Posted on 06/07/2004 4:16:32 PM PDT by Indy Pendance
WASHINGTON (AP) -- More than two dozen people, wearing yellow ribbons and pictures of relatives in the Army Reserves, took their discontent to the top Monday to protest their loved ones' extended deployments in the Iraq war zone.
They said they were satisfied with results of the session, even though Lt. Gen. James Helmly, chief of the Army Reserves, gave them no assurances that the 94th Military Policy Company will be brought home by the Fourth of July.
"They've been deployed for a very long time. They're tired, and they feel like they've done their part," said Bob Wennerstrand of Norwood, Mass., whose son, Derek, 20, left home soon after his high school graduation and has been gone for 1 1/2 years. "We asked the general to look into it, and the general has agreed to do that."
Army Reserve spokesman Al Schilf said specialized companies like the 94th, which provides combat support and escorts convoys, were kept in Iraq longer because of their particular expertise.
Helmly told the families he is going to Iraq soon and will visit the unit to check on its service time. He also told them, however, that he "can't guarantee their return dates; this is war."
Family members came off their bus at the Pentagon on Monday loaded with lists of other military police units who have served and come home and talk of active duty soldiers who served one-year missions and left Iraq.
Members of the 94th have had their military missions extended twice. Should they return home in October, as currently scheduled, they will have served 685 days, just short of two years.
They came achingly close to going home at Easter. Michael Lee already had mailed his personal belongings to his wife in Redding, Mass. The company's equipment was loaded, and the reservists were 10 hours from boarding a plane, when the order came to wait.
On Easter Sunday, Jennifer Lee got the call saying her husband wasn't coming home.
"This unit is being completely overlooked," said Lee, who was five months pregnant when her husband left. Their daughter, Charlotte, already is 15 months old.
"The families demanded this meeting, and rightfully so," said Army Reserve spokeswoman Maj. Kristen Carle. "We need to address the families' concerns right up front."
During the long, 10-hour bus ride from Tewksbury, Mass., family members made the photo buttons they wore into the meetings. Some carried 8-by-10-inch photos of their soldiers. Some wore patriotic pins.
"It's extremely frustrating. We're really concerned about their safety," said Stephen Lapinsky, whose son Joshua is in Iraq. "But considering the emotion going through most of the people here, it was a good meeting. There was no screaming. There was a little bit of crying. People miss their soldiers."
Joshua Lapinsky sent his foot locker home at Easter, and it's still there, locked, filled with his belongings.
"We'll leave it that way until Joshua comes home to open it," his sister, Angela Lapinsky, said.
I would disown anyone in my family that would shamefully protest like this.
Having spent 6 years active duty, I can tell you that being extended twice would seriously bite. Especially when you look at the total size of the US military force -- how many fat-butted, pencil-pushing (I guess today that would be key-tapping) REMF are hanging out on US soil military bases with no fear of forward deployment, while some of these guys are going long.
*I* would complain (bitching is the God-Given right of the enlisted man) but I would never appreciate anyone in my family embarrassing me like those people did.
When you enlist in the military it is NOT like a civilian job. You are taking an oath to give your life to your country ... you hope your country (the people especially) does not treat you like crap.
The ones being extended are the ones they need - what need is there for the fat-butted ...? Same goes for the re-enlistment bonuses ... capitalist system - it has its good points and its bad points.
I simply prefer the United States of America over the Union of Socialist States of America (USSA) that kerry,kennedy,clinton (and all those protestors) want.
I always wonder in times like these what we would've done had George Washington decided he'd done his part and packed it up and went home no matter what the size of the U.S. Military.
And having spent six years on active duty myself, I can say that being deployed, bites period, but it must be done for the cause of liberty. "We will not fail. We will not falter," President Bush says.
And to that end, we must vigorously pursue terrorism or we can all pack it up and go home all the while cow towing to a bunch of murderous thugs.
"Well first thing they could do is expand the military and stop using the guard. Second stop lying and telling them when they are comming home."
I'd agree with that a hundred and fifty percent. However, here's how the U.S. Military is trending. First, they use active duty personnel-we all bear witness to 3rd Infantry Division and Marines in the first engagements of Iraq.
Then, once the main conflict has been resolved, they start to rotate guard and reserve units to keep the stabilization there. It's not perfect and I don't happen to agree with it whole heartedly, but that's the way its trending. Here's the problem. You don't have enough guard and reserve units available to do it like this, as we now see in Iraq. Unfortunately, as we used to say in the Army, "Learn to love it, cause its the best thing goin' on today." :)
And that doesn't mean it can't be changed. I think it needs to. But you can't make sweeping changes in a year or two. It takes a lot of personnel and a lot of time. Unfortunately, we Americans have become fast food, gotta have it in my hot little hands, I want change now, people. So, demonstrations like this aren't unusual when it comes to that long, lost vitue. Patience. Things will change. And we'll all be the better for it. Witness President Reagans defeat of the Soviet Empire. I think that about covers this lesson for the day.
If you have anymore questions, feel free to leave a message and I'll be happy to get back with you. :) HA!
One of my employees is an ordinanceman who was deployed to Turkey for the start of Iraqi Freedom. Because of the Turk government not allowing flights from Turkey, he wasn't allow to do any of the things we went over there to do. He sat at a desk for eight weeks, doing nothing.
One major difference between what happened in World War II, where many soldiers fought for the duration, is that many of these men and women were told that their tour of duty was only six monthes. Two police officers from my hometown are part of that unit. That's what they were initially told...six months.
We now have reservists and Guard members with more active duty time than many regular soldiers. To me this is a matter of trust. The families have the right to ask questions, which as protests go, that's all they did. Nobody protested the war, they asked questions. What's wrong with that?
Here's kicker...nearly all remaining units will probably see active duty within the next year or two.
"Nothing against the 3rd Infantry Division and Marines. As i said before, there are guard and reserve members, who have more active duty time than soldiers assigned to regular units."
Yep. Thing is when you deploy groups like SF or Ranger units, Delta, or 82nd Airborne units, then alot of times the conflict is resolved and they move right on in to Guard and Reserve units. That'd explain that reason.
"Here's kicker...nearly all remaining units will probably see active duty within the next year or two."
They'll have to thanks to the massive downsizing during the Clintoon administration.
The reserves were meant to be a supplement to the armed forces not the main fighting force. The Clinton Administration hated the military and they showed their appreciation by not giving pay increases to take care of our families, allow training to rot on the vine, using this institution to conduct social experiments and promoting officers for political correct reasons. It takes time to build the military like under Reagan years and it takes time to ruin the military under Clinton. Bush inherited this mess and trying his best to work with the resources given to him. The Dem's have no shame bashing Bush for not having the reserves coming home on time and getting blame for not having the troops well prepared.
No one ever bitched about it. and now we know them as our "greatest generation".
Most soldiers aren't bitching about it. The media picks up on the few who do and runs with it.
As i said before, there are guard and reserve members, who have more active duty time than soldiers assigned to regular units.
This doesn't say much for your knowledge of the military, especially as it pertains to active/duard/reserve components.
Clinton dessimated the active duty force numbers. By doing so, he shifted the burden of deployment after the initial encounter to the guard and reserve. The role of the guardreserves was forever changed by this. We need to restore the active duty forces to the pre-Clinton years, reinstate the draft and continue to rely on the guardreserve to a ledssor extent.
Final point: Guard/reserve personnel CANNOT get more active duty time than active duty military.
Prayers for the families of our service men and women.
Don't discount the possibility that the Mass. lady is being prodded by the Kerry people.
I have had family in the military all my life...a wife, a brother, a father, cousins, uncles, you name it. In 1970, I walked behind my cousins coffin to his grave in Arlington.
My brother is in the Air National Guard. In the past 12 years, he has spent the equivilent of four years on active duty. So has his unit. Since four years is a standard enlistment for active personnel, I stand by what I say.
I know all about deployment. My wife is an active duty member of the Army National Guard (AGR), and a with the guard is to prepare units to go overseas. Since she enlisted five years ago, every single guard unit she has served with has gone on active duty.
What you are arguing proves my point. Yes, Clinton gutted the military. Two bases in my state were closed. But because we are using guard and reserve components so heavily, we do have Guard and Reserve personnel with more active duty points than traditional soldiers in regular units. Not all, just some.
My dad had a special place in his heart for them. After they dropped "the bombs" he knew he was going to live.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.