I served in the U.S. Air Force for four years during the height of the Vietnam War.

I was a Communications Center Specialist. I possessed a Top Secret/Crypto security clearance. One of the highest of all security clearances used to handle and process highly classified documents and messages.

Throughout my career, I was constantly lectured by my superiors on the solemn need to protect classified materials, at ALL costs. Mistakes were not tolerated. Penalties for violating security protocols were severe.

The mounting evidence of former President Trump stealing and harboring highly classified documents at his Mar-A-Lago estate is abhorrent to me. Trump's expected defense that he, as president, had a right to de-classify the documents seized from his residence will not hold water. According to law, NO president is allowed to declassify nuclear related documents or other top-secret documents involving our national security. Such documents held by Trump at Mar-A-Lago were among those seized and accounted for by the FBI.

The grave allegations against the former president, who has long considered himself above the law, outrages me. I never considered myself above the law in my service to my country!

Bob Sirkin

South Lyme