an individual who neither knows me nor my family decides to attack me in the paper. I refer to Sgt. Hall’s comments on Aug. 17.

First, it is quite obvious Sgt. Hall did not read my comments correctly. On Aug. 3, I made the comment that “because properties owned by disabled veterans -- whose county property taxes are waived completely if they are 100 percent disabled -- cost the county $23 million, Clark said Lampasas County, in effect, experienced a net decrease of $15 million in taxable values compared to last year.” This is a fact, not a derogatory statement about veterans. I challenge Sgt. Hall to show me where this statement is either “unfair” or “discriminatory.”

I have a comment for Sgt. Hall: Before you attack and disparage a person’s reputation and values, you should at least take the time to know him. Your comments are an insult to me and every member of my family. My father served in the Army for 28 years before retiring as an E9. He earned the Bronze Star and Purple Heart when half his lungs were shot out in the Pacific. I had one uncle in the SeaBees during World War II, and two uncles served in the Army. My brother served in the Navy submarine service. I served 12 years in the Navy with two tours in Vietnam.

Sgt. Hall, don’t presume to lecture me on the honor and respect our servicemen have earned and deserve.

Jack N. Clark Lampasas County Auditor