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EDITOR'S NOTE: What's on the minds of Butler County voters as they prepare to vote in the presidential election? In this series of stories leading up to November, we let them tell us.

HAMILTON — People are worried about the economy, but that's not as much of a concern to Brown Turner as protecting the homeland.

"If we're not secure from the Islamic rebels, terrorists or whatever, nothing else makes any difference," said Turner of Lindenwald. "If I'm not secure in my own country, what good will a new car do me?"

The 75-year-old Korean War veteran said the country would be better off if every high school graduate was forced to serve in the military at low pay for two years, then get money for higher education.

"There's nothing in the world that makes you more proud than serving your country," Turner said.

Turner said he moved to Hamilton with his family as a child from Leatherwood, Ky. As a youngster, he worked at the local bowling alley setting up pins and was a caddie at the golf course.

After the war, Turner said he worked for Champion Paper and delivered newspapers, then opened a restaurant on Millville Avenue called Mamaw's, which has since shut down.

Turner said voters should elect a strong president who loves the country and is not afraid to defend it.

Locally, there's too much nepotism in city and county governments, he said, adding that taxes keep going up and government needs to be more concerned about spending.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2122 or rwilson@coxohio.com.