Posted on 04/05/2007 4:13:53 PM PDT by nckerr
The Associated Press Posted : Tuesday Apr 3, 2007 12:46:52 EDT
SOUTH ST. PAUL, Minn. — A high school senior who faced down military recruiters on his front lawn and refused to go to basic training after earlier signing up for the Minnesota Army National Guard has now been discharged.
“You are discharged from the Army National Guard and as a reserve of the Army,'' said a memo from Minnesota's Office of Adjutant General sent to the lawyer representing Leo Valle, an 18-year-old student at Simley High School in Inver Grove Heights.
It was welcome news for Valle, who claims that months earlier a National Guard sergeant threatened him with arrest and military prison if he didn't go to basic training.
Valle was 17 years old when he enlisted, which requires the consent of parents. His attorney, Allen Gibas, argued that Valle's parents, who are legal immigrants from El Salvador, didn't speak or read English and didn't understand what they were signing.
Gibas said Valle's parents decided to withdraw their consent because their son was not “suitable for the Army.'' Gibas said Valle signed up after a recruitment pitch that promised a chance to serve the community and earn lucrative education benefits but didn't mention weapons training.
Gibas said Valle was not sophisticated enough to understand that signing up for the military would likely mean training in guns.
Valle said recruiters told him he wouldn't likely have to go to Iraq until 2009 but said he learned after enlisting that he could have been sent there immediately after basic training.
“I would tell other youth my age not to join,'' Valle said. “They'll phone you saying one thing, and the next thing you know, you'll be going to Iraq.''
Sam Diener, a founder of the GI Rights Hotline, an information source for soldiers and enlistees, said the decision to discharge Valle wasn't that unusual. He said a 2005 study by the Rand Corp. found that 14 percent of the people who signed up for the Army's delayed enlistment program in 2001 dropped out of the Army before becoming soldiers.
But Lt. Col. Kevin Olson, spokesman for the state National Guard, said he wasn't aware of any other Minnesota Army National Guard soldiers who expressed a desire to change their mind on enlistment.
Olson said Guard members told Valle he would be breaking a contractual obligation if he didn't ship out, but denied that he was threatened with civil police action or jail time.
“We certainly wish him well,'' Olson said. “If it is not in the National Guard, we hope he chooses a way to serve his community, state and nation.''
God Bless Our Soldiers who Have Volunteered!
I really hate the news sometimes.
I wonder what he thought it meant.
You too should read about the “Maryland 400” who saved the Revolution. At the time they did that most of the people in the country didn’t even want a Revolution.
US Army recruiters have told my son that he would NEVER have to go to Iraq, and that he could serve his entire term working in an office and never carrying a weapon. They do a disservice by not telling the truth, I think.
Well, duuuh, why do they call it THE ARMY?
Maybe he thought he was signing up for the Elite Puppy and Kitten Petting Task Force?
The condos promised to Private Benjamin come to mind...
They are legally here, are you saying we should also deport the 14% of soldiers who chicken out at the last minute too? Sorry but as cowardly as he is they at least did it before becoming a danger to his unit because of his chicken-ness.
This story stinks to high Heaven. How in the world did this kid ever pass his ASVAB?
14% of enlistees they aren’t soldiers until they complete training.
Sometimes to be an American, you have to sacrifice for the good of others. My two sons served in Iraq, one is there now. They went willingly, they didn’t whine to the press.
Deport ‘em.
Well depending on his MOS it may be true. A friend of mine who joined in 2002 still hasnt even smelled the tarmac to go to Iraq, as have quite a few others.
In this day and age, very believable!
Please don’t be discouraged by this one case. El Salvador isn’t exactly known as the Land of Backbones! Here is what the lawyer has to say:
>>Gibas said Valle was not sophisticated enough to understand that signing up for the military would likely mean training in guns.<< *snort*
You don’t need that kind of BS. This is not a kid I want to cover my USMC son’s back. He doesn’t need “sophisticated”, he needs strong and brave. As I am sure you know...Semper Fi and God bless you!
What the hell did he think the military did? Throw rocks at the enemy? Kid and his parents have to be brain dead.
“Gibas said Valle was not sophisticated enough to understand that signing up for the military would likely mean training in guns.”
Just as well he not be in if he is so dense.
Yeah - when I joined the Navy nobody said anything about going to sea aboard ships. Who knew?
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