Army Reserve Sgt. Erik Botta, here with his wife, Jennifer, has served in Iraq three times and in Afghanistan once. He is scheduled for a fifth deployment Sunday unless a court blocks the military's plans.
Posted on 07/14/2007 11:34:04 AM PDT by SkyPilot
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (July 14) - Army Reserve Sgt. Erik Botta has been sent to Iraq three times and to Afghanistan once. He thinks that's enough.
Botta wants a court to block the military's plan to deploy him for a fifth time Sunday, most likely to Iraq. He isn't against the war - but he thinks he can serve his country better now by working for a defense contractor and pursuing his education.
Army Reserve Sgt. Erik Botta, here with his wife, Jennifer, has served in Iraq three times and in Afghanistan once. He is scheduled for a fifth deployment Sunday unless a court blocks the military's plans.
"This has nothing to do with protest of the war ... I have nothing but respect for the people on the ground," Botta said Friday, one day after he filed his petition in U.S. District Court in West Palm Beach. "But I feel I do need a fair decision and a fair review."
Botta , 26, of Port St. Lucie, contends in his petition that the Army's refusal to exempt him from deployment "constitutes unlawful custody." Botta argues the Army did not consider the length and nature of his previous tours "to assure a sharing of exposure to the hazards of combat."
He was granted an initial exemption last year, allowing him to pursue an electrical engineering degree at Palm Beach Community College and work as a senior technician on Blackhawk and Seahawk helicopters at Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. But now his exemption has been denied.
Botta said he was shocked when he received notice of his latest deployment orders.
"My heart sank through the floor," he said. "I've sacrificed all my time into this new life I have now."
Botta enlisted in the Army Reserves in October 2000. After the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, he requested transfer to active duty, which was granted the next month, according to the petition.
Botta was deployed to Afghanistan for about seven months in 2002. He then had three deployments to Iraq - about a month in 2003, three months in 2004 and 15 days later that year.
Army spokeswoman Maj. Cheryl Phillips noted that Army Reserve units deploy for 12 consecutive months, and that Botta had only accumulated about 10 nonconsecutive months of deployment. She also noted that Botta was under an eight-year service contract.
"The Army leadership acknowledges the hardships and sacrifices of our soldiers and their families and is aggressively pursuing means to lessen their strain," Phillips wrote in an e-mail Friday. "We evaluate each request for deferment or exemption from mobilization independently to determine if a deployment will cause undue hardship for the soldier or the family."
Botta said he isn't against the war in Iraq, but that he thinks he's done his duty. When he received his deployment notice his "heart sank through the floor," he said. "I've sacrificed all my time into this new life I have now."
She said that out of 649 deployment delays requested by soldiers since the start of the Afghan war in 2001, the Army has granted 561 or 87 percent. Of the 5,708 exemptions that have been requested, 2,983 or 54 percent have been granted.
Botta 's previous deployments in Iraq were as a communications specialist with the 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and were shorter than most tours because they were "emergency deployments," said his attorney, Mark Waple.
After his release from active duty on Oct. 30, 2004, Botta has not been required to participate in any training, he said.
Botta now wants a federal judge to stop his deployment. If a resolution is not reached, he said he will follow orders and deploy Sunday to Fort Jackson near Columbia, S.C.
Waple said the Army's decision to redeploy Botta and to deny his request for exemption is arbitrary and goes against actions in similar cases where academic exemptions were granted.
"We're just concerned that they're granting these exemptions in some cases and denying them in others without any real meaningful methodology in making that decision," Waple said.
Waple also noted that Congress requires the Defense Department to "take into consideration the reservist's prior military service to be certain that there is uniform exposure among reservists to the hazards of combat and the Department of the Army has failed to do that in Sgt. Botta 's case."
There was no immediate word as to when the court would take up the case.
You forgot another point. He wanted to go active duty, and did.
One for Operation Enduring Freedom (2001-2002)and One for Operation Iraqi Freedom (2005-2006). All a volunteer
Running to the MSM speaks volumes.
God bless you GatorGirl.
This lady and her husband are what I am talking about folks.
They have sacrificed much. They do not need to hear someone else whine when the pain is much worse on their side. That is why military families are heroic - and deserve the little thanks and appreciate they do get.
This guy should shut up and go. Getting deferments for school should be stopped, unless the deferment comes with additional time in the service. THAT is what got us in trouble in the sixties.
I know it sounds cold, but there are a lot worse situations out there than missing your girlfriend.
Sorry—not girlfriend, wife. My bad. He still needs to go.
FYI : The 2nd.BCT.10th.Mt.Div.(COMMANDO) has been in combat
For 15 months,as of 7-13-07,in Mahmudiyh,”living forward”,
(in the field),since May 12-13th,,,This unit has already been “extended” till November,,,,That will make 19 months
In combat...
Are we short of troops ?
Are all units going to stay 19 months ?
Prayers Up for the Troops...
Thinking about pinging the folks that were flaming me on the original thread. May wait a while and see if they bother to show up here.
I don't want to crucify the guy, but he has to understand that compared to the pain other guys and families have endured, he is on the low end.
Further, no one like the current situation of being gone for 365+, being home for a few months, and going right back out again.
I must tell you, if a Democrat had done this to our military, the screams of bloody murder would be deafening.
His service to his country is done, and I thank him for it. Now grant him his general discharge and set him up a payment plan for the training he received. He should have thought it all out before joining up.
Thank your hubby for me and thank you for being a supportive wife. It is a tough job for both of you and all Americans are blessed to have military families such as yours serving proudly. God Bless.
Used to be a KC-10 Boom Operator with a few years at Beale AFB chasing the SR-71 around in the old “steam jet” equipped KC-135Q. You are right your life is not your own. My wife figured that out 2 days after we were married I was sent on a 3 day TDY that turned into an 11 day trip due to weather issues and the SR-71 breaking twice. I also spent about 6 months a year deployed for normal mission requirements.
When in the KC-10 she would get calls from the Squadron when I was already TDY asking if she had a problem with me being sent somewhere else a couple of days after coming home. I loved to fly and my wife was in the Air Force until our son was born. She understood my commitment to duty and sent me off. Missed a lot of Birthdays, Anniversaries, and Holidays deployed, but it is part of volunteering to serve.
I’m very proud to say after here chasing me around for 20 years while on active duty and almost 25 years of marriage neither one of us strayed and we are still happily married. If you every met a “crew dog” you would understand why we were called dogs. You volunteer to serve you take the good with the bad.
Ping to update on the reservist who is yelling hardship about another deployment:
“He then had three deployments to Iraq - about a month in 2003, three months in 2004 and 15 days later that year.”
Reservist Tries to Stop Fifth Deployment (one was for 15 days)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1865987/posts
It took me some effort to find it, and I had posted on it.
Your story qualifies as an update, since it has new relevant info not contained in the other story. I was mainly bookmarking while trying to make up my mind as to whether to ping some folks who expressed strong opinion.
My post was not meant as an “Already Posted” zing. I appreaciate the update.
Previously, I had support this kid, but when I read this line...
“Army spokeswoman Maj. Cheryl Phillips noted that Army Reserve units deploy for 12 consecutive months, and that Botta had only accumulated about 10 nonconsecutive months of deployment. She also noted that Botta was under an eight-year service contract.”
...my sympathy waned.
Suck it up soldier.
Why isn’t that the FIRST line of the article. In my opinion it’s the most salient. Unless, of course, you are trying to make the army look bad. Naw... they wouldn’t, would they?
Thank you for this. At first I was VERY sympathetic to this guy. Now....screw the little whiner. I personally know people have had multiple deployments and none of them were as short as this guys 3 out of 4. I definatly stand corrected.
I’ve been in the AF Reserves since 1976. Plus 3 1/2 years Active Duty prior to that. My Active Home Base was Little Rock AFB. (The Rock) The largest C-130 patch on the planet.
Did several deployments to good and bad places, usually 90 days at a whack.
My Reserve Home Base is Andrews, AFB and I’ve done many, many 15 day TDYs (Called “Annual Tour”) all around the world. Plus long deployments to Panama, Germany. UK and Honduras.
You sign your name to the contract and you give free rein to people who do not know or care about you to f**k with your life.
It comes with the territory. I believe this guy does not have a leg to stand on.
Jack.
“TDY”
Temporary Duty Yonder?
I should also point out that *I* have more post-9-11 deployment time than this whiner.
“IMHO, he has fulfilled his duty. We have a lot of troops in Germany, Japan, and other areas we can rotate in.”
IMHO he will have fulfilled his duty when the Army tells him he has fulfilled his duty.
It’s tough, I know — I had a couple of combat tours myself some years ago — but, active duty personnel don’t get to negotiate their orders, they follow them and like it. He knew the rules before he took the oath.
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