"I got extended! I ain't ever coming home!"

[KamaAina]

Alas, Sgt. Richard V. Correa, 25, of Honolulu, was right. :cry:

http://starbulletin.com/2007/06/01/news/story02.html

Sgt. Richard V. Correa, 25, was a squad leader assigned to A Company, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), based in Fort Drum, N.Y....

The 2nd Brigade Combat Team was deployed to Iraq in July on a 12-month tour. But the tour was recently extended by four months. Correa was due to return to Fort Drum in October or November, said spokeswoman Karin Martinez....

Announcement of the tour extension prompted Correa to write on his MySpace page, "I got extended!!! I ain't ever coming home!!!"...

He is survived by his parents.

No mention of any sibling survivors. Thus, an only (or only surviving) child. What you see here is the rotten, ill-conceived "surge" in action. And instead of impeaching the Warmonger-in-Chief and rendering him to The Hague, the Dem leadership we worked so hard to elect basically just went along with it "for just a few more months". :grr: :banghead:

[Dervill Crow]

1. Damn.

Recommended.

[dEMOK]

69. :-( K nt

[AzDar]

2. Jesus. Words fail.

n/t:cry:

[babylonsister]

3. Rec'd with sadness. nt

[driver8]

4. I was in the Navy and had a Med Cruise extended by a month.

That was demoralizing enough...I cannot imagine what the troops are going through. Morale must be in the toilet. A sixteen month deployment? That is absolutely insane.

[maggiegault]

23. It is destroying countless marriages and relationships. The toll cannot be described.

[bdamomma]

5. this has to end, and they are talking about a permanent stay

for 50 years, * and his criminals can go to hell.

[Ilsa]

6. And there was that soldier that was already on the airplane

who got pulled off with his unit for a 30 day extension. He was killed the very next day.

RIP, Sgt Correa. I guess the Correa family can go pick up a medal from the Chimperor if they promise not to hock it on ebay.

Yeah, they got to trade their son for a piece of medal and not-so-cheap gas.

And people wonder why I hate these neocons.

[alcibiades_mystery]

20. Short Time Safety Moe

I know a guy who was asked to go back in the field during his wake-up (the time between getting pulled from your unit and getting a plane back to the States) in Vietnam. This was November 1968. He had arrived in country November 1967 or so, and had fought through Tet, and the little Tet of May 1968, mainly in III Corps, as well as a nasty fight in the Tay Ninh City area in August 1968. Drove APC's, and they needed a skilled guy, or so he tells me. He told them flat out, "FUCK THAT: COURT MARTIAL ME!" They dropped the matter, and he got on that Freedom Bird, honorably discharged. Pulled off the plane? Oh, fuck all that. That's just asking for it.

[maggiegault]

24. Um, the Army isn't like how it was in the Sixties, my friend.

The Army under the Dim Son is quite different than the Army in which my Dad served. The Army under the Dim Son killed my baby brother.

[alcibiades_mystery]

26. I was merely commenting on soldier's superstitions

Not the relative policies of the Army.

I'm sorry for your loss.

[MUAD_DIB]

46. I'm sorry to hear about your loss.

Impeachment is too good for lil boots 'n dick.

[WinkyDink]

41. As Bush said to the Gold Star mother: "You sound hostile." *sarcasm*

[az chela]

7. bush said 50 years ,I say out now

Get off your asses dems and stop this war or no more donations for your elections

[badgerpup]

25. And here I thought he said day before yesterday...

...they ask us to leave, we'll leave.
Tony Snow said so. Repeatedly.

:nuke::argh:

[bonito]

8. Congress is taking this too lightly

And it looks just as bush had and lost his momentum after 9/11 so goes it with the democratic support leaving both parties with a big hole.

What happens now is either a third party fills the vacuum, which I doubt or a truth telling break away candidate from either party hopefully both, emerges.

[Lochloosa]

10. Sounds like your asking for Gore

[Viva_La_Revolution]

55. I know I am

I am over-coming my guilt about asking him to run... we NEED him!

[MUAD_DIB]

47. A third option...

The Dems need a bullet proof majority. They did let us down, but it looks like they are beholden to Holy Joe.

If they can get the majority and presidency in 08 then I hope they boot Lierberman's ass over to the dark side where it belongs.


I am not making excuses, but it seems that he is the stumbling block in this mess. If they lose the bastard then they are screwed. What an asshole.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Cha]

11. Oh, man!

Poor thing..the internet is really something. We find out all this stuff that we never would have known about in a zillion years.

My heart goes out to his family.

How many are the bushits gonna kill before this country says, "ENOUGH!!"? Gawd Damn IT.

[maggiegault]

22. The truth? Most Americans simply Do. Not. Care.

They care in a flag-waving, magnet-buying, slogan-saying way. And that really isn't truly caring. It's the appearance of caring. Shallow. Much like * himself.

A draft would teach Americans very quickly why stories such as these are as nauseating as they are heartbreaking. Until it is their own kids going over to fight and die for *, who was not man enough to complete his own military service, Americans will not do anything about it. Our soldiers are abstractions to John and Jane Middleamerica.

[nookiemonster]

39. I couldn't agree more.....

As I prepare to don my "flamesuit", I am in total support of a draft.

The level of apathy, and detachment of many Americans from what's going on is appalling. There is absolutely no shared sacrifice, or concern from these flag waving, chickenhawk pieces of shit. Granted, the wealthy and their peers will never, EVER, see military service and unfortunately it's always been that way, and unlikely to change. My concern is with John and Jane Sixpack and their koolaid induced train of thought (thanks to Rush, Hannity,et al). If their kids lives were on the line, then the dumbasses might wake up and quit buying the bullshit.

Luckily for myself, I served during 87-92 in peacetime. Regardless, if my ass was called up, I was ready if hostilities broke out somewhere.

Just my $0.02.

[acmavm]

45. I am so glad to see you and mookiemonster call for the draft to be

revived. I've been saying that for a while. And so have a couple of others that I've seen post here. And we're all in agreement, bring back the draft and you'll see some serious reaction on the policies of this bunch of meglomaniacal thug bastards. And some weaseling, secret trade deal making Dems will sit up and take notice that people are not going stand for their betrayal.

Make it personal. I remember the draft. People were freaked out. The 'true' meaning of luck of the draw or your number's up. And the young, since they had the most to lose, friggin' did something, they stood up for themselves. They fought back. And you know what, it was a 'universal' thing. Everyone woke up during Viet Nam. Some for the good, some for the bad. But now, unless you are one of those who've lost someone, or may lose someone, people are not caring. What's it going to take, body counts in the double digits everyday?

[Tekla West]

49. Its the last thing

they want to do. Not even they are that dumb. It would mobilize and unify a generation, and they sure ain't about to unite anything. Its not what they are about. Strictly divide and conquer guys.

[LuckyLib]

68. I said this same thing to my lawyer neighbor --we both have 18 year olds.

I told him -- no deferments for gender, social class, or college. He freaked out. Seems it's OK if those amorphous "others" are dying, but not his sons. I don't want my daughter to die either, but I'll be happy to see hell raised before we leave for Canada or Mexico.

[liberalhistorian]

54. Amen! And there also seems to be a prevailing attitude

that, because they volunteered and weren't drafted, it apparently isn't as tragic when they die. That attitude makes me absolutely crazy. So, their lives aren't as important because they chose to go into the service instead of being drafted? What a bunch of horseshit, plain and simple. And many of those with this attitude love to wave their flags and plaster "we support the troops" icons on their cars. It makes my sick to my stomach.

I'm currently living and working on an Indian reservation; military enlistment, and, consequently, losses, are quite high in Indian country. This is one area where soldiers are not just an abstraction to the population, but very, very real, since most are in small, rural communities where everyone knows everyone else. And I assure you that, while everyone is very proud of those serving and the support for them is high, the support for the war is very, very low and the level of anger is growing every day.

His poor parents, I can't begin to imagine. My thoughts and prayers are with them, and all other families dealing with such a terrible, senseless loss.

[maggiegault]

60. I'm here in AZ and you are absolutely right about the Indian population and their losses.

"because they volunteered and weren't drafted, it apparently isn't as tragic when they die."

And believe me when I tell you that they will express that sentiment right to your face when you lose a soldier. Sometimes at the visitation and burial for the soldier.

[Cha]

58. Talking to a friend and co-worker

today who was drafted at 19 in 1969 and didn't have to go to Viet Nam because he already had two brothers over there. He said he was surprised they didn't have the draft now and I said .."if they did you'd find this abomination of the bushits' ending really fast and they don't want to do that or make their friends pay for it with fair tax.

It's gonna unravel..it's just, "how many more die for bushit lies?"

[mzmolly]

12. Another poor kid dies for nothing.

:cry:

[freesqueeze]

13. Not just the loss of him...

but the ruination of those who loved him.

My Grandmother was never the same after her baby boy came home from SE Asia in a box. I never saw that flag after the funeral. I'll bet she trashed it long ago.

US OUT OF IRAQ!

[colorado_ufo]

30. How true.

My grandmother was never the same after her son went MIA in the Battle of Tarawa, and the younger son drowned sixteen months after that, in the Mississippi River.

Rest in peace, Sgt. Correa.

[genie_weenie]

14. How can the Melaine Morgans and Sean Hannitys

ignore this tragedy? How can they get on TV and grease their ratings with the blood of humanity? Why can't people think? Why can't they see throw those "people" and their charade? Why don't Americans understand the Terrorist Regime of DC does not care the unpersons of Iraq and the lesser americans dying there?

[tom_paine]

40. They do it so very easily...these kind of people have ALWAYS been with us

America was founded to ensure that they NEVER got unchecked power (or that anyone would ever get unchecked power, for that matter).

The gullible drones and the demagogues that harvest their souls have been around in every nation, every era, serving their masters, their fuhrers. It is not that the gullible and weak-minded are inherently evil, but they can easily be swayed with fear to support it, as they have done, the 28%, with zealous ardor since 9/11 and as their spiritual antecedents the Germans did in the 30s when swayed with similar fear and hate.

As the witch-burners of the Middle Ages were swayed with similar fear and hate.

And that is exactly what the Founding Fathers, as they stood at the pinnacle of the Age of Enlightenment, were looking back at with their own fear (of being returned to such a system) as they formed our new government.

It may have failed after 224 & 1/2 years, in 2000, and may or may not return to health and vigor, but the issue is badly in doubt and the Fuhrers as well as their minions, who know not what they support, are still poised for victory.

Sadly.

[frogcycle]

44. how can tobacco companies promote their product?

the world is full of amoral people.

[proud patriot]

15. Fuck This War , Bring our Troops Home Now

[mahina]

16. hey Kama'aina

So many tears that criminal asshole has caused us to shed.
Our beautiful young men gone from us forever. Nainoa Hoe, now this.
Words fail.

[dEMOK]

17. Exactly - Unspeakable...

On so many levels, this war is so wrong -- the English language is woefully inadequate to express the width and breadth and depth of it.

[merh]

18. :(

:cry:

[dEMOK]

19. k&r nt

[sojourner]

21. damn and damn again...

:cry:

[krispos42]

27. Killed May 29th, by an IED n/t

[tblue]

28. Damn it all to hell!

[dEMOK]

29. K (already "R'd").. nt

[MsKandice01]

31. I found his MySpace page

The comments on his page from his girlfriend are just heartbreaking. I'm in tears.

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=67841345

[fooj]

32. May she find peace.

:cry:

[WinkyDink]

42. Only ten days prior she wished him a Happy Birthday........

I've got MY sound-bite:

BUSH IS EVIL.

Catchy, no?

[fooj]

56. I read that, too.

Sometimes I just don't know how to deal with my rage against these murdering war criminals. Referring to the rat bastard as "evil" almost seems trivial at this point, eh? But...if that's all we've got, then---YES! BUSH IS EVIL.

[file83]

48. His girlfriend's myspace page has so many comments...

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=47567419

There's a comment to her from Richard shortly before he died. Heartbreaking.

Other messages from fathers of his friends who still have sons in Iraq, friends who knew Richard, etc...

Each death of a soldier effects hundreds of people, if not thousands, in one way, shape, or form.

[19jet54]

33. "Your coming home one way or another"

very sad story - there are WAY too many like it!

Condolences to the family...

[FloridaJudy]

34. Damn, Damn, Damn, Damn

Words are inadequate.

[dEMOK]

35. Try & Speak...

....even if it sounds feable --

[Jonathan50]

36. I lack the words, so I'll use those of someone far more lyrical than I

These mist covered mountains
Are a home now for me
But my home is the lowlands
And always will be
Some day youll return to
Your valleys and your farms
And youll no longer burn
To be brothers in arms

Through these fields of destruction
Baptisms of fire
Ive watched all your suffering
As the battles raged higher
And though they did hurt me so bad
In the fear and alarm
You did not desert me
My brothers in arms

Theres so many different worlds
So many different suns
And we have just one world
But we live in different ones

Now the suns gone to hell
And the moons riding high
Let me bid you farewell
Every man has to die
But its written in the starlight
And every line on your palm
Were fools to make war
On our brothers in arms

-Mark Knopfler-

See the video.. Very moving, I have to choke back tears every time I watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5JkHBC5lDs

[lefador]

37. And I thought my 6 month deployments were bad...

... I served in another Army, saw action in Bosnia and Africa. However we were limited to 6 month deployments, and those were hard enough. I can imagine what these poor kids are going through with a 16+ month deployment.

What I hate is the fact that none of the fuckers on top have served an single honest day in the army. That is why they just don't think twice about extending tours of duty another 4 months. I mean, how hard can it be to patrol every day on an area where every one hates your guts and where you never know if that step you just took may be the last one you will ever take. Just the psychological pressure on those kids that have to go on patrol every other day has to be putting a lot of the over the edge.

And all for what?

I think we should go back to the middle ages when it comes to warfare, a time when the leaders had to prove themselves worthy by leading the charge against the enemy. If Bush et al believe so much in this war they should show us by being on the ground. In fact future wars should just be fought by the dignitaries. A war between Iraq and the US should have involved Saddam and Bush duking it out by themselves: cheaper, faster, and I guess Mr. codpiece could have proved what a tough cowboy he really is.

What I have learn from my experience in the army is this: if the pres/king's kids ain't fighting, my kids won't fight either. Fuck the lot of them... may all these warmongers rot in hell.

[juno jones]

51. I agree.

Those who start these things should fight them. My personal dream is to see all conflicts between nations settled by dumping the belligerant leaders naked into a big vat of green jello and letting them fight it out while having the 'fight' broadcasted around the world. The winner gets bragging rights and nothing else. ...And we all get to see why these bastards feel a need to shoot their mouths off...:evilgrin:

[PurpleChez]

38. George W Bush can burn in hell

there is NOTHING that could happen to that little piece of shit that would arouse the slightest bit of sympathy in me.

[tabasco]

43. RIP, Sergeant Correa.

Chickenhawk republicans will say that you volunteered and should have known what to expect. They will compare your death to that of a traffic accident victim to minimize your sacrifice.

The warmonger corporate profiteers don't care about your death. All true Americans do care and will honor your memory.

[helderheid]

50. Goddamnit. Just Goddamnit.

[Tatiana]

52. Jesus.

Words fail me.

The only way to stop this excessive abuse of redeployment is to reinstitute the draft.

[shance]

53. A picture of Richard Correa

[rec_report]

57. K&R. n/t

[msedano]

59. I remember Bobby Ward

Recommended

--

Several years ago I promised myself I'd never again let Memorial Day make me maudlin. I lost. Memorial Day hit me Friday, a week late. I sat morosely much of the day, then I came nearly to tears when I told my wife I had been thinking back on my friend Bobby Ward and the others.

When I was in 3d grade, Bobby Ward was a frightening presence on the recess field. A fourth grader, and tough. Bobby Ward and this other white guy ruled over recess. I was a fist fighter as a kid, and would have fought anyone except Bobby Ward or his pal. I kept my distance.

Years passed and I found myself a junior in high school. Our world cultures class mixed seniors and juniors. Bobby Ward was in the class with me. He remembered me from Lugonia School, and I certainly remembered him. But now, Bobby was a little guy, short and slight. I had filled in, was taller and bulkier. But Bobby was a good guy, he wanted to be friends and I was happy to find a friend in the senior class.

June came and Bobby Ward graduated. Joined the Army. I entered my senior year at RHS, rah! It was sometime in the fall, as I recall, the word came down. Bobby Ward had stepped on a mine in Vietnam and been blown apart. Bobby Ward was dead.

Bobby Ward is the first guy I know who died in war. Little could I know that seven years later, I'd be in uniform training with guys who would be killed in Vietnam. To Bobby Ward, to the guys I lived with, laughed with, ran into the ground or ran me into the ground, damn. Memorial Day. I remember.

Ave atque vale, brothers, hail and farewell.

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/news_theswamp/2007/05/bush_to_mother_.html
"Then he gave us a presidential coin,'' she said. "Now you check this out: He gave six of us a presidential coin, tell us not to tell the rest of the people that was there, and then after that he told us don’t go sell it on eBay. Now you tell me how insensitive that can be? What kind of caring person is that?''


mvs
c/s

http://labloga.blogspot.com
http://readraza.com/hawk/index.htm

[donkeyotay]

61. Congress is just going to have to see if it works.

How many will die while congress, particularly the FUCKING REPUBLICAN congress who seem to get a free pass on being the stupidest godamned jerks on the planet. What's going to change after these fine young people die? What, you'll be thinking about your goddamned re-election. Fuck you. You are now a MINORITY party in this country. There are more democrats, but there are even more independents. No one wants to vote for any of you. You have traded our children's lives for your money to be a "representative" and then a lobbyist and then a rich bastard.

How's that surge working? Gotten the oil contracts signed yet?

[upi402]

62. k/r n/t

[pokercat999]

63. When will this madness end? Congress won't do it,

the crazy fucking pResident wants it to go on forever, the next president probably will not do it, especially if it's Clinton. That lets it up to the soldiers themselves. It's time to come home by ANY MEANS NECESSARY. When all our troops lay down their arms and return home I will stand beside them and fight no matter what comes from the war criminals in the administration, pentagon and yes the war criminals in the democrat controlled congress. Until then my guess is the fucking war criminals are right and our troops are happy there and they themselves are criminals.

Before you whine that they would be put in jail answer one question. What kind of person would kill innocents to keep out of jail?

[Christa]

64. K & R

:cry:

[Control-Z]

65. Nooooo!

How many more? How much longer?

If those of us safely here at home are struggling to hold our broken hearts together then how in hell are the troops, their families and the Iraqis possibly able? It hurts so bad just to imagine their pain and suffering and I'm sure I don't come close.

Perhaps if our leaders would even bother to "imagine"...

[opihimoimoi]

66. # 76 guy,,,we got you covered....see you at the next luau

[ellisonz]

67. Murder.