(Active Duty) Soldiers Challenge Enlistment Extensions

[maddezmom]

WASHINGTON - An Army specialist, saying it was "a question of fairness," filed a lawsuit Monday with seven other soldiers challenging a policy forcing them to serve in Iraq (news - web sites) beyond their terms of enlistment.


"I served five months past my one-year obligation and I feel that it's time to let me go back to my wife," David Qualls told a news conference.


Qualls and seven other reserve members filed a suit in federal court seeking a judge's order to require the Army to immediately release them from service.


Other soldiers have filed similar suits over the past year, but this was believed to be the first by active duty service members.

more: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=542&ncid=716&e=4&u=/ap/20041206/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/soldiers_enlistment_lawsuit

[Yavin4]

1. You Vote Bush

You get Bush. Suit up, shut up, and go serve again. Serve the rest of your life for all I care. I protested this war in Feb. 2003. I voted for candidates who were against it. I gave money to candidates who were against it. I campaigned for Kerry who wanted to involve an international coalition which would have reduced the pressure on our troops.

And what did I get for my troubles? I was told that my views are out of synch with American values. I was told that I was un-American. I was marginalized to the extreme. So, they wanted Bush. They got him.

[ohioliberal]

2. You sumed it up for me too.

[Florida_Geek]

3. I would bet 6 out of 8 were Bush voters.

Enjoy another vacation in Iraq.

[atreides1]

4. To Be Fair

Not all US military people voted for Bush, and unless someone does an accurate polling, we will never know what % of the military did vote for him.

The down side is that all of us will suffer for the decision that 59 million kool-aid drinking, warmongering, homophobic, cowardly sheep
made on 11-02-04.

[caledesi]

5. Good post! I enjoyed it vicariously. nt

[Karenina]

11. Errrraaaa....

Their VOTES were cast in the fireplace. As were the votes of +MILLIONS+ of ex-pats who registered only to find their info in a database and votes LOST IN CYBERSPACE.

[Yavin4]

17. Bull!

Every poll of the military and their families were decidedly pro-Bush. Didja see the Army/Navy game this weekend? They were practically crying in Bush's presence. The military is strongly pro-Bush. They showed Bush more respect than they would have shown Kerry, a former Naval officer.

They wanted Bush. They got him. Suit up. Shut up. And serve your master.

[Karenina]

21. I must inform you

that the "military" vote was indeed suppressed, e-mail and fax through the Pentagon. We ex-pats received ballots too late or called home to find our names were NOT on the rolls. This is an extension of the FRAUD that most likely will never see the light of day. The reason is that the UNPRECENDENTED registrations were DECIDEDLY against the *dauphin. He made a COMPLETE, EMBARRASSING ASS of himself every time he touched these shores. We have the benefit of distance.

The voices of the rank and file, whose limbs are being blown off and brains blown out for what they realize now was a STEAMING PILE OF DOGSHIT have yet to be heard. This is one of the reasons the troops keep getting recycled. Better for *TPTB that they are killed or FUBAR than that they be returned home to reveal the TRUTH of their "service."

[ernstbass]

14. I'm with you Yavin4

[luaneryder]

6. Waiting for the

"they knew this could happen when they signed on" or "they did volunteer" trolls to appear.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[SnowGoose]

8. You'll probably think I'm stupid for saying this, but

I think active-duty soldiers should be allowed to quit regularly (say once a month), whether or not their tours are over or not.

Before you say "this would never work," think about it. After 9-11 there was no shortage of soldiers who would volunteer to go to Afghanistan (setting aside LIHOP-MIHOP for a moment), and would Agni if this country were attacked. On the other hand, soldiers with freedom to quit would absolutely neuter the ability of a country to go on foreign adventures that didn't directly *defend* their sovereign territory.

As always, feel free to dismiss my opinions with nary a second thought - everyone else does.

[dkofos]

19. Good idea

Maybe they should unionize the military.

Just the thought of it makes me laugh.

:think: :think:

[Wright Patman]

9. Too late, David Qualls

Your wife has already slept with practically everybody back at your home base. A woman has her needs.

[insane_cratic_gal]

10. As a military family

who voted for Kerry! who is against this war from day 1. It's hard for me to hear people say shut up you voted for Bush. Because I did not, nor did a lot of military families.

Let me just say what's in my heart and you can choose whether or not to flay me.

The reason I got out and voted for the first time this year, was motivation to get chimp out of the white house.

These families that your talking about, have to tell their children why their mother or father aren't coming home. These families have to deal with months and months of being away from any support system. I know i've lived no closer then 600 miles from my support system for 7 years.
They brave it alone. If they want to raise their voices in protest. They have every damn right to, without the sarcasim. They may very well be what gets these damn conservative nazi's to wake up! To refute everything Fox has told them for the last 4 years.

Because I am a democrate and against this war, and my husband and I both disagree with this war, we have been told we are nothing short of anti-american for our views, by the fox news brainwashed freaks.

I come here and I am hearing the same thing?? So if my home isn't here and trust me I wanted him out just as badly if not more then you. (I'm facing the possiblity of my own Husband being deployed to the "green zone.") Where do I reside my hat? If your not welcoming my voice where shall I put it?

The truth is we don't know how the military voted. We don't what they were lead to believe.. what news channel do you think they watch over in Iraq? We know they were toted as hero's in the defense of 9/11.. media barage of crap. The average age of the kids their are 19-23.. Who have to believe in this war otherwise their limbless body was for naught. If you need an agenda to overthrow Bushism, use that anger and get the truth out. Don't fuel against a how you "think" they voted.

I see death tolls posted on here #1274, #1275 ect and I wonder, if you see a person there or do you just assume it was a vote for Bush?

So there are no misunderstandings, I do feel deeply for the people of Iraq. I don't agree with these tactics .. I never have. These men and women, the media has made feel important for the first time in their lives. That stirs ego. Educate, educate.. that should be the goal here. Not gleeful pandering .. good those bastards deserve it speak. I believe, they deserve the truth and to keep their families in tact, to keep their limbs and sanity while they are at it.

[UpInArms]

13. I understand what you said

Because I am a democrate and against this war, and my husband and I both disagree with this war, we have been told we are nothing short of anti-american for our views, by the fox news brainwashed freaks.

When you read that here at DU, it is because fighting cobwebs of lies is so hard.

We (here at DU) who have stood and told the truth to lies, marched in the streets, written letters, voted, railed, attempted to convince everyone we met on the street, in the stores, in lines, wherever - have been called every name in the book - told we were terrorists sympathizers - hated our country, aided and abetted our enemies.

It is not against you and yours that we rail, it is against all those that just don't care, won't listen, bow before their dear Fuhrer ad nausem.

Welcome to DU and please don't feel personally attacked - it isn't meant that way.

We do put names and lives with those numbers, we weep for the losses on all sides, we mourn for our country, our fellow citizens and for the innocence destroyed and mangled by this mal-administration.

[insane_cratic_gal]

15. Allow them to rail with you

Thank you, I too have blurted till I am blue in the face to Bush voters.

Problem is over coming the brain washing that was enstilled in this country. Undoing what media has toted, as Iraq "fight for freedom" and Bush's patriotic bs that is shown at every curve.

Honestly I do understand the anger, but I also understand the military feveor that caught this country in a wave of flag waving americans. They took a 9/11 tragdey and turned into a spin show for Neo-con agenda.

If someone who is part of the military wants to scream about stop-loss by humanity let them! Let them scream at the top of their lungs and add your own voice too. It's only now starting to surface. It's the only thing that is going to convince these Bush addicts that it's wrong.
Churches started adopting troops, they started mailing them to thank them for their service. Again, not something the average Joe or Joey gets in their daily mailbox.

So if a solider wants to come and tell their story, allow them safe haven to do so. Because once you strike out against "your own" military and commander and chiefs policy, you have no community except those who welcome you. the Rove fox news crowd brands them as traitors to their country. If democrats starting doing the same, thinking they voted for bush or get what they deserve for joining the service, you just isolated a voice that is needed to get the fantatics to see the truth.

There is an awakening happening in this country, I wish to believe that, I am hopeful for it. Let's try to synch their voices with our own.

[UpInArms]

16. We will all stand together

and be loud enough to be heard at some point.

I just wish it would happen soon.

I had a strange thing happen yesterday - in a convenience store in the middle of nowhere.

There are more people unhappy with what is happening in this country than we can imagine.

It's just hard to find the ways to make those changes, but we will.

Hang in there with us, insane_cratic_gal, we'll find our way.

[lebkuchen]

12. Soldiers who don't support the mission--for shame

Come to think of it, I was berated today at work for being against killing Iraqis. I could have used these guys to take the hits for me!

[lumpy]

18. The 'contract ' the guy signed

appears to be flawed. Article indicates the contract doesn't state service will be required beyond agreed time? Hope they win the case. It certainly pays to know what you are signing.

[dkofos]

20. If you watched 60 minutes last night,

those contracts are meaningless.

At least in the eyes of the govt.

[leftchick]

22. Duplicate Thread

I believe this is the same as the NYT story posted last night.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1047814

[Moderator]

23. Duplicate topic--Please continue discussion here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1047814