Conditions for Reservists in Iraq

Sentiments of reservists currently in Iraq.

There are those out there who do not believe that families have been forced to send body armor to their sons and daughters in Iraq. This has been happening since before Bush’s re-election.

Why isn’t there an uproar about this? Wouldn’t you be furious to find out your child has been sent to Iraq to ‘defend democracy’ (remember – there were no WMDs) and found they did not even have adequate protection?

This is unconscionable, and this is not an urban legend. Case and point is the news story on CNN today. Our own soldiers *in* Iraq are asking Rumsfeld.

Rumsfeld faces tough questions from troops

and

U.S. Troops fire complaints at Rumsfeld

This certainly echoes the sentiment expressed by 19 Army reservists who balked at what they called a ‘suicide mission’ in Iraq when asked to drive tankers that were in disrepair and prone to breakdown 200 miles without armored guard or even bullet-resistant armor at a maximum speed of 40 miles an hour to deliver contaminated fuel that wasn’t even usable. Sound ridiculous? How about the fact that they’re being punished for refusing to do it?

Revolt in the ranks in Iraq

More on these soldiers here.

This has been going on for a long time. Here’s an article dated October 2, 2003 that discusses the lack of supplies as well.

Flak jackets are slim comfort for troops in Iraq

An article in the Houston Chronicle dated January 10, 2004 says the same thing.

Are reserve units getting a raw deal?

Operation Truth, a website that prints first hand accounts from the soldiers themselves both in Iraq and Afghanistan, offers some stark insight into the issues facing Reservists and National Guardsmen today.

Treatment and Funding of Reservists and National Guardsmen

Taking Care of Our Own (Andrew Borene)

Of course, on that note, today’s News Release from the Department of Defense says that there will be an increase in the number of reservists on active duty while the Air Force, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard had a decrease.

Full Release here

Total number currently on active duty in support of the partial mobilization for the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 159,476; Naval Reserve, 3,065; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 10,970; Marine Corps Reserve, 10,488; and the Coast Guard Reserve, 1,020. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel, who have been mobilized, to 185,019 including both units and individual augmentees.

I saw a bumper sticker once that said, “If you aren’t appalled, then you haven’t been paying attention.” I must certainly second that sentiment. The average American citizen appears to have blinders on, and what they’re hearing on the news is just background noise.

Our soldiers are not getting the support they need and are dying because of it. Due to the extended length of deployment, our reservists face financial crisis because they don’t earn enough to provide for their families at home.

This is our generation’s Vietnam, and our leaders are perfectly happy with the status quo. If you want this, keep doing what your doing. People aren’t complaining enough, and our leaders sure aren’t listening to those who do. Only when the political pressure is hot enough do they respond, so it is up to us to provide it.