In the weeks before Christmas last year, a brigade of battle-bruised soldiers left Colorado's Fort Carson for its third round of war in Iraq.
Sgt. Colin Barton was getting Botox shots in his forehead to kill the relentless pain from a brain injury. Army doctors said he should not wear a helmet — a safety requirement for the flight to Iraq. The Army sent him anyway.
Sgt. Joshua Rackley, recovering from his eighth knee surgery, was classified as permanently injured. The Army sent him anyway.
Master Sgt. Denny Nelson and Sgt. Joseph Smith didn't have time to recover from predeployment surgeries. Nelson hobbled with crutches; Smith wore a post-surgical boot.
Sgt. Tim Graham brought a sleep-apnea machine. Sgt. 1st Class Walter Overton had a shoulder injury and couldn't lift his gear. Spec. Joseph Leon was popping morphine pills to dull the nerve damage to his groin.
The Army sent them too.
Five years into the war in Iraq and six years after the invasion of Afghanistan, the Army is sending soldiers with physical and mental injuries back to war, at times overruling physicians' classifications of soldiers as "nondeployable."
Facing demands unprecedented in the history of the all-volunteer force, the Army has deployed soldiers with slings and crutches and some who need machines to help keep them alive through the night. Thousands are taking pain, sleep or antidepressant medication, with sometimes deadly consequences.
Much of this is the direct result of the "surge" that McCain continues to brag about on the campaign trail. I think that it is increasingly clear that John McCain cares little for the welfare of the soldiers, and will continue to sacrifice them to win some imaginary battle that he feels he is waging against the forces of darkness.
While the Iraqis and Bush administration hash out a long overdue plan for withdrawal, McCain continues to talk of "winning a war" that is for all intents and purposes already over.
I think it is clear to everyone, not running for President on a war strategy, that these brave men and women have sacrificed bravely for this country and they deserve to be given time to rest and heal. There is no telling when they may have to take up arms again to defend this nation, but I can tell you that it is much less likely with Barack Obama in the White House.
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unreal...disgusting...Slave Labor....
ReplyDeleteWe go back because we want to. but if pussies like yourselves would enlist maybe then i wouldn't have to
ReplyDeleteHey I see you alot on E's blog & decided to come visit via her link. I read a story about this in the paper today. these people have extreme health situations, and have medical orders to not return to duty. WTF? this is criminal behavior-- in the private sector- Doctor's orders are the final word-- in fact most employers won;t let you back to duty without a medical release to cover their liability. I wish these soldiers would just refuse. Let it go public. See if Vets & the general public think sending wounded soldiers in harms way sits well with them.
ReplyDeleteAs for anon's comment above....
these wounded soldiers in severe pain w Doctor's orders to not be doing active duty are NOT there because they want to.
Nobody should engage in resource wars for the dictator.
Add this to the crimes of the Bush administration.
Gosh a day without being called a "pussy" is like a day without sunshine.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting Fran. And of course thank you Enigma for your constant support.
We "pussies" need love too.
Damn even a slaughterhouse like the NFL lets guys miss a week if their stuff is dangling, cracked or deep bruised. Since W and Rummy and cheney broke the military like kids running a mini bike at full throttle for months on end their solution is to keep using it with a blown engine because in a few months it will all be Obama's fault anyway. Who supports the troops ?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous-claims to have the guts for combat but doesn't have the guts to leave a real name on a blog post.
ReplyDeleteHilarious.
You are dishonoring servicemen like my husband by pretending to serve/have served in the military. (See what I did there? I talked about military service like McCain does. No one can criticize me now, right?)