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An open letter to my Congresswoman:
Dear Representative Gillibrand,
I have recently been made aware of this:
http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=267675
"Hattan, who was awarded two purple hearts for his service in Iraq, came home this summer to discover his deployment orders had been written for 729 days - one day short of the 730 days needed to qualify for education benefits potentially worth thousands of dollars... The 1,162 members of the guard unit known as the 'Red Bulls' were denied the same benefits given to 1,138 of their fellow soldiers who served just as long in Iraq. The Red Bulls served longer than any other unit on the ground, and their mission was extended to 22 months as part of President Bush's surge."
Now, to Washington's credit, it seems that Hattan and others like him will eventually get their benefits (though I'm not 100% sure about this), albeit after running these guys through bureaucratic red tape they shouldn't have had to deal with. This isn't my issue. My issue is what this story represents.
Some bureaucrat, or some political hack within the administration and/or pentagon saw that if National Guard troops were allowed to serve 730 days or more on deployment, it would cost us a lot of money. Somebody somewhere sat down and considered this, and started a process that ended up being a policy to limit deployment orders to exactly 729 days.
In addition to these soldiers getting the education benefits they deserve, what I want from you is to spearhead an investigation to find and identify this hack. Get their name(s), take their picture(s), and make a big stink over this and ask them publicly how they can look themselves in the mirror. Take these pictures and make them the Willie Horton of the 2008 presidential campaign.
I voted for you in 2006 because you promised to try to reign in this administration specifically with regards to the Iraq War. You have failed in this. I don't blame you so much because I know you and Speaker Pelosi have basically no power over this president because this power was given away before you ever got there.
Finding this hack (and linking them to the president, if you can pull that off) and exposing them, however, is something within your capabilities and power. I count on you to live up to your campaign promises in this kind of way.
This kind of cynicism towards our soldiers during a time of war is unconscionable. It naturally follows suit after the string of shortcomings being exposed at places like Bethesda and the lack of treatment given to soldiers suffering from PTSD. If we're really at war we should act like it.
Thank you for your time.
Best regards,
Bruce E*****
Dear Representative Gillibrand,
I have recently been made aware of this:
http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=267675
"Hattan, who was awarded two purple hearts for his service in Iraq, came home this summer to discover his deployment orders had been written for 729 days - one day short of the 730 days needed to qualify for education benefits potentially worth thousands of dollars... The 1,162 members of the guard unit known as the 'Red Bulls' were denied the same benefits given to 1,138 of their fellow soldiers who served just as long in Iraq. The Red Bulls served longer than any other unit on the ground, and their mission was extended to 22 months as part of President Bush's surge."
Now, to Washington's credit, it seems that Hattan and others like him will eventually get their benefits (though I'm not 100% sure about this), albeit after running these guys through bureaucratic red tape they shouldn't have had to deal with. This isn't my issue. My issue is what this story represents.
Some bureaucrat, or some political hack within the administration and/or pentagon saw that if National Guard troops were allowed to serve 730 days or more on deployment, it would cost us a lot of money. Somebody somewhere sat down and considered this, and started a process that ended up being a policy to limit deployment orders to exactly 729 days.
In addition to these soldiers getting the education benefits they deserve, what I want from you is to spearhead an investigation to find and identify this hack. Get their name(s), take their picture(s), and make a big stink over this and ask them publicly how they can look themselves in the mirror. Take these pictures and make them the Willie Horton of the 2008 presidential campaign.
I voted for you in 2006 because you promised to try to reign in this administration specifically with regards to the Iraq War. You have failed in this. I don't blame you so much because I know you and Speaker Pelosi have basically no power over this president because this power was given away before you ever got there.
Finding this hack (and linking them to the president, if you can pull that off) and exposing them, however, is something within your capabilities and power. I count on you to live up to your campaign promises in this kind of way.
This kind of cynicism towards our soldiers during a time of war is unconscionable. It naturally follows suit after the string of shortcomings being exposed at places like Bethesda and the lack of treatment given to soldiers suffering from PTSD. If we're really at war we should act like it.
Thank you for your time.
Best regards,
Bruce E*****