Jessica backs POW pal

New York Daily News ^ | 10/25/03 | RICHARD SISK

[kattracks]

WASHINGTON - Pvt. Jessica Lynch was "disappointed" to learn yesterday that she might get more disability pay than a friend who was wounded and captured in the same battle. Spec. Shoshana Johnson, who was shot in both ankles and displayed on Iraqi TV during the war, will get 30% disability pay when she is discharged next week.

Lynch, who has signed a book deal and is negotiating movie rights, got 80% when she left the Army in August.

"I am so disappointed for Shoshana," Lynch said yesterday from her home in Palestine, W.Va. "I support her efforts 100%" to get more compensation from the Army, Lynch said in a statement. "And I wish her a continued healthy recovery."

Johnson's family complained that the difference in disability payments would mean that Johnson would get about $500 a month and Lynch about $1,200, according to Army pay tables.

Johnson, a 30-year-old single mother, is believed to be the first African-American female POW.

The families insist there is no animosity between the women, who are friends from the same Army unit.

"This is not about what Jessie is getting," said Erika Johnson, Shoshana's sister. "We all love Jessie. We're focused on what Shoshana didn't get. Their injuries were different anyway."

Johnson was shot in both ankles, while Lynch suffered leg fractures and was knocked unconscious when their unit, the 507th Maintenance Co., was ambushed in the southern Iraqi town of Nassiriya on March 23.

Eleven U.S. soldiers were killed in the fight, and six others, including Lynch and Johnson, were taken prisoner.

Lynch was rescued by Special Forces troops April 2, and Johnson was found by an Army unit April 13.

The Army said there has been no final decision on Johnson's disability pay and that she could appeal her compensation several times.

"There is no double standard in the Army," said Maj. Steve Stover, an Army spokesman.

"Every soldier is treated equally when they go before a medical review board, and in all situations, race is not an issue," he said.

Stephen Goodwin, Lynch's attorney, said the two former POWs "do indeed stay in touch, they're certainly good friends."

Johnson visited Lynch several times at Walter Reed Army Medical Center during her recovery and was Lynch's guest in West Virginia last month, Goodwin said.

Johnson walks with a limp and has difficulty standing for long periods, while "Jessie is still in rehab five days a week. She's walking a lot better, but she still uses crutches," he said.

Originally published on October 25, 2003

[billorites]

"There is no double standard in the Army..."

Make it so.

[Iwo Jima]

She's walking a lot better, but she still uses crutches..

Here's the good news buried at the end of the story. I always thought that Lynch would continue to improve. She has all of the right things going for her: she's young, strong, and has a good family support system and good attitude and motivation. She'll lick this thing yet.

[milan]

The one on Fox said that Jesse jackson was involved in this...I have quit caring once I got to his name.

[kattracks]

You're right, the sympathy one feels towards Shoshana Johnson gets lost in the mix when Jackson's name is mentioned.

[milemark]

Johnson was shot in both ankles, while Lynch suffered leg fractures and was knocked unconscious when their unit, the 507th Maintenance Co., was ambushed in the southern Iraqi town of Nassiriya on March 23.

Wow, did they ever lowball Lynch's injury report! She wishes all she suffered were leg fractures and a head blow. She had a shattered left foot, ankle and leg, broken right leg, broken right arm and shoulderblade, several broken ribs, spinal injuries, head injuries and what the Army and press always refer to as unspecified "other injuries" (my translation: torture related injuries). Maybe Jesse Jackson should complain to the Iraqis for not treating both Lynch and Johnson with racial equality so that they could both be so lucky as to be 80% disabled.

[milemark]

If she went to Jackson, she deserves the loss of the public's sympathy. He will use her to get his fat face on TV, then toss her aside as soon as the next situation in need of photography comes along.

[Joe Marine 76]

I believe that Jesse had either a broken pelvis or a few broken vertabrae? I've seen medical packages on Marines and Marine Recruits. These percentages are applied fairly based on a matrix from medical directives. Also, I don't believe that disabilities compensations are "direct" payments; I think your taxes at the end of the year reflect a deduction. Someone who has a military medical disability might help here.

[petuniasevan]

I believe that Jesse had either a broken pelvis or a few broken vertabrae

Freudian slip?

[PBRSTREETGANG]

I believe that Jesse had either a broken pelvis or a few broken vertabrae?

It's Jesse's brain that is "broken", unfortunately his mouth still works.

[wai-ming]

Pvt. Jessica Lynch was "disappointed" to learn yesterday that she might get more disability pay than a friend who was wounded and captured in the same battle.

I wonder if she has as much sympathy for the other soldiers (non-female, non-Black) who were wounded, captured or killed in battle.

[alnick]

I wonder if she has as much sympathy for the other soldiers (non-female, non-Black) who were wounded, captured or killed in battle.

Good grief, why wouldn't she?

[ASA Vet]

I knew lots of soldiers who would have been removed from the service,
or at least their position, if they weren't in a pc protected group.

[freedox]

"Pvt. Jessica Lynch was "disappointed" to learn yesterday that she might get more disability pay than a friend who was wounded and captured in the same battle."

The ignorance being displayed here is just downright embarrassing. Lynch should be thrilled that her friend's injuries have been determined to be less debilitating than her own. For cryin' out loud, if a friend lost an eye in an accident, would you say, "Gee, I'm sorry you didn't lose both eyes.....that way, you would have gotten more money"??

[milemark]

"Pvt. Jessica Lynch was "disappointed" to learn yesterday that she might get more disability pay than a friend who was wounded and captured in the same battle."

The ignorance being displayed here is just downright embarrassing. Lynch should be thrilled that her friend's injuries have been determined to be less debilitating than her own. For cryin' out loud, if a friend lost an eye in an accident, would you say, "Gee, I'm sorry you didn't lose both eyes.....that way, you would have gotten more money"??

---

She may be saying that she's disappointed that her freind didn't get a better deal, not that she isn't as disabled. I wouldn't put it past the reporter to have taken her comments out of context.

[Graybeard58]

"If she went to Jackson"


...I don't know if she asked for Jesse Jackson's help or not in this case but I do know that JJ does not wait to be invited to horn his fat ass in.

[milemark]

That's for sure! If she didn't contact him, she should distance herself from him asap. He is just interested in using her and will drop her when the next Great Racial Injustice comes along to provide him with more face time.