A Parent's Concerns

My son is in the National Guard. In February of 2004 he was called up with 800 other young men from our state of Iowa, and they became the 168th Federal Infantry Taskforce, bound for training and then deployment in Afghanistan. They arrived in Bagram on May 31, Memorial Day. Their training was a nightmare at Fort Hood. The weapons did not work--almost all were old and broken. The Hum-vees did not work. They had been driven into the ground. The men literally could not train. The instructors were teaching them Iraq SOP when they were going into Afghanistan. The SOP is different there, and often just the opposite. They were told that they would not need body armor. The parents raised Holy Hell, and I think because of that, the Iowa National Guard started training the our sons at night, after a full day of useless training by burned out instructors at Fort Hood. They stayed at Fort Hood two extra weeks to receive the proper training from their own Iowa Guard officers (not from anyone at Ft. Hood), and then flew to Afghanistan, where they were ordered to "stay put in Bagram until the body armor arrives." And they did. And it finally arrived. I was prepared to purchase this 'Composite 3' armor for my son, no matter what the expense. Thank-you, Wolf Blitzer for bringing that issue up on the news and embarrassing the army into getting more body armor passed out in Iraq and Afghanistan. I was appalled that the military would have such a caste system for their men: the active duty soldiers had their equipment, but the reserves and national guard did not. My son joined the NATIONAL Guard, not the INTERNATIONAL Guard. He is accepting his year-on-the-ground deployment (if his deployment is not extended) in Afghanistan gracefully and serving dutifully, but I am somewhat bitter that he was even sent out of country. Oh yes, it' the 'back-door' draft. And it's also called 'Stop-loss." A way to keep forces ready for years and years after their time of service is over. Sometimes I comfort myself with the thought that "at least he's not Iraq." But other mothers and fathers cannot comfort themselves with that thought: their sons ARE in Iraq. Their National Guard sons, using outmoded weapons and vehicles, waiting for body armor that takes months to come, ARE in Iraq. And they fight on bravely, for what? Their lives are in terrible danger, because the military wants them in a dangerous place, but will not adequately arm or fund them. And this administration lies about having enough active, volunteer forces in place. I fear also that these National Guard men from the Midwest will be REdeployed, because they are smart, dutiful, quick, and hard-working. The next deployment for my son would probably be in Iraq. To me, serving one overseas deployment for ANY National Guard, Citizen armyman/woman, should be MORE than enough. I am also appalled that there was NO exit strategy for Iraq-No way to secure the peace, and a sad and embarrassing lack of forsight into what the Iraqui resistance could do to our soldiers when angered. The U. S. can be so presumptuous, so arrogant. This administration had no interest in or understanding of the Muslim, tribal mind, and have had no care for THEIR dreams, wishes, or hopes. Bush and "Rummy" just assumed that the Iraquis would embrace American-style democracy about 5 minutes after the troops got into Baghdad. And that everyone would live happily ever-after. A Fairy Tale. I am deeply concerned that the administration's 'mandate from God' will create the climate of a Holy War on both sides--another Crusades mentality, and lead to expanded conflict in the region and more American deaths for no reason. I see Iran increasingly in the news: are we going to invade that country next? And with which soldiers? The over-65 group? The ones who left the service long ago for private lives, who have already served their country? The exhausted reserves and national guard units? Who will be drafted into service next? If we have so many soldiers, as our administration claims, then why are we extending deployments in Iraq? Why is there a draft of so many retired servicemen and women? Does my son have to watch over his shoulder all of his life that he might be called up again and again and again? That is NOT my idea of a volunteer army. Not even close. And who will join this army if those who do can never truly escape it and ultimately return to private life? I feel as though I am living a nightmare. Never in my wildest dreams did I think we'd invade Iraq on such a feeble pretext. Never did I ever believe that my son would now be serving overseas in a war zone. Never did I think that the U. S. would 'go it alone' and ignore the advice of the Allies we have worked with for so long. Never did I think that we would be so ignorant of the world view of the Middle East people that we would presume so much and know so little about them. That we would underestimate their fierce loyalty, their willingness to die for their cause. We have the brightest minds in the world. Bush must have been 'out of the room' on many levels to ignore advice that surely he was given. (OR NOT!) Even Pat Robertson, a fellow conservative, told him that there would be many casualties to deal with if he sent soldiers into Iraq, and Bush said, "There won't be any casualties." Tell me how you fight a war without casualties? Tell me, how can the leaders of the largest, strongest country in the world be so ignorant, naive, and simple-minded? Tell me why this guy and his cronies got re-elected! Colin Powell, castrated and gagged nearly from the beginning, (and a disappointment to many people who thought he would be a strong voice of reason) told Bush: "If you win Iraq, you will own it." He was right. So now what will you do with your piece of real estate, Mr. Bush? You own the mess and the escalating killings in Iraq alright, and it owns you. And unfortunately, you have no sons to send there, nor will you visit there yourself. It's too dangerous. Such hypocracy. I say we need to make a rule for Congress/Senate: for the U. S. to go to war, every draftable son or daughter of the Congressmen/women and Senators, and every youthful legislator MUST be the first to sign up for the military, train for combat, and serve in the war zone. That should stop all of this nonsense. They don't want to send their children, just yours and mine. Stop this war now before it becomes another Vietnam. I remember those years. I will march on Washington again if I need to. I hope others are ready to do so as well. The mass marches on Washington upset Nixon so much that he finally called the war in Vietnam off. I think it's time we started upsetting Mr. Bush about THIS war. Every American casualty in Vietnam was someone's son or daughter. 52,000 of them died for nothing-nothing at all. Every American casualty in Iraq and Afghanistan is somebody's son. OUR sons. "Ask not for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee," said poet John Dunne. Every death is a collective loss. Every day a mother grieves. When will we learn to stop the killing and the fighting? I say it's time, past time, and WE, the Vietnam generation, are the generation to get it done. For our children's sake, let's act. Kathryn D. Struck, mother of a fine soldier 12/03/04