Broken US Troops Face Bigger Enemy at Home

[mainer]

A stretched Pentagon is sending unfit soldiers back to Iraq long before they are ready to serve again

Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington
Saturday April 3, 2004
The Guardian

All Jason Gunn ever wanted was to be a soldier. He put on the uniform three days after high school graduation, and served six years with distinction. But in the last real conversation he had with his mother he swore he would never go back to Iraq.
The army specialist came within inches of death last November 15, when the Humvee he was driving hit a roadside bomb, killing his sergeant. The entire left side of Gunn's body was splattered with shrapnel, his elbow was shattered and, as he lay in the US military hospital bed in Germany, he was tortured by nightmares.

Late on March 23, Gunn told his mother, Pat, that his commanders were putting pressure on him to return to Iraq, but there was no way he was getting on that plane. A few hours later, he was airborne. This week, Gunn's distraught mother, who is herself a navy veteran, received a first official response to her demands to know why a soldier, who was being treated by military doctors for combat stress, was sent back to the war.

The note, which acknowledged Gunn suffered post-traumatic stress, said: "After discussion of his case it was determined ... this may be in his best interest mentally to overcome his fear by facing it. Therefore, he has been cleared for redeployment."

Gunn is not the only broken soldier being sent to battle. The Guardian has uncovered more than a dozen instances in which ill or injured soldiers were sent to war by a US military whose resources have been stretched near to breaking point by the simultaneous fronts in Afghanistan and Iraq. In its investigation, the Guardian learned of soldiers who were deployed with almost wilful disregard to their medical histories, and with the most cursory physical examinations. Soldiers went to war with chronic illnesses such as coronary disease, mental illness, arthritis, diabetes and the nervous condition, Tourette's syndrome, or after undergoing recent surgery.




http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1184960,00.html

[Karenina]

1. Read it and WEEP.

That done, there HAS to be a collective "JUST SAY NO" strategy. Sending sick people into harm's way to protect the $$$ interests of the *elite and ignoring their plights when they return maimed and battered IS NOT IT!!!

[IndianaGreen]

2. Weep is right!

Followed by rage at a military establishment that does this to damaged soldiers, and at the politicians that have set such policies in place.

[asjr]

4. I could say one would think this administration

would feel great guilt over this situation but of course they do not. Our guys and gals are being killed and maimed for the gigantic egos of this pResident and his cohorts.

[Mari333]

3. Yep, and theres plenty more they are treating like that

sending them over and over again. Thats what they are doing to our kids.
and I spoke with Nancy Lessin the night they took that kid..she was working her butt off with the kids mom trying to get him home and safe..even the doctors said he shouldnt have gone..
wheres the outrage? wheres the US media? still shilling for the little fucking King in the WH
I have stories of my own I cant tell NOW that will be told WHEN I CAN.
Im not kidding folks, this is killing our kids, killing our reserves and guard, and killing our country in every way
someone has to stop the madmen.
http://www.mfso.org
http://www.bringthemhomenow.com
http://www.calltoconscience.net
http://www.vaiw.org
http://www.motherspeak.org
BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW
IMPEACH BUSH
HEY HOW ABOUT SENDING THIS NEWS ARTICLE TO SOME US MEDIA OUTLETS AND BARRAGE THEM WITH THE TRUTH?

[mainer]

5. This article has made me the angriest of all

I was already angry about the Iraq war. But thinking of those sons and daughters over there -- injured and physically UNABLE to perform their duties, yet forced back into Iraq -- I just can't believe this is happening!

What if these soldiers just REFUSED and went to jail instead? Wouldn't that be better?

[Mari333]

6. The mother tried, the son tried, military families speak out tried

they dragged the kid into the plane.
and my kid is over there with scoliosis of the spine which , when he was at Ft Dix, they told him he had..then, when I tried to get his X rays, they lost them and wouldnt send me his medical records, as I was trying to get a paper trail.
The US media could care less.
http://www.bringthemhomenow.com
edit to add: www.bushdraft.com
the draft is next.

[Barkley]

16. I'm praying for the saftey and health of Mike.

Mari, I believe that they're going to try and bring back the draft in 2005. That's why they're ignoring your message and ordering the troops to be silent.

Those horrific pictures of charred Americans hanging from a bridge in Falluja got blacked out in some parts of the media because its bad adverstisement for the military.

But that's not stopping me.

I'm distributing information to at the local High School
about the draft and the deception of military recruiters.

[stevedeshazer]

7. Why, oh why, are we doing this?

And why do we have to rely on the British press for this information?!

The reporter is in Washington D.C. for christ sakes!

[0007]

8. This is beyond the pale

[Mari333]

9. kick for peoples eyes to open to the truth

:kick:

[JitterbugPerfume]

10. I weep for you, Mari

and otheres like you


and my grandsons who will no doubt evetually be dragged off to Iran when the draft is reinstated

But most of all I weep for my Country

[NewYorkerfromMass]

11. Glad those absentee ballots will be on the fast track

plenty of Kerry votes to be sure. A hell of a lot more than Bush.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x491481

[Mari333]

12. Hell yes Michael isnt voting for Bushit and we have our

absentee ballots too...paper trail
and his unit doesnt like Bush either!!

13. Tourette's

Tourette's! A malady I know well,
It causes one to twitch and yell
Obscenities, or grind one's teeth,
To quell the tension far beneath.

The sudden jump, the cry of "SH*T!"
But that is not the worst of it,
Though rational, they're seen as strange,
As if by tics, they were deranged.

And thus afflicted, people shrink
Away from one who has it. Think
Of Bush in power, then take my bets...
Four more years of Bush? We'll ALL have Tourette's!!

Schwannzeichen

[alfredo]

14. I have seen a lot of broken men. They don't even need combat to be

badly twisted. I saw a lot of spooks crack under the pressure of the job, running to alcohol and drugs to ease the pressure.





--------------
Dubya doll
http://www.dubyadolls.com/

[rfkrocks]

15. This really says it all about war and

Why it is absolutely the last resort and why it should not be entered into lightly- just like everything we did with the Iraq war-20 years from now we will read of some vets going crazy killing their families or innocents and the suicides-you actually care for the troops if you don't ask them to go to war lightly-it is amazing how the democratic party has allowed itself to be shoved aside in patriotism-as if it ever belonged to one party-is it patriotic to ask men and women to shed their blood and bear the burden forever of shedding another's blood for this war? The saddest part is the troops are forgotten-does anyone remember the names of those that fell last week? And yes it is amazing too that the British press at least covers this-sad, sad times indeed-we need deliverance from Bushco

[jmowreader]

28. I don't think it will take 20 years!

Ten at most, at minimum two.

We're already reading of the suicides; the murders are not far away.

[Vitruvius]

17. Kick

May the Bu$h gang fry in Hell someday -- for Eternity.

[keopeli]

18. This was also reported in the Independent.

Here's a link to that discussion.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=460908&mesg_id=460908

[Mari333]

19. Im waiting for the Washington Post to print it, its about time they did

and put it on the nightly news every night..I still run into people in this stinking small GOP town who, when I tell them about this, dont believe me.
http://www.bringthemhomenow.com

[Vitruvius]

20. Kick

n/t

[Toots]

21. Cannon Fodder doesn't have to be healthy

Come on folks this is how America is supposed to support the troops. A huge collective "Fuck Em" from the GOP. :shrug: I guess I don't want any of their support if this is an example of how they support those they say they love the most.

[underpants]

22. Who knew those Iraqis could throw roses so hard?

:shrug::eyes:

This is sad very sad.

[9215]

23. All I can think of

is what Plato said:

The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.

[ConcernedCanuk]

24. "Since soldiers are cattle for big bizness, who cares?"

.
.
.

Whoah, those aren't my words

- that's a quote from a Russian message board on the same article.

- here's the rest of the post by "poorman"
___________________________________________________________________________

"It's all about business, stupid!" B.Clinton.
Irak was once US best friend, there was no need to make fight for oil, but great profits emerge from wars - see Vietnam - not from victories.

Military, Industrial, Medical, Banking companies are behind firestarters like CIA or gov-zog puppets: Wolfo, Cheney, Rumsfeld and other dem-rep freemasons...

Now, social and medical workers attitude is clear: they are part of this ZOG machine. Else they d still be looking for a job! No choice.
Dems or Reps "Petty capitalist helpers" care more about their social and financial wealth than about US lifes.

http://engforum.pravda.ru/showthread.php3?s=&threadid=69645
___________________________________________________________________________

Nope, I didn't edit one letter of "poorman"'s post

I missed this whole thread on DU, and after I read the thread at that forum (they posted the whole article there) I was surprized I hadn't caught it here on DU, I musta been in the lounge or sumthin - - found this thread in the "search"

A good kick is deserved for this topic anyways . . .
___________________________________________________________________________

Anyways, more from the Posted Article:

"One sergeant major was shipped out two months after neck surgery, despite orders from his military doctor for six months' rest. "The nurse told me to put my hands above my head and said you are good to go," he told the Guardian. A female supply sergeant said she was sent to Kuwait under medical advice not to walk more than half a mile at a time, or carry more than 50lb. Both had to be medically evacuated within weeks; the sergeant major required surgery on his return.

In some cases, the wounded were recycled with alarming speed. A mechanic, who suffered brain damage last June when his vehicle was hit by a suicide bus, was sent back to Iraq in October despite reported blurred vision and memory loss. He returned with his unit last month, and medical evaluations showed he had continued bleeding from the original head injury.

/snip/

Disability claims

Meanwhile, 15,000 soldiers who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan have filed for disability claims. Some 12,000 have sought medical treatment from facilities run by the department of veterans affairs. About 4,600 have sought psychological counselling. That demand threatens to overwhelm a veterans' healthcare system that has received no new funding since the Iraq war began.

/snip/

Gerry Mosley, 49, a first sergeant in a transportation unit, was injured jumping off a truck that came under fire. By the time he was medically retired on March 17, he was taking 56 pills a day for shoulder, back and spinal conditions, post-traumatic stress disorder, and Parkinson's which was not diagnosed when he was shipped out.

Mosley also developed an abiding anger against an institution he served for 31 years, accusing the army of trying to shirk responsibility for his condition now he was surplus to requirements.

"I went to Iraq and fought the enemy, not knowing I was going to come back to the United States and fight a bigger enemy," he says.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1184960,00.html
___________________________________________________________________________

I would feel safe to say that these are just SOME of the goings on, and nowhere near the worst.

Certainly can't find this information on GW's site or the DoD's

Good thing the world is watching . . but at the same time,

Sad that they have to . . .

[Solly Mack]

25. Oman-this is so true.

Not only did the Company commander (for my husband's company) dig deep and send sick soldiers to make his percentage for deployment (he was short soldiers eligible for deployment prior to deploying but managed to get profiles changed & and overlooked them altogether) but the commander kept sick soliders in Iraq and went so far as to browbeat them for wanting to seek medical care.

[Dark]

26. Every time I read some revolting thing about bu$h

I think that he can't get any more disgusting. Ugh, I can't even picture what those poor servicemen and women must be going thru. Oh god, it makes me sick. This is just. . . insane. I can't think of a word to describe how disgusted I am. We cannot have four more years of this. We can't force our men and women in the armed forces to carry this damn monkey on their backs any more.

[democracy eh]

27. Prelude to the Draft, I am afraid

When it hits the mainstream media the spin will be, the poor US military, has to send these poor souls back to Iraq, therefore the logical solution is to get more able bodies young volunteers, when that doesn't happen, DRAFT. If they prepare the sheeple adequately, the DRAFT will be a logical next step as opposed to a grotesque failure of Bu$h's policies.