[Conservababe]

The Reservists are getting the short end of the stick in the last few years, methinks.

They should not be sent on one year call-ups at the whim of Rummy.

They joined to be back-up for the career military and not to be career military themselves.

I don't blame them for being disgruntled.

Flame away!

[Jaidyn]

This isn't at the whim of Rummy and they know when they sign up what the score is. Some join for education and could care less about the military, while others like the extra money and the VAST majority actually want to serve their country. Consider the WWll vets who were gone from home years at a time in continuous combat. More civilians complain than do those actually doing the dirty work. Unless you are over there, you don't know. The media lies. So does Kennedy and liberals in general.

[Delta 21]

The reserves joined to fullfil the oath they swore.

I do believe its in the fine print somewhere that active duty may very well be a real posibility. ...and an 18 month call up is not a career.

Funny you dont here them bitching and moaning when they are going to college on your dime.

[Pukin Dog]

They joined to be back-up for the career military and not to be career military themselves.

Sorry to break it to you, but there is no such think as a back-up military. Reservists know at anytime they can be called away to war. Too many of them join for a free education these days. Reservists thinking that they are somehow special need to leave. If their country needs them, they should be there as long as it takes, period.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

If active duty military were given substantial pay raises, perhaps they would re-enlist more and thus the reserves wouldn't be stretched so thin.

[Normal4me]

Could it be that we are short on troops due to you know who? I admire every person that is serving but they are serving more as policemen these days and that is one of the reasons Rummy and the administration is looking for international help.

/ my $.02

[Qatar-6]

I'll flame you

The Reservists signed on the dotted line. They are SOLDIERS.

This is a war and we need men. They're in the Army of their own volition

The vast majority of the reservists and NG I worked with in Iraq were very professional and proud of their service.

They didn't like the fact that they were extended but they sucked it up and drove on, just like the regulars

For the tiny minority who joined not out of patriotism but as a way to get something (a second income) for not much return - one weekend a month and 2 weeks in the summer. Looks like they made a bad investment.

Cry me a river

Sad thing is, the scumbag press is searching out the whiners, creating the impression that because there are 10 people out of a battalion of 600 that are seriously disgruntled (as opposed to normal troop bitching) that the unit has a morale problem.

The press is really doing it's best to CREATE morale problems among the troops

Really despicable

As for your handful of whiny reservists - too bad. The regulars are tapped out. Everyones either already been over for a year (and will go back again in late 04-early 05) is prepping to go in the near future, or is there already

Shinseki was dead right as to what this would cost

But that doesn't mean it wasn't worth doing.

[Redwood71]

"I don't blame them for being disgruntled."

---

They are paid for year round and I'll bet they spent the money. They certainly are not turning down the Tricare benefits or the commissary/aafes bennies. They signed a contract to backfill the regulars, honor the contract. And if you think "Rummy" isn't happy to liberate some people and stop the mutilation of women and children in torture chambers or just plain decapitation of fingers and ears, then you are out there with your lying congressional buddies that played their card when they signed on with the decision to use force so they would look good to be patriotic. If these reservists that are so badly mistreated haven't got the integrity to honor their word, then, maybe you're right, they aren't needed to represent a country that has more guts than they do. They don't have the tools. They need to learn French. They'd fit right in.