Posted on 02/11/2003 2:05:09 PM PST by FloridaGeezer
Panic phone calls coming, lawyers say.
Washington-South Carolina freshman Gov. Mark Sanford-an Air Force reservist-sparked an outcry when he suggested his job would keep him from joining a war against Iraq.
Sanford, a Republican, was commissioned as a first lieutenant in the reserves in January 2002 and was elected governor in November. He said recently that he wouldn't deploy, then changed his course and said he would go if called.
But he's not the only military reservist with doubts about heading for the Persian Gulf.
Lawyers say they're being flooded with pamic calls from reservists who either don't believe the United States should attack Iraq or are worried about their safety, their jobs, their finances, their health or leaving their loved ones. The reservists are afraid to talk on record, their attorneys say.
"We have everybody from doctors to seaman apprentices wanting to get out," said David Sheldon, a former Navy lawyer now in private practice in Washington.
Virginia Beach lawyer Greg McCormack said a lot more reservists are calling him than in 1991 when the United States drove Iraq out of Kuwait,
This time around, with no overt aggression by Iraq, "a lot of people are questioning what are we doing, moms and dads saying, 'Why should my son go?,'" said McCormack, a former Army prosecutor.
No one disputes that most reservists are cooperating with the Pentagon call-up, the largest since the 1991 Persian Gulf War.
"Most people in the military are there to do their job and do it well," said Pentagon Spokesperson Maj. Sandy Troeber.
No Pentagon statistics on AWOLs and deserters were available beyond 2001.
But the G.I. Rights Hotline, which was set up by antiwar activists to help those who have either fled or are thinking about it, say their calls have more than tripled in the past few months.
"Sometimes they say, 'I just got back, I can't go again,' or 'I was just in it for the college money,' or 'I'm willing to defend my country but I'm not willing to invade Iraq,'" said J.E. McNeil, a lawyer for the G.I. Rights Hotline.
Last week, Defense Sectretary Donald Rumsfeld acknowledged some of the nation's reserves have been "jerked around" since the rolling call-ups began after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Reservists have been doing everything from guarding local airports to cleaning up after the war in Afghanistan. Now, they'r heading for the gulf. Rumsfeld is considering easing the future burden on the reserves by delegating more support jobs to permanent troops.
About 95,000 reservists and National Guardsmen are on active duty. More than 260,000 were mobilized during the Persian Gulf War.
Jay Farrar, a military analyst with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that after Bush declared a long term war on terrorism 16 months ago, many of his reservist friends began resigning or retiring to avoid being called up again and again.
Some of the services, including the Marine Corps, have frozen retirements and are keeping overseas units in place to ensure troops can't retire even if they want to.
But, Farrar predicted, despite a reluctance to go to war, the number of AWOLs will be about as low as during the Persian Gulf War.
Most of the people , while it's painful to go, believe in their commitment and will honor their commitment," Farrar said.
Reservist or full-time servicemen who dodge their orders can receive a dishonorable discharge or even jail time. The military usually waits 30 days before considering them deserters.
The Pentagon says not even governors are exempt from deployment,
Air Force Reserves spokesman Lt. Col. Audrey Bahler said only members of Congress or those holding "key" federal jobs are automatically exempted. Other requests are handled "case by case."
Reserveists sign up for a six year stint and are paid only when they are on duty. They also can get college tuition and other G.I. Bill benefits. While on active duty, they receive the saame benefits as military enlisties, such as health care, They can be activated for as much as 12 months at a time.
They also get added help from Uncle Sam and private industry.
Employers are required to save a reservist's job, and some companies continue to provide benefits and salary supplements to absent workers. A 60-year old federal law also tries to alleviate mortgage and credit card worries by capping the interest rates that banks may charge active-duty reservists.
Actually, I don't think he is. Although if he's a retiree, they can't join the reserves, at least not without giving up their retired pay. However they can be recalled to active duty. Since he probably hasn't been out more than years or so, that is a distinct possibility. They recalled a few retirees in critical skill areas during Gulf War I, IIRC.
"But the G.I. Rights Hotline, which was set up by antiwar activists to help those who have either fled or are thinking about it, say their calls have more than tripled in the past few months."
These are the same people who claim that Saddam Hussein has no weapons of mass destruction. They have as much credibility as Clinton does.
He got called up two weeks ago and had about 5 days notice for reporting. We had a get together to lay hands on him and pray for him. He will miss his oldest daughter's high school graduation.
He was kinda sad, but said he's been very lucky over the years and has not had too many significant deployments. Took it like a man, and is looking forward to witnessing to others in "some sandy place." Pray for him and those like him, who we depend on for their integrity and sense of duty.
The majority are like him, and not those disgraceful cowards described in this article.
1) Do their duty.
2) Pay back every penny they have received in pay, benefits, comphensation and cost of training, then receive a Dishonorable Discharge.
I totally agree...my 23 y/o daughter went to the Army recruiter today to check into enlisting and although I can't say I won't be worried about her safety...you know how mothers are, LOL...I am so proud of her for taking the initiative.
Get ready for a large influx of chickens.
Note the use of the word OBJECTOR in the URL. This is a crock of $hit publicity stunt and a probably a lie to boot. I'd like to see the phone logs proving that reservists (and NOT hippies) are actually phoning in for "help".
It's not like his political connections will prevent him from securing some cushy desk job well behind the front lines where the real soldiers are.
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