Stars N' Stripes Letters from Iraq Theater

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=125&article=17402

<snip>

I’ve been deployed since February, and I wish I could go home. But I understand that the Army needs me here, and I have no problem doing what I signed up to do. In defense of the complainers, yes, it’s an all-volunteer force. But when these people volunteered, they were never told that they could be involuntarily extended past their expiration of term of service dates. There are soldiers over here who have been serving going on two years past their original ETS dates. I’m quite sure they volunteered for service. But I’m also positive that they were never told that they could be involuntarily extended to serve for an additional two years past their ETS dates.

<snip>

(From MP Reserve Unit)
Even though our readiness numbers hover around 70 percent, we still have no plans to go home, only rumors of extensions. We’ve watched aviation units, Marines and now the 3rd Infantry Division go home. Next I’m sure we’ll watch the 4th Infantry Division and 1st Infantry Division roll south to redeploy.

Our story is typical of Reserve and National Guard units in this war. Small units from small towns all over America with no generals, no pretty patches, no political clout and no rotation schedule home.

<snip>

(on Jessica Lynch hype)
Let me tell readers about true heroism. My friend Mike Quinn was killed on May 27 at a traffic control point in Fallujah. He was shot during an ambush and killed because he wasn’t wearing his body armor. He had given his vest to a young soldier who didn’t have one. Mike’s unselfishness cost him his life and saved his soldier’s life. He was my friend, a fellow “master gunner,” and most of all, a leader. He is my hero, along with Tom Broomhead and Bill Latham, two other noncommissioned officers killed from my troop. As a people, we need to seriously analyze what constitutes a hero.

<snip>
I’d also like to express the shame and guilt we all now feel for placing our families in this situation. Since I feel my soldiers should share the same self-control and foresight as the writer, I’ve ordered all my married soldiers to file for divorce when they return home. This will allow their spouses to remarry people outside the military who can better provide for their families, lest we get deployed again. I’ve also ordered all of my married and unmarried soldiers to lead lives of celibacy from this day forward to ensure that they will not again place a dependant in a situation in which they don’t have at least some control.

[smallprint]

1. what a line

"Small units from small towns all over America with no generals, no pretty patches, no political clout and no rotation schedule home."

sounds like the perfect recipe for mass mutiny to me

[ConservativeDemocrat]

2. MIlitary doesn't mutiny...

But it's also plainly obvious that Bush's little adventure has destroyed the voluntary military.

After all, who in their right mind is going to sign up for this in the future? No promise of paid college education is worth the risk of having another chickenhawk GOP asswipe get you permanently posted in some godawful foreign country...

- C.D.

[smallprint]

4. well put

i agree, the voluntary military is caput

but going back to the subject of those small units, don't you think something's gotta give? they must be going nuts out there.

[Divernan]

3. "He gave his vest to a young soldier who didn't have one."

WHY didn't the young soldier have a body armor vest! ? !
That's one of the most important pieces of equipment to provide to the troops.

[RamboLiberal]

5. Reportedly like everything else

There's a shortage of vests. I've seen dribs and drabs on this issue and have posted recently. Also a shortage of ceramic plates soldiers put in the vests to stop rifle rounds.

[BeHereNow]

6. Cause your tax dollars

are going in the pockets of the corporate elite-
Now, no more questions,
just give them 87 billion more.


BHN

[KoKo]

7. One of the saddest things I've every read...powerless troops who are tools

of people with mad ambitions, drunk with power.

How did this happen with the lessons of Viet Nam so fresh in our nations minds. How did we let the bitterness of those who were against our pull out of Viet Nam lead us back into another situation with the same dreadful consequences.

The politicians who voted for this war should not be re-elected they should be made to pay for legislation who led us down this path of Corporate Whoredom and Destruction of the free press in America.

This article gets to the sickness in our country. The sickness that refuses to look at history....the sickness that stole an election....and allowed lies to replace any semblence of truth.