Letter to Senator Hutchinson--you gotta read this!

[OldSoldier]

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/bio/userletter/?letter_id=43297046

It's from the father of a Private First Class stationed in Iraq with the 101st Airborne. Among his complaints:

* Reduction in combat pay. The guy breaks it out: his son is fighting in Iraq for $312 per week.
* Uniforms. This one I hadn't heard before, but in our Shiny Happy Army, it's not out of character. They told the guy his uniforms weren't "inspection ready." Hey, he had two, it's been six months since he went there, the ground is sand, clothes wear out, okay? What's better: the Army has made no preparations for replacement of clothing items in theater--you have to call back to the states and have your wife pick you up some new ones from US Cavalry off post because Fort Campbell's Military Clothing Sales Store doesn't have them. (Note: it doesn't say "US Cavalry," but since US Cavalry is the only decent military store around Fort Campbell, that's probably where he went.) Not surprising--when I was stationed there, they'd frequently run out of 101st Airborne Division Patches, which is disgusting considering that we were the 101st Airborne! In this guy's case, his dad had to travel from Texas to Oak Grove, Kentucky, because the demand for these uniforms is so heavy they're only selling them over the counter.
* The "Special Resort." The Army has decided to establish an R&R facility in theater for soldiers fighting the war. You pay $75 for a three-day stay, plus the cost of all your meals. Well, if you have to pay for your meals when you've been sent to the hospital, you have to pay for them when you go on vacation. Better: the resort is in Iraq. Who the hell is running the Morale, Welfare and Recreation office in this conflict? Eva Braun?

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

1. wait a minute, Bush is making soldiers PAY for R&R???

This is so unbelievable - what the hell is going on? Soldiers in the field have to have their family buy them uniforms and ship them over to Iraq, and the have to PAY ADMISSION to R&R facilities?

This is insane, are they trying to piss soldiers off? I just don't understand it.

[niyad]

7. not only that, they have to pay for meals in hospital.

(although I think there is a bill to change that)  AND they
have to pay for their flights for those who are lucky enough
to get R&R here in the States.  

Equipment, including gas masks and bio-suits, are outmoded,
ineffective.  hospital units have few real supplies (a friend
is in a hospital unit, and the horror stories about what they
went over with would make anyone sick)

the only way to support our troops is to get them home NOW

[niyad]

8. keep in mind also that most of our military STILL do not

have proper facilities, like shelter, food, water (in many
areas, limited to 2 liters per day in 120 degree heat)  no
showers, courtesy of halliburton, which received billions, but
has not provided said facilities.  soldiers are spending their
own money to get needed supplies, food, etc.

it is utterly disgraceful.

[Jack The Tab]

24. And yet, the military vote still goes to Republicans...

One has to wonder how that will work out next year.

[Drifter]

2. Not to mention ...

that they are unable to account for the half the money being spent in Iraq.

That's 2 Billion Dollars a Month.
That's 500 Million Dollars a Week.
That's 71 Million Dollars a Day.
That's 3 Million Dollars an Hour.
That's 50 Thousand Dollars a Minute.
That's 826 dollars a Second.

But they can not seem to find enough money to supply our men and women with basic human necessities.

And AWOL has the gall it imply that things are going well.

Cheers
Drifter

[cosmicdot]

11. or ALL the money they found plus ALL the gold they found

anyone on the Hill ask for serial number tracing of the $$$ ... I didn't think so

<cut and paste job here> "But they can not seem to find enough money to supply our men and women with basic human necessities."

it's all related

[Liberal_Andy]

3. that's one powerful letter.

I'm forwarding it to my local GOP radio personality (& others). He's the one who said in order to support the troops, one must vote GOP.

Watta tool!

[Skittles]

4. it is spelled H-U-T-C-H-I-S-O-N

although a Bush whore by any other name is still a Bush whore.

[mhr]

5. Don't Expect a Reply

I have yet to see any response to my letters.

[Patriot_Spear]

6. Incredible.

I'm speechless.

[Lars39]

9. Added note about uniforms......

While wife,parents are getting the uniforms, they have to make sure they get the proper patches, etc that have to be sewn on. As a former seamstress I can testify that it has to be done verrrry correctly for the "inspection ready" bunch. This whole uniform aquisition deal is just one more thing the families SHOULD NOT be having to do. :(

[OldSoldier]

17. True, but...

I have shopped in US Cavalry before. They have a tailor shop on the premises. You walk in, tell 'em "I need a small-regular BDU shirt with my name, a 101st Airborne patch, Ranger tab, master parachutist and Air Assault badges and an Expert Infantry Badge," or whatever you need, and they sit down and knock it out. And it will be ready for the general to inspect. Or wear. That's where our general always got his.

The only place that sells uniforms to GIs that doesn't offer this service is Clothing Sales on post.

[sinkingfeeling]

10. Why isn't this stuff in all newspapers, on TV, etc.......

I have always been on the 'liberal' side of things and was an active anti-war protester during Viet Nam...which caused a great deal of trouble for my father-in-law, who was an Air Force colonel! However, I remember all the 'perks' that he received. I even flew from Ohio to Eglin AFB on a military plane before I even married. I have been reading stories of our soldiers not having proper flak jackets and limited water supplies. Is this what we get now with an all 'volunteer army'? If the soldiers and their families have to pay for uniforms, protective gear, meals, R&R, etc., then WHAT DOES THE PENTAGON DO WITH ITS $1 BILLION A DAY?

[OldSoldier]

18. No, this is what you get with George Bush's army

Body armor? Why supply that? A private company makes that, go buy yourself some.

Water? Why supply that? A private company bottles that, go buy yourself some. (It would not surprise me to find out they're selling water to the troops.)

What are they doing with the $1 billion a day? Halliburton's expensive!

Seriously...I wonder what we can do to get OSHA involved in this body armor thing. You know, charge Bush as commander in chief with failure to supply proper Personal Protective Equipment to his employees.

[LTR]

12. Neocons define this as

"supporting the troops".

What a bunch of BS!

[MrBenchley]

13. The question to ask publicly

"Why EXACTLY is Donald Rumsfeld still employed?"

[Liberator_Rev]

14. We've got to post this on CONSERVATIVE Boards !

We've got to expose as many CONSERVATIVE voters as possible.
Here's a sample of what you might want to cut and paste into posts and emails (unless you want to compose your own):
===============================================================
Points made in a letter sent to Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison:

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/bio/userletter/?letter_id=43297046

1) $312/week is great pay.

2) Replacement uniforms are nice, IF your parents can travel to Kentucky to buy them over the counter of the Army/Navy surplus stores to get them.

3) If you have to be hospitalized, the meals are great, IF you can afford to buy any.

4) R & R (in IRAQ) is great, IF you can afford to pay for it.

In conclusion, Wish YOU were here ! (instead of ME)
===============================================================
http://www.LiberalsLikeChrist.Org/warvspeace.htm


Feel free to participate in the post I started at
http://forums.about.com/ab-usconservatv/messages?msg=3602.1

[OldSoldier]

19. US Cavalry is no "Army/Navy Surplus" store

Think of it as a boutique offering war materiel. Except for a very small selection of items--East German gas masks come to mind, as do Soviet fur hats--everything there is new and first quality. US Cav has two major customer groups: military and cops.

[Hippo_Tron]

23. *Note to self...

Don't join the army until a Democrat is in office. Seriously fucking $150+ billion for Iraq, progress is not being made in restoring basic services and now this bullshit. I generally wouldn't be opposed to sending money to Iraq but what the hell is the Bush administration doing with it? Right about now I'd be ready to vote for Sharpton over Bush if he won the nomination.

[spooky3]

15. Maybe when Arnie's auditors are finished in California

he can loan them to * to track down where all those funds that should be going to support the troops are actually going.

[realFedUp]

16. The Halliburton War

Bet the execs are making some money off this one...

[kwolf68]

20. No shiii

That's why we have wars...To enrich the military-industrial complex and to create world disarray so our dreams of imperalistic dominance will come to fruition.

[Rabrrrrrr]

21. That's a hell of a letter

And the repukes say it's the DEMS who "hate our troops" and "have no respect for veterans"


F-ERS

[Karenina]

22. Errrraaaaa.....

:shrug: Ever had one of those dreams where you try to scream and nothing comes out???