Posted on 10/25/2004 7:31:25 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
WASHINGTON — More than 800 former soldiers have failed to comply with Army orders to get back in uniform and report for duty in Iraq or Afghanistan, the Army said Friday. That is more than a third of the total who were told to report to a mobilization station by Oct. 17.
The number stood at 622 three weeks ago, amid talk that any who refused to report for duty could be declared absent without leave. Refusing to report for duty normally would lead to AWOL charges, but the Army is trying to resolve these cases quietly.
In all, 4,166 members of the Individual Ready Reserve have received mobilization orders since July 6. Of these, 2,288 were to have reported by Oct. 17. The others are to report in coming weeks and months.
Of those due to have reported by now, 1,445 have done so, but 843 have neither reported nor asked for a delay or exemption. That no-show rate of 37% is roughly in line with the one-third rate the Army had forecast when it began the mobilization to fill positions in regular and reserve units. By comparison, the no-show total of 622 three weeks ago equated to a 35% rate.
Of the 843, the Army has had follow-up contact with 383 and is seeking to resolve their cases, according to figures made public Friday. For the 460 others, "we are still working to establish positive contact," the Army said. Some might not have received the mailed orders.
Members of the Individual Ready Reserve, or IRR, are rarely called to active duty. The last time was 1990, when nearly 20,000 were mobilized. IRR members are people who were honorably discharged after finishing their active-duty tours, usually four to six years, but remained in the IRR for the rest of the eight-year commitment. They are separate from the reserve troops who are more routinely mobilized — the National Guard and Reserve.
The Army anticipated, based on experience, that about a third of the IRR people it called up would be disqualified for medical or other reasons. The trend so far bears that out.
The Marine Corps, meanwhile, said Friday that a Marine killed in western Iraq this week, Sgt. Douglas E. Bascom, 25, of Colorado Springs, Colo., was a member of the Individual Ready Reserve. He was the first such Marine to die in Iraq, according to Gunnery Sgt. Kristine Scharber, a Marine Corps spokeswoman at the Pentagon.
About 400 IRR Marines are deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Shane Darbonne, a spokesman for the Marine Corps Mobilization Command.
Army officials said they were uncertain whether any of their Individual Ready Reserve members had been killed in Iraq.
When the American invading force toppled Baghdad in April 2003, the Army thought it would be sending most of its soldiers home within months. Instead, it has kept 100,000 or more there ever since.
Boy the 2nd article I posted about our military re-upping is getting me somewhat over my anger of what I have reading this evening.
anger **ping**
What kin I say? Hell of a lot of ORFs out here that would GLADLY go on active duty NOW if we were allowed. Damn good shots if nothing else......
Hysterical reactions serve no purpose.
As for stop loss orders......my son served during X42......and there was a stop loss for Bosnia, another for Kosovo.....
This is not unusual.
As for recalling those who have left the military, I will agree this is an unusual circumstance but we ARE at war.
Count on those who refuse to be treated harshly.
They must be listening to Hanoi Kerry and Draft Dodger Clinton
I hope there are 843 bunks available at Leavenworth. If not, hot-bunk them.
Clinton did everything he could for pussyfication of america.....every single person still in place from that administration is a coward liberal military hater just like he is... its THEIR FAULT ... if W doesnt take back the POTUS office....america has seen her last great days as the powerforce of freedom.... we just might see the last of ours in a Kerry administration... of course they will all flee to France with the rest of their p*ssywhipped pals...
Oh how I wish they have never opened the new prison. The old in the middle of Leavenworth has been condemed and the prisoners moved to a new facility, it looks like a college campus and does not appear to be hard labor at all.
This is just a vacation for some who break the law.
I think some soldiers got some bad advice and are hoping for a JFK win and an amnesty. They just might end up with a less than honorable discharge which would destroy their lives. I suggest they reestablish contact and fulfill their original and any others obligation received for AWOL before it becomes desertion. They are facing some harsh stuff here.
Fine. Courtmartial them, throw them in the stockade for the remainder of their commitment to their branch of the armed forces, then give them a dishonorable discharge.
It's disgusting how the media ignores the heroism and sacrifice of our troops and their families, but descends on reports of traitors and deserters like locusts. Absolutely disgusting.
The operative paragraph. Trust me, trying to find Reservists in the IRR haystack is a challenge worthy of a Tolkein novel. A lot of them won't qualify medically anyway. This is another tempest in a teapot.
Here's one more ORF who went to Tae Kwon Do this evening with his 12 year old son and is ready to get into harness. I checked with RPERCEN and told them to put me on the volunteer list. Still waiting.
Please post the "Congressional Declaration of War".
I listened to the radio on December 8, 1941 when Congress declared war with Japan. Congressional Declaration of War on Japan December 8, 1941
In other words, this was pretty much to be expected. Probably some of them are in poor health, some have moved and gotten lost in the records, some have other reasons for deferment.
I'd say that AP is, as usual, trying to make a mountain over a mole hill.
My wife was amoung this group to be called up. She was deleted due to medical reasons. I have since written W personally requesting that I take her place. If I don't get to go to Iraq (per my request) I hope I get to guard these slugs.
(1) ThoseWhoServe.mil
(2) ThoseWhoRefuseToServe.mil
with links from one to the other.
The American people deserve to know both the names of those to whom they are infinitely indebted, and also the names of those to whom they owe nothing.
I rarely feel sorry for cowards or the greedy, stupid ones.
I can understand the BMT military washouts,as few really understand the full consequences of voluntary enlistment, unless they have actually enlisted, or commisioned themselves.
In the civilian world, police, firefighters and border controll agents are the closest equivelant careers with a vital and yet thankless task.
The office of the presidency...and congress
(3) Those who refuse to serve again.
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