A year-and-a-half after both military and civilian residents of homes served by the Navy’s Red Hill water supply complained of serious health problems from using the water, the Defense Health Agency has finally acknowledged responsibility to civilians who were harmed by the Navy’s negligence (“Military to provide health care to civilians affected by Red Hill water,” Star-Advertiser, April 11).

Rather than doing the compassionate and the right thing and immediately provide medical care to all persons it harmed, it hid behind bureaucratic limitations and legal defenses to deny that humanitarian assistance until shamed and compelled by the public and the congressional delegation to belatedly extend limited medical help.

Foolishly, had it accepted its responsibility earlier and offered needed health and economic care, it might have minimized the anticipated lawsuits certain to arise due to its incompetence and deception.

Francis M. Nakamoto

Moanalua Valley

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