Military Veterans in San Diego react to conflict in the Middle East
SAN DIEGO (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - More than a 100,000 active-duty sailors and soldiers are based out of San Diego, and they are sharing their reaction to the conflict in the Middle East.
As Iran began its retaliatory revenge after Operation Midnight Hammer, San Diego's military community was already buzzing about what's to come.
"You drop a bomb on somebody, that's a war," said Bill Simpson, a Vietnam War Veteran.
The White House isn't calling it that, but Simpson sees it differently.
He served in the Army, but was born at NAS North Island. His father was a 30-year Navy man.
"The fear that families have when war breaks out, it's ridiculous," Simpson expressed.
San Diego-based USS Carl Vinson is already in the Middle East, along with other vessels deployed to the Fifth Fleet.
"I imagine there will be more troops headed that way if Iran shuts the Straits of Hormuz," said Shawn VanDiver, a Navy Veteran and San Diego resident.
VanDiver says American forces are now in more danger than they were just three days ago.
"The scary thing is we don't know what this is gonna look like. We don't know what the escalation of forces is gonna look like," VanDiver remarked.
When asked if there will be an escalation and more deployments, the U.S. Navy sent an NBC affiliate in San Diego a statement saying, "We cannot speak to the exact force size in the middle east or speculate about future Naval operations."
Simpson said he's seen a lot in his 70+ years. He had hoped he'd seen the end of American soldiers and sailors in harms way.
"Every time we turn around we're fighting somebody. We need to get it stopped," Simpson spoke.
The Navy isn't confirming or denying it, but some sailors informed the NBC affiliate in San Diego they've already been told to expect an early deployment.
