Bring Home the 172nd Stryker Brigade

[lebkuchen]

Below are excerpted posts by the 172nd Stryker Brigade family reacting to the brigade's extension last July and to soldiers' deaths since the extension. Three soldiers have died since being moved from Mosul to Baghdad.

Refer to the URL for the complete postings.

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Tuesday, September 19, 2006

For the third time in just a little over two weeks, I find myself this morning typing the death notice for a 172nd soldier...

And now there are three dead soldiers since this extension. I'm hurt, I'm mad, and I'm scared. Things are not going to get any better. Our government and it's leaders, have truly let our military down. They couldn't care less about our soldiers. Mr Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, General casey and General Abizaid, You have soiled our flag with the blood of our children. You shall never be forgiven.

By Concerned Army Vet

With each death in the 172nd, I get more and more worried. I have always felt for the families who lose loved ones in Iraq, but these deaths of "our" soldiers make me cry everytime. I can only imagine the anger, hurt, and sadness that the families must be feeling.... If they aren't home by Christmas, I don't know what I'll do. There's only so much of this I can take... Either our leaders are completely ignorant or they just don't care. How about we send their husbands, wives, fathers, and mother's over there and see how they like it.

By worried

Any soldiers death is a tragedy. But to look at 3 172nd deaths this month is unbealiveable. These soldiers endured and survived the fight for a year. They could finally breath a sigh of releif and tell themselves "I made it, i'm alive. Im going home to my family" Then to get extended just a few days before. These 172nd soldiers who were killed was never able to see their families agian. They should not have been in Baghdad. They should have been at home with their families! We need to fight to get these guys home before another 172nd is killed. It just makes me so mad to think that if Rumsfeld would not have signed that peice of paper, these soldiers would still be alive.

By Proud Army Girlfriend

For the first time, when my son called me this weekend, I heard fear in his voice...
Our Soldiers means nothing to those politicians, their wives and families even less to all those who made money on this war!! trust me, they don't loose sleep every night!!! they don't even show any signs of concerns..

By 172nd Mom

I had a vision today when I woke up from my sleep. I haven't really slept well the past couple of weeks thinking about our Soldiers that we have lost. I woke up and saw a silouhette of a soldier with his Kevlar (helmet) on and his weapon. I couldn't see who it was. I blinked a few times and it was still there. I didn't hear anything. But a blanket of peace settled over me. I knew then that Sgt Davis, SSG Alex, PFC Alcozar, Sgt Rodriguez and the rest of our Warriors are in a better place. They are ok. We have to suffer here without them, but they are not in any pain. They are watching over us.

By Proud 172nd Soldier

You know it's a sad day when your husband (the soldier) says rhetorically on the phone "How many of us have to die before we're sent home? 40% 50% or maybe a bit more. Maybe then they (the generals) will realize that we're all tired here and we're ready to go home"

By .

First off, I want to thank all of you for your prayers and condolences. I know that everyone is deeply saddened by his loss. I keep telling myself that if they hadn't been extended, he'd be home right now in my arms. Joe, (as he was known by everyone), was a wonderful man, husband, and one hellava soldier medic! He died doing what he loved most....saving lives and treating casualties, (that's only second to being a Firefighter). I know that he was doing everything that he could do, to make it home to me. I was able to talk to him on the phone on Saturday the 16th. I was able to tell him how much I missed him and how much I love him. Only to find out the next morning that he'd been KIA. I had to explain to my children that 'Daddy Joe' wouldn't be coming home. The past few days have been so hard on our family. The hardest part, is just knowing that I couldn't be there to comfort him during his final moments.

By Joe's Girl (Roberta 'Bobbie' Davis) on Wednesday, September 20, 2006

[genie_weenie]

1. Bring em all Home!

Peace!

[lebkuchen]

2. The blogger of the site opened it to get a perspective of views

The comments are tragic, things you don't hear about on CNN.

Check out this thread, written Sept. 11, 2006. Events in Iraq have not improved since then.

"Another long day of the extension..."

[genie_weenie]

4. As long as this war touches not

those who make the decisions to place men into far away lands, to die and be broken for words like duty, honor, freedom, sacrifice injustice shall reign.

And as long as the American public is shielded from even the smallest of burdens those who toil will remain mired in despair, forgotten but for friends and family and left to the whim of madmen and cowards.

In the words of Dalton Trumbo, the words about noble deaths and sacred blood and honor and such are all put into dead lips by grave robbers and fakes who have no right to speak for the dead.

[Blue_In_AK]

3. It's terrible what they've done to the 172nd Stryker

A hot topic here in Alaska since they are based out of Fort Richardson and Ft. Wainwright.

[tabasco]

5. Republicans say: "They volunteered - fuck 'em!"

Chickenhawk republicans think supporting the fuhrer is the same as supporting the troops.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

6. Sadly, I've encountered DUers who say the same thing.

It's sick either way.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

7. They need to come home now. My friend is part of that brigade.

It's his 2nd tour, which is now indefinitely extended. He has internet access, so I can talk to him regularly online, but Baghdad has changed him. I can tell he's worried, though he won't admit it. None of those soldiers should be there at all and they especially shouldn't be there extended this much.