I am a veteran of OIF/OND. I served my country by passing through all of my training for Basic Combat Training through AIT. I deployed with my unit for field training exorcises in preparation for going to Iraq. All of this training took years of time. I then deployed to Iraq in August of 2010. My unit provided communications support for 3rd Armors Calvary Regiment, deployed to KOS Kalsu in southern Iraq. During the time I was there our base received 45% of all indirect fire munitions launched by insurgents. The munitions were almost exclusively Iranian rockets. We received incoming fire on average of once every other day. I have witnessed first hand the some of the lives cut short during my time there. I personally came close to losing my life when a Iranian 107mm rocket struck an MRAP less than 30 meters from my position. I am here because of my training and experience. Not all were so lucky. I am proud of my service, regardless of weather I was a Combat MOS or not I stood up and was counted. I signed up and did my part.
I am appalled pissed off a what is happening to soldiers who are returning. I feel that I along with thousands of others are being victimized at the hands of a thoughtless greedy administration. My fellow soldiers and I are being involuntarily separated from the military in order to deny benefits promised us. The Army is mandated to reduce by 80,000 soldiers this year. Well this doesn't explain why a soldier who's contract expires in September of this year is being involuntarily separated now. However since he is being involuntarily separated the Army doesn't have to pay for his G.I. Bill and will expect the soldier to payback his signing bonus. Another soldier is being separated for being FTR (late for formation) two times in the past year. Yet another soldier is being separated while he is in the process of being medically retired for wounds he suffered while deployed. These are just soldiers I have met during my separation process. I do not the thousands of stories Army wide that are happening. But I do know this these soldiers served there country faithfully and without question and now that they are returning the Army is welching on it's end of the deal. These people were promised something if they gave proper consideration to the government, which they did and now that they have returned worn from war and broken in a lot of ways, the government is trying to get out of its end.
Tell me what you think.
