Go BottomI hate to see this happen but it was no big surprise
 | Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee 
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2003-06-01 56188
When the troops get used for tasks that are not their mission, not properly relieved/under manned, or just plain abused. This happens, sad to say. Moral has been in the crapper for a few months and now the story is finally leaking out.
Link: Link to Soldier Story
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Add PhotoI hate to see this happen but it was no big surprise
 | JerryG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 54 NW AR 
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2003-06-01 56198
Tell me if I am wrong, is their mission not what there commanders deems it is? ....
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Add PhotoI hate to see this happen but it was no big surprise
| Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2003-06-01 56202
As a matter of fact it is and it is also the soldier's perogative to leave the service at the first opportunity when enough of them feel that they have been abused long enough. This is a terrible loss to the services when poor leadership causes this. Training base and experience are very difficult to replace. ....
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Add PhotoI hate to see this happen but it was no big surprise
 | Misenplace
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 875 Michigan 
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2003-06-02 56230
It seems only our troops could speak for this subject but it seems an awfully short time for in country for ANY complaining. Sometimes ya just gotta do the J O B ! ....
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Add PhotoI hate to see this happen but it was no big surprise
| Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2003-06-02 56267
I agree Doc, only thing is alot of these soldiers were "doing the job in Bosnia, then Kosovo, then Afghanistan before they went to Iraq. Being deployed all the time has a cumulative effect and it is not a good one. You have to rotate troops to keep them sharp, keep good moral, and order. Most folks don't see or hear about what goes on like this but I think eventually things will right themselves. America does not realize yet but the draft is coming and the wealth is going to be spread around for everyone to have an opportunity to accel. Only after most young Americans have walked a mile in a soldiers boots with they understand and identify the significance of mixing politics and military action. Sometimes it is needed but it has to be done right. ;o) ....
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Add PhotoI hate to see this happen but it was no big surprise
| Misenplace
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 875 Michigan
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2003-06-02 56270
I am not sure we are worlds apart on this, I mean in the end we or any one not there could banter to infinity about theory, could be , should be. My understanding is that many of the troops deployed in Afganistan are still there. As far as bosnia/Kosovo that is really past tense. You loose me a bit on the draft/equality issue but I am easily confused. Most of the troops that would have been in one action after another are groups like 101 st that take great pride in being there or any place needed. Again I am not quite sure if you are suggesting that we should have never been there with the reference to politics and political action. Was there ever a war with out Politics involved ? One trouble with forums is that many people will read a particular response and get many different meanings from it. All of our troops should be well cared for but currently I am not inclined to believe durrogatory press speculation. ....
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Add PhotoI hate to see this happen but it was no big surprise
| Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2003-06-02 56330
Doc, I am not writing from what is in the press. I have several friends over there who write me and tell me what is going on. As a matter of fact they and I are in the 101st. Many of these soldiers were deployed to Afghanistan and upon return were immediately deployed to Iraq. Prior to being deployed to Iraq, they spent 6 weeks in Jacksonville, FL loading equipment, prior to that many were deployed to JRTC at Ft. Polk for 4 - 6 weeks. Others were just arriving from a 1 year overseas unaccompanied tour in Korea and were immediately deployed. Prior to all of this was 9-11 and since that event, nearly all of the soldiers were working 12 to 14 hours days in preparation for possible deployments. These soldiers have families and children. Yes they volunteered for the job and will do it better than anyone else. Fact remains that moral is in the toilet from so many deployments away from families. Equipment is run into the ground and now it is stand around and wait with the periodic ambush shootings and attacks. When these soldiers finally return home, many will leave the service. When word starts getting out that upon enlistment, don't count on seeing much if any of your family and plan on being gone all the time playing policeman of the world and pizza delivery boy. Enlistment will be almost nil. My point is that it just should not have to turn out this way. Eventually when demand for soldiers is high for deployments around the world and few are willing to enlist. Then comes the draft. Enlistment is at a record high right now but don't count on it staying that way. For the last 3 or 4 years, there has been stop loss after stop loss. Not good for moral. Very poor personnel management tool (more like crisis mangement) All of these things serve to deplete the experience and training base. Again, not good. With less and less experienced senior NCO's and officers comes more problems. A viscious circle, brings you right back to the draft eventually. May take awhile but the issue will surface again. Those soldier work very hard and endure alot and the leadership has a responsibility to preclude issues such as this. Still alot of Clinton hold overs in senior leadership positions that are "yes sir 3 bags full men and women". I just mentioned what was in the article link. There are other things that have occured that I will discuss here going on that are much worse than you would think.
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Add PhotoI hate to see this happen but it was no big surprise
| Misenplace
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 875 Michigan
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2003-06-02 56333
chief; Surely I can not speak about what I do not know. I can say That haveing served my time I useually figure it is worse than what we hear. All I can really do is support theese folks now and when they return. We probably will see a drop off in enlistment. After so many years with relatively little activeity for most of our forces we have many who saw the armed forces as a sort of free ride or free money for reservists. I know they are not the majority but no doubt they are going to leave as fast as hot cakes when they get the chance. Fortuneately there will be others who take their place. In short it seems like the crux of your stance is that war sucks. I dont think you'll get much argument there. ....
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