Posted on 04/14/2007 5:33:52 PM PDT by bnelson44
Says Extended Stay of Soldiers Will Help Turn Tide Against "Barbaric" Enemy
(Excerpt) Read more at iraqslogger.com ...
We’re going to have to take out Iran, at least.
Honestly - I am 100% against any extension of service and against calling up any more National Guard to serve in Iraq...
UNLESS this administration decides to grow a set (that we thought it had just a few short years ago) and FIGHT THE DANGED WAR.
The current effort makes me truly worried. We are in a position to have to call up NG, Reserves, and extend duty for a third-word rag like Iraq, what happens if/when we have to face a REAL war with a REAL opponent?
They are a REAL opponent. Much like the ones we’ll be facing for the rest of the 21st century. We better learn how fight them now.
My son’s best friend has a set hanging off the back bumper of his truck. Maybe he would let me mail them to Washington. I, too, am sad about the extended duty. I have seen up close and personal how this affects relationships. The wedding is off. He changed, she was not comfortable with the changes, and she has changed, too, and so they called it quits over the phone. Maybe it was all meant to be, but a lot of tears were shed over it. We all know that in the grand scheme of things, this was just a little story, but I can’t help but wonder how many times this has been multiplied. On the other hand, my mother gets so mad when people complain about these long enlistments. She was a teenager through WWII, and talks about how her older sister never laid eyes on her husband for 4 years while he traipsed all over Europe!! Their daughter was afraid of him when he came home; she didn’t know who he was. But he was a great guy, they went on to have 5 more kids and a happy marriage until the day he died. So it can be done, I guess it depends on what kind of people you are. I think the entire population of the USA needs to grow a set, now that I think about it. Stop the whining. Just knuckle down and get it done.
an extension until november 2008
is necessary
to elect a democrap president.
(/s)
This is interesting how he sends letters to the troops. Is it standard practice for commanding generals?
The good ones.
Lets not forget about the commitments, promises, and obligations the US Government has made to these mostly young people when they enlisted. There is a level of trust that is suppose to go on in the relationship between the military personnel and the leadership. But then again, I guess we all know that recruiters lie - so why not the government behind them?
MG Fil has sent a letter to all the soldiers in 1st Cav under his command.
April 14, 2007
To the Soldiers of Multi-National Division-Baghdad:
On Wednesday the Secretary of Defense announced a new policy extending the length of deployment tours for active duty U.S. Army units in Iraq up to 15 months. I, like most of you, learned of this after Secretary Gates was forced to publicly announce the policy change. I share LTG Odiernos regret that we were not able to share this important information with you and your families through command channels prior to the public announcement.
The shift to a 15 month deployment cycle is part of the Armys decision to sustain our capabilities here while ensuring all units get 12 months at home-station between tours for training, reset and time with their families. The goal of the policy change is to provide better predictability and sustainability in how our forces are deployed. Our extended service will help to maintain the progress and momentum weve gained and will benefit the Army and our country during this time of war. The details of how this new policy adjusts individual unit rotations will be passed through the formation and our rear detachments as soon as we know them.
This extension is hardest on our families and loved ones. They shoulder a commitment to our nation with dignity and resolve along side us. Rest assured that our dedication to them stands firm. We will not fail them and will continue to do everything possible to care for them as they serve and help to defend our nation.
Stay confident in your training, your fellow Soldiers, your leaders and our mission. You are getting results here every day on freedoms frontier. Your efforts to protect the hard fought freedoms won by the generations before us represent the highest traditions of military service.
The American people deeply appreciate and respect your noble efforts here. Your service and sacrifice serves as a shining example of all that is good and right with our nation. They are very proud of you, and so am I.
FIRST TEAM !
Sincerely,
Joseph F. Fil, Jr.
Major General, USA
Commanding
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