and it's back to Iraq

[Guthrie]

http://www.salon.com/news/2007/03/11/fort_...g/index_np.html

The Army is ordering injured troops to go to Iraq

At Fort Benning, soldiers who were classified as medically unfit to fight are now being sent to war. Is this an isolated incident or a trend?

By Mark Benjamin

"This is not right," said Master Sgt. Ronald Jenkins, who has been ordered to Iraq even though he has a spine problem that doctors say would be damaged further by heavy Army protective gear. "This whole thing is about taking care of soldiers," he said angrily. "If you are fit to fight you are fit to fight. If you are not fit to fight, then you are not fit to fight."

As the military scrambles to pour more soldiers into Iraq, a unit of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Benning, Ga., is deploying troops with serious injuries and other medical problems, including GIs who doctors have said are medically unfit for battle. Some are too injured to wear their body armor, according to medical records.

On Feb. 15, Master Sgt. Jenkins and 74 other soldiers with medical conditions from the 3rd Division's 3rd Brigade were summoned to a meeting with the division surgeon and brigade surgeon. These are the men responsible for handling each soldier's "physical profile," an Army document that lists for commanders an injured soldier's physical limitations because of medical problems -- from being unable to fire a weapon to the inability to move and dive in three-to-five-second increments to avoid enemy fire. Jenkins and other soldiers claim that the division and brigade surgeons summarily downgraded soldiers' profiles, without even a medical exam, in order to deploy them to Iraq ...

this suggests an army that is on it's last legs --- all that's left is to send Boy Scouts and whoever they can yank out of the VFW bar

[newbie]

Yep, what would they do without that great and wonderful volunteer army.

[Figleaf]

http://www.salon.com/news/2007/03/11/fort_...g/index_np.html

...a unit of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Benning, Ga., is deploying troops with serious injuries and other medical problems, including GIs who doctors have said are medically unfit for battle. Some are too injured to wear their body armor, according to medical records.

Holy shit. That's one of the most disgusting things I've heard for a long time. If there were such a thing as hell, I'd hope George Bush had a special place reserved in it.

[DogOnPorch]

A chum of mine with 5 combat injuries was sent back to Iraq...this after 12 months in Afghanistan and 18 months in Iraq. They made him work a desk. He made it back safe and sound not long ago. I doubt that the army is going to put troops with 'serious injuries' in combat roles...but you can speculate, I suppose.

As for the US military being on its last legs...not true. However, replacements are needed or old vets with over a year in country will be sent back. This brings up also the old ghost of the draft from the Viet-nam days. While I doubt nobody but the military wants a draft, it does have its odd advantages over a volunteer army. Mainly in that it gives a much broader cross-section of the population (deferment aside). Otherwise the military tends to attract two main sorts of people. Those with good intentions and a real desire to serve their country...and the other type...those into violence and guns who seek an outlet. I found it quite telling that many US street gangs like the 18th Street Latinos require military service in order to advance inside their gang hierarchies.

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Brains, like hearts, go where they are appreciated.

---Robert S. McNamara