Reservist Tries to Stop Fifth Deployment (one was for 15 days)

Associated Press and AOL News ^ | 14 July 07 | BRIAN SKOLOFF

[SkyPilot]

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.

Your post reminds me of two language specialists who got their education, and then said they were "Gay" and wanted out.

When the military tried to make them re-pay their tuition, the ACLU, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC), GBLN, and other went ballistic.

I believe Hillary chimed in.

[mnehring]

My original thought was that he has served over 5 years, beyond the normal duty contract and we had other troops we could rotate in and out to keep them fresh.. however, I was set strait in later posts..

[04-Bravo]

During WWII, some countries had military personnel on active duty from 1939-1945. The soldiers in the Sino-Japanese war fought even longer, from 1937-1945. I wonder what those guys would say to Sgt. Botta.

[dwhole2th]

He was deployed with the 160th SOAR. They typically deploy for a max of 90-120 days and if the mission requires it, much shorter. They are world wide deployable within 24 hours. That means they will be anywhere on the globe, combat ready within 24 hours. Always ready! Usually their mission is intense, more intense than the “big Army”, and that is the reason for shorter deployments.

Those soldiers do in three months what the regular Army soldiers do in 18 months.

[FreedomCalls]

We have a lot of troops in Germany, Japan, and other areas we can rotate in.

I'm not so sure.

Company A of the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment (Baumholder, Germany) is facing a third straight Christmas away from home

[Jack Deth]

TDY= Temporary Duty Assignment in Air Force-ese, Bogtrotter.

Marine Corps uses TAD.

Short term Active Duty posting or change of station.

Jack.

[SkyPilot]

Usually their mission is intense, more intense than the “big Army”, and that is the reason for shorter deployments.

With all due respect sir, I don't understand that all encompassing statement you made.

It is a generalization, at best, to assume that one unit's burden and intensity is greater than another's. The factors involved are beyond statistical measurement, much less yours or anyone else's random scale.

Moreover, I can say without hesitation (and I am a former Air Force pilot) that both the Guard, Reserve, and "big Army" have been absorbing their share fair of pain, blood, tears, loneliness, terror, and trauma.

My problem with this fellow is he "spun" his story: "FIVE DEPLOYMENTS!"

Most deployments for the Army are now 15 months.

If you think the Air Force is lacking - think again. Our Logistics Officers are not only doing something called "In-Lieu-Of" Deployments for 365 days to fill ARMY roles they cannot fill with enough personnel (these Air Force officers are doing Convoy Duty where they are getting bombed and shot at) - they have to endure 2 months of additional training for the Army. The Army apparently doesn't think qualified Air Force officers are trained "their way" so they endure this 2 months away from their families - and it does NOT count towards their 365 day deployment!

Let's add fuel to the fire. When many of them get to Afghanistan or Iraq, the "clock" does not start ticking towards their going home until the person they replace goes home. Since the Army routinely keeps solidiers longer than promised, the 365 day deployment turns into a few more months longer.

You can see why I don't sympathize as much I could with a soldier who goes to the Media and tells them he has Five Deployments! like this guy.

[SkyPilot]

Marine Corps uses TAD.

God bless the Marines.

By the way, here is a little humor video for you - a great combination of Full Metal Jacket and Rudolph the Red nose Reindeer.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=h-5yFNpNbSc

[Popocatapetl]

There are times when branch assignments can be ridiculous. Often they are determined by one or just a few people at the branch HQ. They get assignments and issue them in an almost haphazard way, often indifferent to previous assignment.

I remember the tale of an Engineer Major, many years ago, with a new wife and child, who was pitched a “great resume builder” assignment constructing a road through the Amazon. The branch officer puffed it up as a choice assignment with lots of perks for his family.

Then the Major stopped by his current “O” club, and got quite a shock. There was a disheveled, sickly looking Major at the bar, who turned out to be the guy he was supposed to replace.

Turned out that the “choice” assignment was not only in filthy, disease-ridden swamp, but was deadly opposed by the local tribes, who killed road workers at intervals. The old guy had picked up half a dozen diseases and was soon to leave the Army for good on 100% disability.

Needless to say, the Major was not thrilled with whoever had offered him that “choice” job. Fortunately he could still turn it down and did, but since that time had kept his eye out for the branch officer who had tried to stick it to him.

As far as this five-timer, he probably has a lot of peers in the ranks who are also pretty much at the end of their string.

This is inevitable in a long war, and they are still trying very hard to come up with a rotation policy that is less stressful to personnel. On the plus side, the current rotation is a lot less grueling than it was in Vietnam.

For some problems there is no ready solution.

[AliVeritas]

Yet he wants to work as a Defense contractor... (shakes head).

As far as the guy here who paid the guy $500 to shoot him in the leg (on the day of his deployment mind you), he stated he would be happy to work stateside. There’s a lot of details that don’t make sense, but someone’s finding out for me who’s acquainted with the family.

There was another guy and a lady last week, all said they would be willing to work inside CONUS but just couldn’t go back to Iraq.

I don’t know about you, but i’m seeing a pattern here.

Either way, they need to get therapy sessions and help.

Last year the dems started making commercials outside of their Vets for Peace ads (we kinda outed a few of them)... they were actively searching for disgrunted troops... as were the press. As you know earlier some were groomed to fill previous republican offices.

[AliVeritas]

He fulfilled his duty? You’re kidding right?

Oh, so the individual decides, screw the military and his country? His contract means nothing? So let’s everyone come home, disband the military and wait for our Beslan and Shariah.

But you know what, I wouldn’t want him back there at this point... and his brothers still there deserve better.

[mnehring]

Ali,
Keep reading the rest of the conversation..

[SkyPilot]

Yet he wants to work as a Defense contractor... (shakes head).

My grandmother wants to work for a Defense contractor.

You just don't walk into the door of these companies and expect a job. It is no secret that many of the super people working for America's best companies are former military.

This guy wants a job with one of them while going to a judge to block his deployment?

Ummmm......

[omega4179]

Me too. He isn’t mentioning actual time in country either. Wha t are we to do, let every soldier resign when they decide they would rather go civie?

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

the total time he has been gone in almost 5 years is about 11 months

Despite the fact that the individual days add up to 11 months, this on-again off-again deployment has been going on for 5 years. I can't fault him for wanting to move on with his life (he is married). He volunteered, he did his time, and now he should be allowed to move on. Four deployments, no matter how long they lasted, are still four deployments. No reason he should get a fifth.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

She also noted that Botta was under an eight-year service contract.

Oops, I didn't read that before my last post.

[SkyPilot]

I can't fault him for wanting to move on with his life (he is married). He volunteered, he did his time, and now he should be allowed to move on. Four deployments, no matter how long they lasted, are still four deployments. No reason he should get a fifth.

Sir - please listen to me. When I was flying, I was gone 270 days a year from my family - every year. I lost memories of my little girls growing up. I lost memories of my boy's first steps. I never knew a Christmas at home for 6 years.

I would have given honor to this man's 11 month's and change of service - had he not gone to the media and a judge to try and get out of his unit's committment.

If you wish to excuse him, I will go along with that -- provided we debate what this country's men are NOT doing. There are literally millions of able bodied men in the United States who have not served a damn in uniform for this nation.

I am not advocating a draft.

But if this country wants wars on three or four fronts, it has to pay for it in blood and flesh.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

Sir - please listen to me. When I was flying, I was gone 270 days a year from my family - every year.

Thank you for your service. You missed my post where I mentioned that I hadn't seen that he had a contract for 8 years. That changes everything.

[Cogadh na Sith]

As I said previously about this guy: Call the Waaaahmbulance....

[bolobaby]

“Four deployments, no matter how long they lasted, are still four deployments. No reason he should get a fifth.”

That’s not a valid argument. I can say that as a guy with 13 years National Guard experience under my belt.

Even pre-9-11, I went on “deployments” beyond my normal one weekend a month, two weeks during the summer. Some of it was voluntary training, some of it was required. The required stuff was usually shorter stints, but I did one required two week period that was *in addition* to my normal two week summer stint - so match that against his 15 day deployment.

I was with one unit where we trained constantly. It wasn’t what weekend/month was I training, it was what weekend/month did I have off.

11 months total active duty time across five years DURING WARTIME is nothing. He really needs to suck it up and drive on. No excuses.