This is Supporting the Troops?

Submitted by veterandem on

While the National Guard is typically used for that, guarding the nation, Bush has used them in the capacity of active duty soldiers. This is not to say that the NG cannot support the active duty troops, but repeated extensions, rapid turn-around time (six months in some cases) is destroying our capacity to defend the "homeland" (hate that fucking word, very Nazi-esque).

But the a-hole-in-chief and his "surge" have more costs that the $1 trillion dollar, more that 3,451 dead (almost 1000 since last Memorial Day), it has cost some "citizen soldiers" (I hate that fucking phrase in this context, makes it sound like they are "earning" their citizenship or something) their jobs when deployed, some within a week of deployment.

The Charlotte Observer has the an online article following three NG members and what happened to them. It's appalling, shameful and down right fucking disgraceful to treat our soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen as pawns.

As this is Memorial Day weekend, it is incumbent upon us voice our dissent to this abomination in our name.

My father and mother taught me to work hard and play by the rules and I could achive success and have the American dream. Not so anymore. We are close to the edge of oblivion, being dragged, pushed and yes, some of our citizens are being led there.

Happy Memorial Day. Remember. Vote. Voice your dissent!

Comments

Not to mention

Submitted by scharrison on

how this seemingly perpetual activation can (is?) impacting the way NG and Reserves are perceived when they apply for a job. In years past, the standard drilling requirements only rarely posed a problem to employers (at least in my experience), but this conflict has altered the way we view the possibility of part-timers being called away for extended periods of time.

That understanding could hurt their "marketability" in the work force for years to come, even after the current conflict is over.

More "support"

Submitted by Linda on

I just picked up an older issue of The Nation I hadn't read until today. The article How Specialist Town Lost His Benefits has me seeing a darker, more virulent shade of red than I've ever seen before. Specialist Town is a National Guardsman who was injured in Iraq. He suffers total hearing loss in one ear, and 50% hearing loss in the other. He has a closed head brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, among other injuries. He should be receiving treatment through the VA.

But instead of sending Town to a medical board and discharging him because of his injuries, doctors at Fort Carson, Colorado, did something strange: They claimed Town's wounds were actually caused by a "personality disorder." Town was then booted from the Army and told that under a personality disorder discharge, he would never receive disability or medical benefits.

Not only that, he had to forfeit his sign up bonus, which meant he wound up leaving active duty owing the Army $3000.

This is criminal.

_____________
The Den
It's your democracy; use it.

Good for you.

Submitted by Robert P. on

I'm glad that vets like you are standing up, because for everyone of you there is an equally loud, right-winger spouting off "Defeatocrats blah blah blah".
Good. For. You.

One man with courage makes a majority.
- Andrew Jackson

Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me