Young American men will not enlist in large enough numbers.
Even though the military is pretty small now they still need people and if the girlfriends and the moms have to fill in for the young men of this generation then it will have to do.
Posted on 03/01/2009 3:40:30 PM PST by Libloather
NC military mom heads for Fort Benning with kids
By TOM FOREMAN Jr., Associated Press Writer
13 mins ago
DAVIDSON, N.C. – A North Carolina woman who was recalled to the Army four years after being honorably discharged was driving nearly 400 miles and braving a Southeastern winter storm to report for duty Sunday, with her children by her side.
**SNIP**
Pagan is among thousands of former service members who have left active duty since the Sept. 11 attacks, only to be recalled to service. She filed several appeals, arguing that because her husband travels for business, no one else can take care of her kids. All were rejected, leaving Pagan to choose between deploying to Iraq and abandoning her family, or refusing her orders and potentially facing charges.
Master Sgt. Keith O'Donnell, an Army spokesman in St. Louis, said earlier that the commander at Fort Benning will decide how to handle the situation.
"The Army tries to look at the whole picture and they definitely don't want to do anything that jeopardizes the family or jeopardizes the children," O'Donnell said. "At the same time, these are individuals who made obligations and commitments to the country."
Of the 25,000 individual ready reserve troops recalled since September 2001, more than 7,500 have been granted deferments or exemptions, O'Donnell said. About 1,000 have failed to report. O'Donnell most of those cases are still under investigation, while 360 soldiers have been separated from the Army either through "other than honorable" discharges or general discharges.
O'Donnell said Pagan isn't likely to face charges, since none of the individual ready reserve soldiers who have failed to report faced a court-martial.
**SNIP**
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
this is the problem I have always had with women in combat operations. Women have always been the primary nurturer of children and many women are assigned overseas away from their family. The breakup of family unit with Mom away, I believe is a dangerous social experiment. There are many military single moms.
Also, the number of women who become pregnant while on overseas assignments or out at sea, we’ve read is considerable.
Young American men will not enlist in large enough numbers.
Even though the military is pretty small now they still need people and if the girlfriends and the moms have to fill in for the young men of this generation then it will have to do.
Bottom line, I would have to think the Army is going to have to ensure she gets daycare for the kids. You cannot honestly expect people to put their lives on hold while on the IRR in anticipation for a activation.
When I quit to finish my degree and get my Commission I immediately received an Honorable Discharge even though I was committed to be in the IRR for a year after.
I received discharge papers from the IRR a year later but my Honorable was from my active duty time.
This may have changed since I did that back in the very early 1980s.
I’m a Florida boy. Doesn’t get much more southern than that. Part of being a southern man is honoring one’s commitments.
you have to “report” once a year — I think.
The LTC (hubby to those not regular live thread FReeper)
is in the IRR — he has served (I think if I count right)
4 years active enlisted — 68-72
2 years IRR 72-74
2 years Cadet and 79-81
simultanious service
26 years Infantry Officer 81-08
Reserve and NG
he now has until 2010 in IRR until he is eligible for his pension. IRR can be recalled until their commitment is up. Officers can be recalled basically for life
An 8 year total obligation means exactly that. She is being called back within her 8 years of obligation. Get it? God, you folks sound as squishy as tadpoles.
If she is a Reserve, then she is wrong. She would be drawing a monthly check and have lots of other benefits.
She could have finished her duty and said I am through with this.
But she must have elected to take the benefits of Reserve.
So she will have to serve.
My friends son has just finished his time in the Reserve, he stayed long enough to complete his 20 years. He was sent to Africa on his last deployment.
IRR doesn’t get paid or attend drill, they do have to “report” once a year.
I think they may get either 2 or 4 points for that. It’s like attending one weekend drill.
exactly
someone hasn’t been checking this woman’s plan, have they?
Since she has filed for hardship and been reviewed and denied, I trust that the military is not at fault here.
The majority of single parents in the US Army are men.
My kiddo is a National Guard recruiter. He needs to know Army rules, local laws, state laws along with federal laws. If some chump shows up to sign up with a so-called dependent from some other married woman? Woah - that's a problem that the Army doesn't want. The dependent thang is huge.
not me hubby — about 36 years total.
Last year was classified “medically non-deployable” - had benign brain tumor
And - listening to John Boy & Billy.
What's wrong is a first enlistment 8 year contract. It's stupid and it's insane. For second enlistments where career is the objective? Sure! To an 18 or 20 year old who has never been in the military? No it's a bad deal for both the service member and the military in general. Return all first term enlistments to 4/2 or 3/3 and no more until after the three year active duty mark is reached where most military career decisions {re-up or leave at EAOS} are usually beginning to be made. The military has in several ways created this problem looking at short term gians and not long term problems.
In short all an 8 year enlistment amounts to is avoiding the over 10 year old issue of raising needed End Troop Strength Levels Active Duty in all branches.
“You also are drawing benefits (like adding to your military pension and education benefits).”
Not really
“And, IT WAS HER DECISION to join the IRR.”
Its part of everyones enlistment, you imply theres a choice she made when she seperated.
“She could have got out completely.”
Once you sign up for active you are committed to 8 years.
They force a woman like this to go active and then let some deserter go free without anything but a bad conduct. Thats wrong.
Sounds like failure to plan on her part.
Reminds me of the days during Rummy's first tenure as Sec of Defense under Ford. You wanted out? No problem just walk off 31 days and turn yourself in at another command and get processed out. Although back then there wasn't 8 year first enlistment commitments nor that many women deployed overseas except on regular active duty.
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.