Pentagon Breaks Promise

We have an ALL VOLUNTEER military force here in the United States of America...or at least we had one before the Iraq War. The Pentagon has announced plans to send back to Iraq entire Brigades of our National Guard, breaking a promise made to them, and breaking what most would consider contractual promises to the troops.

How can we expect our spectacular young fighting men and women to uphold their promise to our nation when Bush and the Pentagon break promises made to them? If a soldier's enlistment is over, it is wrong to extend it through force, and how many troops have died after their agreed upon enlistment was actually over? How many Guard families are facing unfair burdens because they are being used in a fashion never envisioned by the men and women who volunteered. What about those in the inactive reserves that have found themselves called back to duty, in some cases over the age of 50.


We owe it to our troops to demand accountability from our elected officials. We owe it to a troops to demand from government officials, and the Pentagon that they keep their promises to said troops...don't let brigades be sent back to Iraq if it will break the 24 month deployment rule. If it takes state Governors stepping in and intervening, then so be it...our troops deserve better than they are getting.

National Guard May Extend Iraq Stays

Under New Pentagon Plans, Stateside Troops May Return To Iraq Warfront Or Remain Beyond 24-Month Limit

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/11/national/main2174340.shtml

(AP) The nation's citizen soldiers, already strained by long tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, could be tapped again under new plans being developed by the Pentagon.

National Guard combat brigades that have already served in Iraq may be called for a second tour, likely breaking the 24-month deployment limit initially set by the Pentagon, the Guard's top general said.

While active-duty soldiers and smaller Guard units and members have returned to Iraq for multiple tours, the new plans would, for the first time, send entire Guard combat brigades back to the battlefront. Brigades generally have about 3,500 troops.

The move — which could include brigades from Arkansas, Florida, Indiana and North Carolina — would force the Pentagon to make the first large-scale departure from its previous decision not to deploy reserves for more than a cumulative 24 months in Iraq.