I just read the letter, “Navy worse than gravel pit.” Quite possibly the author was giving another thing for people to worry about and redirect attention but nevertheless I was disgusted.

I lived on Whidbey Island, born and raised 23 years before I moved. After Sept. 11th you would think that people would have a better understanding of why our military has to run certain exercises, including noisy fly-overs.

Ever since I started getting a real close look at the Navy, every time that jet (albeit noisy) flew over I had this feeling in the depths of my soul: A pride that couldn’t be described.

My husband does not fly airplanes, he fixes them, but I am SOOOO proud of our military and what they do to keep us safe. Complaining about noise seems REAL trivial now, especially in the “new” world we live in. Post Sept. 11th, every person on Whidbey Island should be proud of their Navy community. Proud that they support our U.S. military, personally day in and day out.

Next time you hear that plane fly over take a moment and think about what it is doing, what that moment REALLY means to you. Because throughout my young life I always thought that “pardon our noise it’s the sound of freedom” sign on Ault Field road was silly. Now I realize that noise truly is the sound of freedom. A sound produced from all the hard work that really goes into our freedom, and I would be proud to live directly in the flight path of those Navy jets without complaint.

That noise gives us the freedoms we so easily take for granted, like the freedom to voice our opinion.

Jodi A Jacukowicz

Patuxent Rover, Md