anecdotal evidence on how thinly the military is stretched today

[HootieMcBoob]

I just got off the phone with my sister. It seems that our cousin who is 40 years old and a cook in the Army reserves is going to Iraq for a year.

But he's a cook? I thought KBR was doing all the food stuff there?

Turns out, they've given him a new MOS: infantry! They stuck his ass in the infantry! A 40 year old cook!!! I have to get more details on this because is sounds totally fucked up. If they're taking 40 year old cooks from the reserves and transferring them to infantry divisions we're totally screwed.

She says he's scared to death. I think she said he's a Fort Bliss right now being trained.

Man - you know a draft is right around the corner when this kind of shit is going on.

[hangemhigh]

1. That's fucked.

Please update us as soon as you have more details. Prayers are on the way for your family-

[HootieMcBoob]

2. Thanks

I'm gonna talk to my sister again tonight and see If I can get some more information.

[didntvote4shrub]

3. Yeah.

And see if someone can't get to the media on this; this kind of story needs to be out there for discussion.

[ClintonTyree]

4. That's terrible.................

they are scraping the bottom of the cannon fodder barrel. I'm so sorry for your cousin and your family. You'd better start a letter writing campaign to your Congresscritters, LTTEs anything to try to change this. You poor cousin must be scared shitless.

[DELUSIONAL]

5. If he voted Kerry -- then my sympathies to the family

If he voted bush -- well he voted for bush. Enough said.

[HootieMcBoob]

6. I have no idea who he voted for

My family however are western PA republicans for the most part. Not all of them though. One of my sisters worked for Kerry's campaign doing phone bank stuff.

I had some really horrible arguments with some of them before the election.

[da_chimperor]

7. That reminds me of how many Germans soldiers defending Berlin in 1945

were under 18 or over 50. It's terrible to hear about your cousin getting caught up in this, I hope things get work out some how. :(