Letters

Jason Peckenpaugh's "Tough Competition" (March) was a good article, but he didn't mention these important points:

• Outsourcing is seen by many as a union-busting tactic of this administration.
• It will eliminate a very large segment of the middle class in this country, resulting in social changes that will greatly affect rural areas.
• Rural areas will see an influx of contract workers who might not be welcome.
• The government could net savings by firing older employees-who have served in the federal workforce for many years and whose pay is based partly on their longevity-and replacing them with younger, inexperienced employees.
• Dedicated but overworked federal employees might not take the time required to adequately prepare their contract bids.

Joanna Guttman
Forest Service

Second, the Veterans Affairs example and my experience convince me that the mission of an agency will not suffer, except possibly during short-term transition, by a conversion of ancillary support functions. To the contrary, mission performance could improve at the VA, if it's freed from day-to-day oversight of building maintenance, and cafeteria and cleaning chores. Important though they are, the VA would be able to concentrate on its core purpose-providing the highest standard of medical care to our deserving military veterans, as noble and vital a mission today as ever.

The views of this author do not necessarily represent the views of the Air Force, Defense Department or its components.

Col. Wayne Wisniewski
Air Force
Staff Judge Advocate

I agree that Head Start needs a complete overhaul ("Well-Read or Well-Fed," July). Recently, my daughter enrolled my granddaughter in a Head Start program. To my dismay, what I read about the objective of the program and what is really out there does not match. This program is nothing but a child-care center manned by minimum wage employees who are struggling with demands-imposed by the program managers-that are beyond their control.

Fernando Martinez
San Antonio

Being well-fed is rudimentary to success, but without the ability to read, every child is lost. If the children of today's lower economic spectrum can be exposed to the same type of atmosphere that my daughter provided to her daughter, this country would be better for it. Parents need to take an interest, and they can if they truly want a better life for their child. Too often parents are the ones at fault, showing a lack of interest in educational things.

I see Head Start doing just that . . . providing a healthy, fun and educational environment.

President Bush is on the right track.

N. Karen Polk
Fleet Support Team Operation Support
Naval Air Systems Command
North Island San Diego

Refocusing on literacy is what is needed. The federal free or reduced lunches program takes care of school children. Aid to Dependent Children was supposed to take care of preschool nutrition by supplementing the income of single parents.

Jim Hochstein
Life Cycle Cost Analyst
Navy
Keyport, Wash.

As a strong advocate for the HS program, I am encouraged that this administration wants to strengthen it. However, my concern is that the performance measures that guide the program's design may be lost. I hope this will be recognized and a smooth transition to the augmented program can be facilitated, with Head Start continuing to meet the needs of our children and families.

Before decisions are made, it will be important to critically assess the impact (both positive and negative) of moving the program to the states; very few have the infrastructure and the track record to be successful.

Eileen O'Brien, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology
University of Maryland Baltimore County

One of the certification programs noted in the August Viewpoint, "Information Security Takes Skill," was misidentified. The correct name is Security+, and it is offered by the Computing Technology Industry Association.