Army sergeant refuses third Iraq tour

[ChasingBlueSky 0]

I know the fine print says he could be called back within 8 years, but this man more than served his country and earned his army benefits. It's terrible that the mismanagement of this war has become his problem yet again.

I will say that in my 6+ years of recuitment and sales that no one has ever asked about discharge status in relationship to a job. It has come up on federal loan applications for education, but nothing in the employment realm. I pulled out the application forms to 7 companies this morning and looked at the military section and they only asked time served, branch, specialization, final rank and awards/commendations received. I don't think he would ever have a problem getting a job.....I think that is mostly bark and very little bite. The only thing that may work against him is that his story as front page news in Chicago. But bottom line there is that in the civilian world most just don't care about gov't red tape like that.



Third time's the harm
(http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/189171,CST-NWS-SOLDIER28.article)

December 28, 2006

BY DAVE NEWBART Staff Reporter
Steven Henderson served his country during two tours of duty as an Army sergeant in Afghanistan -- repeatedly coming under enemy fire and seeing fellow soldiers maimed and U.S. helicopters gunned down.

The Chicago native is back home now after being honorably discharged 20 months ago. He's married and working toward a college degree -- but the Army has called upon him again.

A letter he received two weeks before Christmas orders him to report to Fort Benning, Ga., by Jan. 14. Under the order, he is required to fight in Iraq for a period "not to exceed 545 days."

But this time, Henderson says he will not serve his country.

"It would take a miracle for me to put on a uniform again and to carry a weapon in Iraq,'' he said. "I have no intentions of going to Iraq.''

Henderson, 34, mailed off an appeal to the military Wednesday in hopes he can get out of the obligation. He already completed four years of active duty, including 17 months in operations all over Afghanistan. He received several commendations and even appears in Not a Good Day to Die, a book about Operation Anaconda, a U.S.-led assault in eastern Afghanistan in 2002. The book recounts an operation where Henderson and another soldier survived heavy enemy fire. "That was the longest 18 hours of my life,'' he recalled.

Henderson married a woman from Ecuador, and she is awaiting a visa to come to the United States with a child from a previous relationship.

He's also currently studying business at Northern Illinois University and hopes to eventually go to law school.

"I find it appalling that two days prior to my final exams, two years after any formal training, and with two tours of combat duty served, the U.S. military would even consider reactivating myself or any soldier,'' he said. "To ask that of any veteran is crazy."

Could lose benefits
But it's allowed under the contract all enlistees sign. Soldiers can be called into active duty anytime within eight years of signing up, said Bryan Hilferty, an Army personnel spokesman at the Pentagon.
Since the involuntary mobilizations started in the summer of 2004, about 11,000 soldiers have been called back into duty, more than in any previous war, Hilferty said. But 4,600 have been granted delays or hardship exemptions, and only 6,000 have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.

Hilferty said only 200 veterans haven't reported. Although penalties can include jail time, typically soldiers lose their honorable discharge status, which could threaten their Army benefits and have implications for future employment.

At her Olympia Fields home Wednesday, Henderson's mother, Kathleen White, teared up when thinking that her only son could end up back in harm's way.

His stepfather, Herbert White, who relies on his stepson for help around the house as he awaits a liver transplant, said he was worried about his son going abroad for potentially the third time. "How many chances does he have before something really bad happens? I'm afraid this will be the third strike.

_________________________________________
you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me....
I WILL fly again.....

[Skyrad 0]

Its a shit, and I feel for the guy but you sign on the dotted line and take your chances.

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[pajarito 0]

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Its a shit, and I feel for the guy but you sign on the dotted line and take your chances.

Exactly right. If you don't agree, don't join. No one held him down and made him do anything.

[Andy9o8 2]

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Its a shit, and I feel for the guy but you sign on the dotted line and take your chances.

Exactly right. If you don't agree, don't join. No one held him down and made him do anything.

Agreed. He clearly has a legal obligation to comply. But I think the point being made is not so much that the US govt can't do this sort of thing (because clearly it can), but that – as a matter of policy – it shouldn't do it. I doubt that's an adequate defense to the refusal to deploy, but it's still a reasonable criticism.

[shropshire 0]

He's right ... let someone else carry the can for a while... If he's really needed, let him train the next batch. There must be thousands for active members who have never been in harms way ever... why do they need inactive ones and why should he be expected to do it for a 3rd time?


Donkeys leading Lions?

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[Gravitymaster 0]

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Its a shit, and I feel for the guy but you sign on the dotted line and take your chances.

Exactly right. If you don't agree, don't join. No one held him down and made him do anything.

Agreed. But I think the point being made is not so much that the US govt can't do this sort of thing (because clearly it can), but that – as a matter of policy – it shouldn't do it.

Would you support a return to the Draft?

If not, where do you propose we get troops from to initiate the upcoming "Surge" in Iraq, which most if not all US Generals and our new Sec. of Defense support?

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[ChasingBlueSky 0]

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Would you support a return to the Draft?

If not, where do you propose we get troops from to initiate the upcoming "Surge" in Iraq, which most if not all US Generals and our new Sec. of Defense support?

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Throwing more wood on a fire isn't how you put it out. Find a way to manage this war better. Find a way to stop the mounting daily death toll of our current soldiers. Easier said than done, but I'm sure the administration will get it right no matter how many they kill while changing tactics.

_________________________________________
you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me....
I WILL fly again.....

[shropshire 0]

Great answer.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[Skyrad 0]

If you throw on enough wood the fire is smothered

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[BIGUN 1,486]

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why do they need inactive ones and why should he be expected to do it for a 3rd time?

Cause he signed a contract - voluntarily. Unfortunately, once you sign the contract and put on the pickle suit, you don't get to pick and choose which conflicts you'd rather enjoy. It's for the "benefit" of the military; not the "benefit" of the soldier.

And, this crap of being enticed by college benefits... give me a break.

Now, sign right here, Johnny and we'll get you a cool looking gun, get you some training, call you a soldier and anytime you don't want to do that anymore, why you just raise your hand and we'll tear this little piece of paper up. I don't get it. If you don't want to serve, when and where the Army decides... DON'T SIGN THE DAMN CONTRACT. If you want to serve your country, but not in a military capacity - go do something else, Habitat for Humanity, Peace Corps, Red Cross, anything. There's some that's not right for the military...

Why is it people spend more time researching the purchase of a car and reading every word on the contract than they do when making a life decision about joining the military?

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[Andy9o8 2]

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If you throw on enough wood the fire is smothered

Absolutely. Just as the US smothered it in Vietnam. Or the USSR smothered it in Afghanistan. Good point.

The surge will fail. The opportunity is lost.
Time to stop throwing more good blood after bad.

[Butters 0]

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Why is it people spend more time researching the purchase of a car and reading every word on the contract than they do when making a life decision about joining the military?

The cool looking gun distracts them.

"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch

[shropshire 0]

I see your point, really I do (I was lucky, I didn't have a reserve commitment on my 12 yrs)


But this lad has been out for 2 years (?) - there surely must be more current Active members (who have never been, not even once) who can go.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[Skyrad 0]

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If you throw on enough wood the fire is smothered

Absolutely. Just as the US smothered it in Vietnam. Or the USSR smothered it in Afghanistan. Good point.

The surge will fail. The opportunity is lost.
Time to stop throwing more good blood after bad.

Whos talking about war? I'm talking about fire!

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[DaVinci 0]

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I know the fine print says he could be called back within 8 years

Enough said. Don't like it, don't sign the contract.

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I will say that in my 6+ years of recuitment and sales that no one has ever asked about discharge status in relationship to a job.

And in your 6 years, have you ever gotten a person with a dishonorable discharge a job?

[willard 0]

I feel for the guy, but as others here have already stated...he signed a contract.
A couple years ago I was discussing this very thing with a WWII vet. He had dropped out of school to go fight and served on bomber crews. I asked him once if he intended to finish his education when the war was over. He just kinda chuckled and said, "Hell, we never figured we'd be coming back."

[labrys 0]

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I know the fine print says he could be called back within 8 years,

It's not "fine print." It's written in plain, easy to understand terms in the same size print as the rest of the contract. In fact, the heading that describes the initial contract period For all Enlistees as 8 years is in bold print.

It always irks me when people refer to the non-existant "fine print" of the enlistment contract. It's not a complicated document.

Owned by Remi #?

[shropshire 0]

Wow there's some tough peeps on here... The man's served already (twice)... more than most have or ever will.. It's not like he's taking an extended holiday in Canada or has a daddy in politics...... Jeeeezzze.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[Zipp0 1]

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Its a shit, and I feel for the guy but you sign on the dotted line and take your chances.

Exactly right. If you don't agree, don't join. No one held him down and made him do anything.

Fuck that shit.

I served in the Navy and Army guard, and am a Gulf War vet, and this argument just doesn't pass muster. I was just 18 when I signed up, and NOBODY ever explained to me that I could be called back for 8 years.

Hell, I couldn't even drink a beer, and you think it's reasonable to expect a person at that age to understand the effect that signing a peice of paper with little understanding of the legal consequences could have on their life? Sorry, no.

I don't blame this guy one bit. And if I were him, I'd rather be in jail stateside for a while than in a coffin that nobody was allowed to photograph.

Bring back the draft. It is unavoidable.

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Chuck Norris doesn't do push-ups, he pushes the Earth down.

[DaVinci 0]

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I served in the Navy and Army guard, and am a Gulf War vet, and this argument just doesn't pass muster. I was just 18 when I signed up, and NOBODY ever explained to me that I could be called back for 8 years.

Then you can't blame them for you not READING the contract you signed. Go find your contract, it is in there and it is not anyone else fault but yours that you didn't read it.

It is clearly on mine in simple english and in the same type and size as the rest of the document. I also paid attention when I was told about it more than once before I signed up.

[Zipp0 1]

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I served in the Navy and Army guard, and am a Gulf War vet, and this argument just doesn't pass muster. I was just 18 when I signed up, and NOBODY ever explained to me that I could be called back for 8 years.

Then you can't blame them for you not READING the contract you signed. Go find your contract, it is in there and it is not anyone else fault but yours that you didn't read it.

It is clearly on mine in simple english and in the same type and size as the rest of the document. I also paid attention when I was told about it more than once before I signed up.

I guess your recruiter wasn't as much of a fucking scumbag as mine was. Congrats.

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Chuck Norris doesn't do push-ups, he pushes the Earth down.

[Gravitymaster 0]

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I served in the Navy and Army guard, and am a Gulf War vet, and this argument just doesn't pass muster. I was just 18 when I signed up, and NOBODY ever explained to me that I could be called back for 8 years.

Then you can't blame them for you not READING the contract you signed. Go find your contract, it is in there and it is not anyone else fault but yours that you didn't read it.

It is clearly on mine in simple english and in the same type and size as the rest of the document. I also paid attention when I was told about it more than once before I signed up.

The article also points out this guy is 34 y.o.and has served 4 years already. Hardly some gung-ho teenager.

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[mnealtx 0]

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Its a shit, and I feel for the guy but you sign on the dotted line and take your chances.

Exactly right. If you don't agree, don't join. No one held him down and made him do anything.

Fuck that shit.

I served in the Navy and Army guard, and am a Gulf War vet, and this argument just doesn't pass muster. I was just 18 when I signed up, and NOBODY ever explained to me that I could be called back for 8 years.

Then you should have read the contract better.

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Hell, I couldn't even drink a beer, and you think it's reasonable to expect a person at that age to understand the effect that signing a peice of paper with little understanding of the legal consequences could have on their life? Sorry, no.

Bushwah! It's on the paper in plain English.

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I don't blame this guy one bit. And if I were him, I'd rather be in jail stateside for a while than in a coffin that nobody was allowed to photograph.

Bring back the draft. It is unavoidable.

It's not unavoidable...but it further shows that we're not near the people that our parents and grandparents were...

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[shropshire 0]

<>


You can't possibly be trying to compare this piss-arsed little scrap (caused in no small part by your own leadership) with the massive conflicts of WW1 & 2 (proper wars). Does the word scale mean anything anymore?

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[Gravitymaster 0]

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Would you support a return to the Draft?

If not, where do you propose we get troops from to initiate the upcoming "Surge" in Iraq, which most if not all US Generals and our new Sec. of Defense support?

-

Throwing more wood on a fire isn't how you put it out. Find a way to manage this war better. Find a way to stop the mounting daily death toll of our current soldiers. Easier said than done, but I'm sure the administration will get it right no matter how many they kill while changing tactics.

That was Rumsfeld's strategy. He didn't think we needed to increase the number of troops. He was widely criticized for it and forced to resign as a result. I also recall many people on here criticizing Rumsfeld and Bush for not listening to the Generals.

Well now Rumsfeld is gone, Gates and the Generals are recommending increasing the number of troops. Are you going to now argue Bush shouldn't listen to them? Or are you going to argue he should only listen to them when they recommend what you want to hear?

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