Posted on 06/15/2008 5:19:33 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar
A month after US army reservist Matthis Chiroux publicly refused to deploy to Iraq, the former sergeant on Sunday set himself up for possible prosecution by failing to report for active duty with his unit in South Carolina.
"Tonight at midnight, I may face further action from the army for refusing to reactivate to participate in the Iraq occupation," Chiroux told reporters in Washington.
"I stand here today in defense of those who have been stripped of their voices in this occupation, the warriors of this nation...", Chiroux read from a statement as his father Rob, who had travelled to Washington from Alabama to support his son on Father's Day, stood beside him.
Last month, Chiroux rejected an order calling him back to active duty in Iraq, saying he considers the war "illegal and unconstitutional."
Chiroux served five years in the army, with tours in Afghanistan, Japan, Germany and the Philippines.
He was honorably discharged last year and was placed in the Individual Ready Reserves (IRR), a pool of former soldiers who can be "reactivated" in a national emergency or war.
Prior to the Iraq war, IRR members were rarely recalled to active duty, according to the Military Times, an independent newspaper for members of the US armed forces and their families.
"Many believed they never would be called -- but when the army found itself stretched by unexpected combat demands in Iraq in the summer of 2004 it began issuing mobilization orders," Military Times wrote in an article published a year ago on Sunday.
According to the paper, hundreds of IRR members "refused to report or simply ignored their mailed mobilization orders."
Matthis' father Rob, a rocket scientist who lives in the army town of Huntsville, Alabama, said mobilizing IRR members was a form of back-door draft.
"If our country is in such a dire emergency that we need to conscript manpower, congress has to vote to reinstate the draft," the elder Chiroux told AFP.
"But they won't do that because if congress said we need to bring back the general draft, the war in Iraq would be resolved very quickly," he said.
"Moms and dads, who represent millions and millions of voters, would say: wait a minute -- you want to draft my kid? Iraq's got to stop."
Selective Service Classifications:
1-A Available for unrestricted military service.
1-A-O Conscientious objector available for noncombatant military service only.
1-C Member of the Armed Forces of the United States, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or the Public Health Service.
1-D-D Deferment for certain members of a reserve component or student taking military training.
1-D-E Exemption of certain members of a reserve component or student taking military training.
1-H Active Registrant (all registrants currently in the database have this classification)
1-O Conscientious objector to all military service. A registrant must establish to the satisfaction of the board that his request for exemption from combatant and noncombatant military training and service in the Armed Forces is based upon moral, ethical or religious beliefs which play a significant role in his life and that his objection to participation in war is not confined to a particular war.
1-O-S Conscientious objector to all military service.
1-W Conscientious objector ordered to perform alternative service.
2-A Registrant deferred in support of the national interest.
2-D Registrant deferred because of study preparing for the ministry.
2-S Registrant deferred because of collegiate study.
3-A Registrant deferred because of hardship to dependents.
3-A-S Registrant deferred because of hardship to dependents (separated).
4-A Registrant who has completed military service.
4-A-A Registrant who has performed military service for a foreign nation.
4-B Official deferred by law.
4-C Alien or dual national.
4-D Minister of religion.
4-F Registrant not acceptable for military service. To be eligible for Class 4-F, a registrant must have been found not qualified for service in the Armed Forces by a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) under the established physical, mental, or moral standards. The standards of physical fitness that would be used in a future draft would come from AR 40-501.
4-G Registrant exempted from service because of the death of his parent or sibling while serving in the Armed Forces or whose parent or sibling is in a captured or missing in action status.
4-T Treaty alien.
4-W Registrant who has completed alternative service in lieu of induction.
5-A Registrant who is over the age of liability (26) or if previously deferred (35)
Please note that 4-G applies only when the father or brother died “while serving in the Armed Forces or whose parent or sibling is in a captured or missing in action status,”
If your father dies “while serving in the Armed Forces,” you were exempt. If he died otherwise.
While waiting for an OCS class date at Ft. Knox, I ran a Reception Station platoon. Had at least 2-3 men a week want to get out of Army because they were a “surviving son.” Only one evey quaified, because the rest’s brothers or fathers had not died while in Service. The one’s father had died on Iwo Jima.
As stated elsewhere in this thread - EVERY ONE WHO STARTS SERVING IN THE MILITARY - and this is Enlisted or Officer - has an eight year commitment.
Normally, the commitment is 4 years, and 4 years of IRR, where the individual can be recalled to active duty.
My third child signed up for the Army - and he has a 5 year active duty commitment, and 3 year IRR commitment. My daughter signed up in the Army Reserve with a commitment for 8 years of reserve drilling service - and after completing 2 years of a Reserve ROTC program - now has 8 years of obligated drilling service (on top of the 4 years she has already completed!)
People in IRR can be called up based on needs of the service. But - under various recall authorities, so can many other individuals who have served.
BTW - another thing to know - those who retire at 20 years aren’t really retired. In the Navy - someone who “retires” before 30 years of service is completed is transferred to the Fleet Reserve - and the retirement pay is isn’t really retirement pay, but the same amount of pay - but the individual can also be called up for active duty if the situation requires. At the 30 year point, the individual trasfers from the Fleet Reserve to the Retired List - but again, as a condition for drawing the retirement pay, the person can be called up for extreme national emergencies (up to age 60.)
If you don’t want an 8 year commitment - don’t sign up in the military. When all 3 of my children joined a service (1 Army, 1 Army Reserve, 1 Navy) - each knew from the paperwork, from the recruiters (and from me) what they were getting into, and that there was this 8 year obligation!
This guy is a jerk - and deserves a stiff punishment. But if the left wing media and left-wing Congress critters want to hype someone making claims to refuse to support unConstitutional actions - what would happen if millions of conservatives refused to support Social Security, Medicare, and the hundreds of unConstitutional programs churned out by Congress???
PS, My local draft board was FUBAR. I got a draft notice while on first tour in RVN, just before rotation.
While home, I showed up as summoned at 0700 in Class A uniform, just to break balls. Told the draft board civilians that I had bought my own uniform so I could “get through training more quickly and get to Vietnam faster.”
The recruiter who had signed me up 18 months earlier showed up. Told me to get my sorry dumb ass out of line.... then bought me breakfast.
Plus he has either a French, or Cajun name so he has vast gravitas, ya know.(/sarcasm)
“I was from a poor, white family from the south, and I did badly in school,” the now 24-year-old told AFP.
Matthis’ father Rob, a rocket scientist who lives in the army town of Huntsville, Alabama, said mobilizing IRR members was a form of back-door draft.
So was he from a poor, white family in the south or the son of a rocket scientist from Huntsville, AL, home of a huge NASA facility?
And how many POOR rocket scientists do we know ?
Then there is that elusive 4Y draft deferment that seems to stick in my mind. Cant be sure, but seems that was what my draft card said. And to repeat myself I had to sign several extra forms indicating my willingness to forgo the only son of a deceased father exemption.
I can only report what happened to me, believe it or not, that is your choice. ;-)
He says he was from a poor white family, yet the article says his father is a rocket sicentist.
Benny...I’m probably more knowledgable on the subject than you.
Nope. Part of his contract.
He signed with the understanding after he completes his term, he is obligated to return if ordered. Four years, normally.
It has nothing to do with not being able to find qualified people. The Marines and the Army have been making their recruiting goals..... but, someone needs to be in charge. So, a Sgt that is still on IRR and has the EXPERIENCE could (and should if needed) be called back to active duty to supervise, train, mentor, and LEAD the junior personnel that are enlisting.
When you sign... you usually sign a 4x4, 6x2, or some variation that equals “x” number of years on active duty and and the remainder on IRR... for a grand total of 8 years. From the time you first sign the papers (yes, even while waiting to go to boot camp) the clock starts ticking.
And YES.... there ARE benifits on IRR. VA loans, the GI Bill for school etc etc. When you sign for the benifits you sign for IRR. If you can’t do the active service or handle the following IRR, then don’t enlist at all. If you re-up and do 8 on actvie duty.... guess what? You don’t owe IRR.
I am so sick of people that talk about only signing for benifits, or making benifits such a huge issue. They are incentives and perks, not the only reason to join. If we truly signed to go to college the gummin’t would issue you a letterman sweater and NOT an M-16. The spoiled punk should shut up, sack up and do his damn time like he signed. Its all there in black and white. The key words are “didn’t think” he’d be re-called. Don’t think just do it.
And, its not “Dude you’re a soldier again.” Its dude, you’re still a soldier, because this is what you signed for.” That’s why you don’t get your actual certificate of discharge (not the DD-214) until after your FULL time is up.
And for those quick to knee jerk my remarks... I got the Purple Heart on my second trip to Iraq.... and went back two more times..... I don’t know I heard the words “Honor, Courage, and Commitment” from somewhere; maybe its just the thing to do while my country is at war and because I signed my name and gave my word.
What benefit to the Honorably Discharged veteran? No, never mind...this is all about the government and what is a convenience to them....
The guy is an experienced sargeant. You don't "recruit" NCO's, very possibly in a critical MOS.
see 52.
As a rocket scientist, he should read his son's enlistment contract before he lets loose with the BS.
At least you got three hots and a cot!
Gopher it!
Matthis' father Rob, a rocket scientist who lives in the army town of Huntsville, Alabama, said mobilizing IRR members was a form of back-door draft.
I didn't know Rocket scientists were so underpaid...
This is setting off my BS meter. BTW. I am on IRR since I retired 3 years ago.
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