To 1st Infantry Division troops, Army's stop-loss orders weren't unexpecte

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=18807

Soldiers wearing the “Big Red One” shoulder patch aren’t going anywhere soon — except Iraq.

The Pentagon this week imposed stop-loss and stop-movement orders on all troops headed to the Middle East next spring, meaning no one can leave the unit or transfer to another until summer 2005. The orders include the 1st Infantry Division, based in Würzburg, which is scheduled to relieve the 4th Infantry Division in Tikrit.

<snip>

“There are some soldiers in my unit who were due to PCS within a couple of weeks, and now they’ll have to stay for a year,” he said.

But, he added, “I knew the Army would put stop loss into effect again, because the Army really needs people right now.”

<snip>

Stop loss and stop movement are not absolute. According to a memo circulated by the Army’s G1 (personnel) command, soldiers eligible for mandatory or disability retirement will be allowed to leave, as will those separated for disciplinary reasons, poor performance or violation of the homosexual conduct policy.

[wtmusic]

1. So if you act 'gay'

you can get out of the Army. Bizarre.

[E_Zapata]

3. Let's send pink tutus to the entire division.......

at least a few would put them on and prance around, and we can say we saved a few lives from an unjust, insane war.

[wtmusic]

4. LOL too funny

there's one for the history books!

[E_Zapata]

2. I would start acting REAL bad real quick............

hmmmmm, would I go homosexual, or would I commit a theft? Homosexuality is probably the ONLY thing that would get a soldier booted out.

[shamanstar]

5. being gay WILL NOT get you out of the army right now

oops- i just read that it would, but i know many people have tried that and it hasnt worked, so im not sure exactly how it would work. maybe they have to suspect you are gay before?

my sister is in one of the units in germany mentioned and i actually think he Spc. Heinck was refering to her when he said “There are some soldiers in my unit who were due to PCS within a couple of weeks, and now they’ll have to stay for a year,”.
she shouldve been coming home in 3 weeks.

i have contacted the gi rights hotline and they suggested that the only way for her to get out is to file as a conscientious objector.
we are working on that right now.

[tabasco]

6. Big effect on morale

Troops affected by stop-loss want to be somewhere else. It's a challenge for commanders to motivate these troops. If there was any just cause for this war, the troops would know it and would be behind it. But the war has been exposed as unnecessary, and the troops know it. Our military people are not stupid. I think a lot of military people are fondly remembering the peaceful Clinton era, when the President kept his sacred trust to commit troops only when diplomacy failed.

edited typos