Letter: Teaching kids not to smoke is parents' job

Regarding Larry Wyntjes' Feb. 8 letter, "Smoking soldiers set bad example for kids":

It is absolutely ludicrous to compare our combat soldiers and Marines to baseball, football and basketball players as role models. Doesn't Mr. Wyntjes understand the difference between fielding a hard grounder to second base and being caught in an insurgent crossfire in Baghdad?

As a concerned nonsmoker, I am sure that there are other "role models" whom we could encourage our children to emulate.

John R. Isselin, Las Vegas