Tent City to hold AWOL soldiers

[unhappycamper]

Tent City to hold AWOL soldiers
The Arizona Republic
Published: 09.27.2007


Tent City will begin holding soldiers convicted of being absent without leave.

AWOL soldiers are being sent to Maricopa County's Tent City Jail because Fort Huachuca doesn't have a facility that can confine inmates for long periods of time, said Tanja Linton, public affairs spokesperson for Fort Huachuca. Military officials also hope that the AWOL soldiers' experiences in Tent City will be close to the living accommodations of soldiers in Iraq.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio made the announcement about the deal on the grounds of the outdoor desert jail Tuesday afternoon. Arpaio stood next to the first AWOL inmate taken into Tent City.

Lance Thompson, 18, went AWOL from Fort Huachuca training camp in Sierra Vista for over 150 days because of what he said were financial difficulties.

He turned himself in at Fort Sam Houston in Texas. Thompson was then transferred back to Fort Huachuca and convicted of being AWOL. He was sentenced to 27 days in Tent City.

"I'm supposed to be a soldier out protecting people and helping people, and I'm cleaning toilets," Thompson said of his stay in Tent City. Thompson is hoping to re-enlist in the Army once he has completed his sentence. Thompson, who choked back tears when he talked to the media, said the experience has been eye opening.


Rest of article at: http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/64228.php

[BOSSHOG]

1. They should all call bush as a character witness

[Joe Chi Minh]

2. After reading this post, I'm disappointed to read your signature tag!

[BOSSHOG]

3. Help me out my Friend

I'm not clear on your meaning.

[Joe Chi Minh]

4. You made a hilarious, but very compelling point, Boss man.

The Church can always do with more maverick truth-tellers to power.

[BOSSHOG]

5. I must plead total ignorance

you have lost me again My Friend. My tag line relates to bush as a character witness in what way?

Had a grand visit to Edinburgh in 1967. Lived two years at RAF Edzell. Scotland will always have a warm and cozy spot in my heart. Fish and chips wrapped in Newspaper and soaked in vinegar on a streetcorner in Montrose. Haute Cuisine.

[Joe Chi Minh]

6. Glad your enjoyed your stay. Your tagline reflected a perceptive and

somewhat maverick mind, which would be an asset to the Church. That's all. Nothing directly to do with Bush.

[BOSSHOG]

7. Okay now I am begging

How is my tagline an asset to the Church? If you are suggesting that the separation of church and state is the ultimate good deal, fine. Our constitution is what I swore to defend. I believe our constitution should reign supreme, not some religious book. You are speaking in riddles. I plead an inability to get your point. Help me out.

[Joe Chi Minh]

8. Nothing difficult, matey. I'm just at odds with you on that issue, and

think you're a loss to the Church. Even if I repudiate your assumptions, I can admire the thinking behind your post. (Though if I remember correctly, you've been a wee bit to the right of the Democratic spectrum).

That's not to say I don't understand why so many Americans are adamant on separation of Church and State. Clearly, Christianity has been massively traduced for malign political purposes by the far right, i.e the right in the US.

[BOSSHOG]

9. You continue to talk way over my head

and I think on purpose. If you cannot converse in a rational manner where I know what the fuck you are talking about I suspect this chit chat is done.

Yes I am a wee bit to the right of the average DUer.

My thoughts of christians (not christianity) is that they can and do find a fine old life in the land of the free, but that does not sate their appetite to find ways to ensure all believe as they "believe" all the while spending many of their lives fucking and cavorting and lying and cheating while hiding behind their blankey of Jesus.

[Joe Chi Minh]

11. What a sad loss for me. And I'd so hoped for more polite discourse with you.

Alas, though, life is indeed like a box of chocolates, and I've just tasted a terrible one. Aaargh! Is there a waste-paper basket handy? Hail and farewell, my friend.

[NYVet]

10. Sorry Lance

If he was really having financial difficulties, there are better ways to resolve the issue than running away from it.

The Army offers financial counseling through Army Community Services and at the unit level. He should have gone to someone in his chain of command and spoken to them about the issue. Even an E-1 with no time in the service makes 1300.00 a month, before any allowances like BAH or BAQ.
(And that is more than many 18 year old kids I know make in a month.)