I'm becoming really scared for my niece . . .

[OneBlueSky]

she's a cadet at West Point who will be graduating on May 28 . . . I just got a card from my sister inviting me to the ceremonies and to a combination graduation party/family reunion on that day at another sister's house . . .

when my niece enrolled at the Academy, we hadn't invaded Iraq or even talked much about it (her enrollment was delayed for a year) . . . I'm sure she's been indoctrinated about the war and will "do her duty" as assigned, and given the fact that she's taken courses in Arabic, I have no doubt that she'll end up in Iraq (or Iran) within a month or two of her graduation . . .

this is a wonderful, smart, talented and compassionate young lady who believes in service and wanted to attend West Point for the free education and then move on to medical school after serving her time . . . just the thought of her being deployed in that hellhole is giving me all kinds of nightmares . . . and though I haven't spoken with her in awhile, I can only imagine what my sister (her mom) is going through . . .

oh, how I hate BushCo and the people who instigated this illegal and immoral war! . . . I pray every night that Bush will be removed from office -- somehow, some way -- and soon . . .

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. I can feel for you

taht said that Cadet, soon Second LT, will do her duty,

It is not indoctrination and you should know that the US Military is NOT FREE to choose the mission... that is up to the civilian leadership

Now hopefully the LT will do her time and resign her commision, or if she should decide to stay in and make this a career, she will be among the many young officders who like the class of '66 felt betrayed by the Democrats and this time around they are being betrayed by the Republicans

So maybe the miltiary will truly go back to the apolitical stance, no registration, voting in the privacy of your consience, military we need

And there are signs that may be hapening

I'd worry about something else, she will be a ring knocker, and those officers can be a pain, especially in the begining, for the NCOs that have to baby seat them... yep they know it all, just ask them

[Crunchy Frog]

2. I'm sorry for what you're going through.

I will just really hope that she makes it through this in one piece. I wish there was more I could do.:-(

[Hello_Kitty]

3. Is she still planning on medical school?

Maybe they'll train her to become a doctor due to the desperate need for medical personnel. Though, her training in Arabic would make her a valuable asset on that score. If she is as compassionate and smart as you say, then they can't indoctrinate that out of her. Remember, Wes Clark is a West Point grad too.

[OneBlueSky]

5. oh, yeah . . . she's wanted to be a doctor for a long time . . .

I just hope she makes it through this insanity and is able to realize her dream . . .

[Cleita]

4. She may get a safer assignment even if it's in the ME.

Even the army knows they can't afford a brain drain.

[forgethell]

6. Nothing is ever "free"

someone has to pay for it. I'm sorry for your niece, and you, of course, but the purpose of the military is to fight wars, and everybody knows it. (This is not, by the way, an expression of support for war, specific wars, or the Iraq war, so don't bother to flame me, anybody).

As I said, nothing is free, and it looks like your niece will be paying for her education after all. I hope she comes out of it OK, and I hope other progressive kids, looking for an education, take note of what price they may be required to pay.

Best wishes to you and her, and Merry Christmas, everybody.

:)

[wellstone dem]

7. I know the feeling

My niece just graduated from ROTC. She too enlisted in a different time, actually, when Clinton was still president. She comes from a divorced family, where both parents were lower middle class or low-income. She was a top student. Fortunately (at least for now) she studied Chinese, so for now she is scheduled to go to Korea, though some in her unit have had their orders changed and are being sent to Iraq. It is so hard to combine the time of pride that we associate with graduation from a top school, with the worry and concern that a military commission holds at this time.

I know that folks say they knew the risks when they signed up. But please remember, they make a commitment to us, they commmit to risk their lives to defend our country. We make a commitment to them to value their service, to hold it in esteem, and to not squander it. These young people are holding up their side of the bargain, we have not held up our side of it by sending them to Iraq.