Extended tours of some US military units eyed in Iraq: Pentagon

[sabra]

http://www.africasia.com/services/news/newsitem.php?area=mideast&item=050919171701.h9gora0e.php

Extended tours of some US military units eyed in Iraq: Pentagon
US military planners are considering extended tours of duty for some units in Iraq if more US troops are needed for the upcoming elections there, a Pentagon spokesman said Monday.

Lawrence DiRita, the defense department's chief spokesman, said it was "entirely possible" commanders would want to boost the force in Iraq beyond its current level of 140,000.

"And I guess the thinking at the moment is, if we did need more and it was based on rotations, how would that work?" he said.

...

DiRita denied, however, that the reassessment of force levels was prompted by a surge in suicide bombings that have killed more than 200 civilians in Iraq over the past week.

[wake.up.america]

1. I cannot see an major progress in Iraq except for the so/called insurgent

am I wrong?

This is beyond stupid the way Rumsfeld is running this war.

[Team44Car]

2. Aren't they already serving extended tours?

[leftchick]

3. yes they are. This would be extended, extended,extended tours

Many units are on second tours. Some Marine units are already on their third tour. Pretty fucking sick isn't it?

[Nostradammit]

5. And they're all coming home. nt

.

[Team44Car]

6. This is pretty fucking sick all right

How can the troops endure it?
I am sure I could not.

[leftchick]

24. think of the "weekend soldiers"

how awful for them the NG and their families. They did not sign up for this hell on earth.

:(

[tabasco]

4. IRR being called up. They are scraping the bottom of the barrel.

I've been scraped and called back to theArmy.

After they call up old farts like me (47), there's nobody left, and a draft will be inevitable. The Army was short 10,000 recruits this fiscal year.

That is, unless the flag-waving freepers crawl out of mommy's basement and go join the military in droves (not gonna happen, of course, because they are pathetic cowards).

[Team44Car]

7. What, are you going to Iraq?

What is the IRR?

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Indifvidiaul ready Reserve

and most folks who RETIRED are in it for ten years... my hubby is in it, so far so good, he is Navy, year two... and I am not counting on him not being called up before this fuck up is over... yes there are nights I stay up wondering when his recall will come? Good news, his rate means they need to start building boats, but I still worry

[Team44Car]

12. whoa, I have never even heard of that

I find the thought of being called back at 47
more than a bit distressing.

[MADem]

15. Even worse if you are over 50....

...and are conversant in Farsi.

[Team44Car]

18. O Boi!

Are you over 50 and conversant in Farsi?
(Where did you learn Farsi?)

[MADem]

19. Yes, and in Iran

And I hold my fucking breath every day. I also specialized in middle east and southwest asian national security issues when I put on the "costume" every day.

I'm out, I am human again, and I do not want to go back. Stick the fork in me, I am done!

[TexasLawyer]

30. Just be Sibel Edmonds

If you're outspoken enough, and prove that you have a social conscience, the DOD probably won't want your type involved in any military efforts. They've got enough trouble keeping their current whistle-blowing translators under wraps.

So keep posting on DU!

[MADem]

33. Hey, they fire people, and take away their pensions

Or send them where the odds are they'll take a hit and come home in a box--I put nothing past them, and I do like my pension. But I will keep posting. There is a lot of misinformation about, and some of it is disinformation, IMHO...

[tabasco]

11. I have no idea where I'm going.

I inprocess and go to Fort Bragg. After that, I don't know. But I have a good guess, since half the Army is in Iraq on any given day.

I was an infantry officer, took an early retirement, which required me to stay in the IRR. I wouldn't have any problem being called up ifwe had a rational government, which needed me for a valid purpose. But being called up for Bush's Folly is painful.

[Team44Car]

13. you seem to be taking it well

I hope you will be all right

[ninkasi]

22. This is so wrong...

Stay safe, Tabasco, as much as you can. This is so absolutely wrong, for one man, Chimp, to be able to cause so much death, injury, misery, and turmoil. His stupidity, and his and his administration's corruption, are affecting the whole world. I'll be praying for you.

[alfredo]

31. The tobasco factory suvived Katrina, you

can survive Iraq. Maybe soon we will be able to say "Welcome home" to you.


Veteran and certified old fart.

[tabasco]

32. Guess what I had for breakfast?

Beans & rice with tabasco sauce. Puts hair on your chest.

I can't recognize the unit crest. Looks pretty high speed, though. :hi:

[MADem]

34. Bring tabasco sauce with you

It greatly improves the taste of the food...!

[alfredo]

36. So true. I got addicted to hot foods

because of Army chow.

Our mess hall could fuck up mashed potatoes.

Lime jello and onions? Give me a fucking break.

Powdered eggs and shit on a shingle. BARF!!!!


The native food was much better.

[alfredo]

35. Army Security Agency.

I was a morse intercept stationed in Asmara Eritrea.

We had the Lightning Fast Chicken Fucker patch.




Our lapel pin was pretty too. The dagger points to the wearers throat.





Our marching song:

I want to be a deskborne ranger,

fuck that life of death and danger.

Deskborne ranger ASA

Wheeeeee!


Read about us in "Body of Secrets" James Bamford.

Read about my duty station in "We didn't do it for You." Michela Wrong.

[reprobate]

38. Morse Intersept? We had plenty of those operators at our base in england.

Ever hear of RAF Croughton? In the middlands. Used to be the main transfer base for all communications coming across the pond from CONUS to europe. Of course that was BS (before satellites).

[alfredo]

39. Were they Army or Air Force?

Did i spell it "intersept"?


I do remember Harrogate. Not sure about Croughton.

Look up Kagnew Station.

what's your MOS?

[reprobate]

45. Croughton was about a mile from Upper Hayford, if you remember it.

MOS was heavy ground communication maint. don't remember what the number was.

Upper Hayford was a SAC base back then

I was United States Air Farce, 61-65.
Searved some really nice three years in England. Fought the battle of britain every weekend down in Soho.

But that was a long time ago.

[alfredo]

46. We had a few Air Force Security guys

pass through our base. They only came for specific "events."

On our base we had the biggest moveable dish antenna. It's in the background of this picture. I think it was the largest moveable structure in the world.



BTW, the Eritrean warriors are the finest in the world. None are more skillful or brave.

[alfredo]

37. Tabasco for breakfast is pretty hard core.

Try putting a bit of Cayenne in your coffee. It will set you free. Try chopping up a fresh super pepper Or Cayenne pepper(seeds and all) and then put it in the coffee filter with your coffee grounds. It will make a man out of you.

[AllegroRondo]

14. Individual Ready Reserve

in addition to what nadinbrzezinski has said,

When you first enlist, you sign up for 8 years. Your "active" contract is 2-6 years, and the remaining time is IRR. Kids who signed up for 2 years and got out thinking "I'm done!" can get called back at any time up to the 8 year point.

[MADem]

17. And if you are commissioned, you are always on the hook after

you retire if you do a full career, or even if you were granted one of those force shaping Temporary Early Retirement Authority releases they were handing out in the mid-90s. It's like a fucking roach motel, you check in, you cannot check out. Your pension is actually a "deferred compensation" and you pay taxes on it. They can haul you back any time...

[Brother Buzz]

16. Jeez Louise, Tabasco, when did this shake down?

Is this a totally new development? Did it come out of the blue, or did you have any written/verbal warning that your IRR was going to be activated? Keep us posted as to how it goes..... Cripes....

[tabasco]

25. I got my orders by Western Union last Saturday.

I was hoping I wouldn't get called up but I was not optimistic. It was a surprise but I was aware I was subject to call up.

The crazy thing about it is - it was less than 30 days notice. Haven't been active for almost ten years and they expect me to report inside a month! :rofl:

So I put in for an extension which I'm almost sure will be approved, and I will report after New Years.

[wake.up.america]

29. Dude, I can keep you here, to escape those lunatics, Rummy and Bush.

[tabasco]

40. Thanks ! I plan on showing up right now.

I might be able to help some troops caught up in this mess.

But I appreciate the offer! If I change my mind, I have a girlfreind in Germany who can put me up too.

[trogdor]

41. So what if you show up...

...and you don't meet AR 600-9? I mean really super-sized.

[Brother Buzz]

42. Tabasco, I've been reflecting on your development....

and realize you're re-entering the service with new status...

A status of 'citizen soldier', and that's not unlike the draftees from a couple of decades ago. The following is from the late Col David Hackworth's book About Face and I hope you can draw something from it if you're not already there. Maybe I make too much of the passage but it helped this dumb draftee after Rumsfeld insulted me with that bombastic draftees added "no value, no advantage, really, to the United States armed services over any sustained period of time" comment.

"Even when they pissed me off, I had to admit there was something I liked about the draftees who didn't want to be there and made no bones about it. I like draftees in general, even with the attendant problems. Historically draftees have kept the military on the straight and narrow. By calling a spade a spade, they keep it clean. Without their "careers" to think about, they can't be easily bullied or intimidated as Regulars; their presence prevents the elitism that otherwise might allow a Regular army to become isolated from the values of the country it serves. Draftees are not concerned for the reputation of their employer, the Army (in Vietnam they happily blew the whistle an everything from , citizens' phony valor awards to the secret bombings of Laos and Cambodia); a draftee army, so much a part of the history of America, is an essential part of a healthy democracy, one in which everyone pays the price of admission."

If you do get sent to that hell hole they call Iraq, please, please take care of our boys, and yourself, too, of course. And secondly, I task you to represent the citizens of the United States in a favorable light. Fair enough?

Keep us posted as to how this mess is unfolding. This old draftee has a keen intrest in this.

[rodeodance]

49. oh my! stary safe.

[BSDRebel]

8. keep joining the military, boys.

Keep believing everything they say...they'll just change their tune when it's convenient to them.

I can't ever understand how there are so many people who get suckered into joining the military. Oh sure, I understand the whole patriotic impetus and stuff, but really, can't they find other places to display and support their patriotism? If you enroll in military, you're practically selling your soul. You will be used, you will be abused, and, like a condom, you'll be thrown away when done with. Why would anyone want to join up to that?

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. can you say no jobs or future back home?

I know you hate the military, that shows...

[BSDRebel]

20. for sure I hate it.

I stand with Albert Einstein in detesting the whole cult to the military. Parades, marching in step, this fake sense of machismo...it's all so caveman antiquated.

But what you state is also true. They often have no futures back home, and can't find jobs, and they get abandoned by veterans benefits being cut by Republican administrations.

But you know what, that's part of the personal responsibility of soldiers to find that out. I'm not in the military and I know about this. I'm not going to play the paternalistic "they're young, they're poor, they don't know any better" game. If you're not willing to research the institutions you joine, you reap the consequences of joining them.

I'll continue to fight for improving everyone's rights (including soldiers) but, being from another country, I really have no sympathy for U.S. soldiers. They are the shock troops that make the Empire possible.

I mean this with respect. I'm just not an American, nor do I play by the limited debate boundaries of the American public. In the rest of the world, we tell it like it is.

[catmandu57]

21. Well BSD

There are parts of this country that are absolurely destitute of employment, or future, we have built in racism and class inequality here. The unemployment rates for our inner city blacks is horrendous and if they're lucky enough to find a job more than likely it pays minimum wage and offers no hope for advancement.
In some parts of this country education is a joke, often times the military is the best option that we can give.
America doesn't have streets of gold, contrary to the old vision, we did have a hell of a good public relations dept, but, even that is showing signs of decay.
Eventually, it's going to come down to the second American civil war, if the situation doesn't change, you can hear it warming up in the wings now, and it's going to be a fucking bloodbath that will make the French revolution look like childs play.

[BSDRebel]

27. i'm from another country

but I've lived here for about 18 years. I know what goes on here as well. I've lived it. Others that I know have lived it, and we didn't have to join the army to do so. I'd rather be in a ghetto than dying on some Baghdad street.

[wake.up.america]

28. I consider myself fortunate. My kids will not be American GIs for

some lunatic.

[Supersedeas]

23. are DiRita and the Gang of Chickenhawks SUPPORTING the troops?

it is entirely possible....

[deadparrot]

26. Those poor men and women.

:cry:

[newspeak]

43. daughter is in the Army

She's stationed in Korea. She was inactive reserve as an MP; I begged her not to re-enlist, but she did and changed her MOS to medic. One year after she was in active duty; she started receiving notices from the Army Reserve. Seems the Reserve doesn't have good communication links with the active, because they wanted her to stand by, for what? Iraq? Now I'm grateful she re-enlisted and is in Korea instead of Baghdadistan!

[deadparrot]

44. Glad to hear she's safe and sound.

:hi:

[rodeodance]

47. "entirely possible" commanders would want to boost the force in Iraq.

[deadparrot]

50. That doesn't surprise me at all.

But best wishes for her safety, all the same.

[rodeodance]

48. http://www.africasia.com