Families bristle at word of tour extension (military families speak out)

[Olney Blue]

http://www.armytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-1985733.php


For some families of soldiers in the 172nd Stryker Brigade, the July 27 announcement of the extension of their tour in Iraq was just too much.

Some of them are joining the ranks of the anti-war group Military Families Speak Out. “We’ve had a whole group of people who have joined since the announcement,” said Nancy Lessin, co-founder of the group. She was working to get an exact count at press time, and said e-mails are still coming in to the organization.

snip

“There has never before been a group of military families breaking the code of silence like this,” she said. “It speaks to the horrific nature of the invasion and now occupation of Iraq.”

snip

But there’s a broader concern, too, Lessin added. “There’s a real sense among families this war is destroying the military,” she said, noting that “many service members who wanted to make the military a career” and were devoted to their service, have chosen to leave the military.

[BOSSHOG]

1. Bunch of fucking whiners

Their family members are volunteers and besides they would most likely die in a car wreck here if they weren't serving over there and many who have returned are just faking their PTSD and did I mention they are volunteers. By gawd I support the troops and I prove it because everytime we get a casualty report I wave my chinese made flag harder then ever. More must die so those who have already died have not died in vain. Don't these fucking whiny liberal family members get it? We must stay the course just like Our Great President says.

[Blue_In_AK]

2. More....

From the Anchorage Daily News
http://www.adn.com/news/government/story/8016248p-7909212c.html

By LISA DEMER
Anchorage Daily News

Diane Benson, Democratic candidate for Congress and mother of an Iraq war veteran who lost his legs there, said Friday that the decision to extend the tour of the Alaska-based 172nd Stryker Brigade is wrong. Benson, in a prepared statement, said U.S. Rep. Don Young should be speaking out about it.

"I call on Rep. Don Young to immediately stand up for our Alaskan sons and daughters and demand that our Alaskan families are reunited as planned. We cannot allow our families to suffer any longer. We have asked them to serve, we have told them they are coming home, and we cannot inform them at the twelfth hour that we broke our promise to them," Benson said in her statement.

Benson was reacting to a decision by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld that was announced Thursday to extend the tour of some 3,500 members of the 172nd Stryker Brigade who are still in Iraq. The unit is headquartered at Fort Wainwright. Some parents and spouses of the soldiers also have spoken out in opposition. The brigade already has been in Iraq a year, and nearly 380 soldiers already have returned to Alaska. The rest were due back in weeks. Then Rumsfeld decided to keep the brigade in Iraq for another 120 days; the unit's commander, Col. Michael Shields, has said the stay actually will be indefinite and will be determined by events, not time.

<snip>

Benson's son, Latseen, lost his legs to a roadside bomb in Iraq after being retained in the Army after his contract to serve in the military was supposed to have ended. That was through what's called the "stop loss policy," which allows the military to block troops from being discharged or retiring when they are needed.

Benson is one of four candidates fighting for the Democratic nomination and the right to challenge Young on the November ballot. Young is unopposed in the August Republican primary."


Here is a picture of Diane Benson and her brave son leading our Independence Day parade.

[Olney Blue]

3. Thank you, Blue- I had not seen that. My nephew is in Iraq, and I am sick

with worry this stoploss retention will happen to him ( they told him when he signed he would
only be there one year- sadly, he and my sister believed them)

[Blue_In_AK]

5. I hope he comes home safely...

I think this is terrible to hold these guys over when they have their hearts so set on coming home. Here is another relevant link.

http://www.ktuu.com/cms/anmviewer.asp?a=5797&z=1

[WillyT]

4. Damn... K & R !!!

:kick: