OT: Prayers, Please

[flere-imsaho]

My younger brother, a member of the Vermont National Guard, arrived in Iraq for an 18-month tour on July 17th.

As most of you know, I am bitterly opposed to our involvement in Iraq, and it's a sentiment shared by my family and my brother, so this is especially frustrating for us.

Luckily he has access to email (though he has to pay for internet access), so Mom & Dad have gotten some updates.

Yesterday his company went out on patrol. Ben's particular company, never well-staffed pre-9/11, has suffered from a lot of attrition since the invasion of Iraq. Right now they have just over 60 soldiers, which is the Army's bare minimum.

Anyway, out into the 128-degree heat they went, riding in their unarmored Humvees (yep, still unarmored, inherited from a Guard group leaving the theatre). On this particular patrol my brother fired his weapon at a vehicle approaching the convoy too quickly. This patrol was also the target of an IED attack. The IED exploded 250 feet behind my brother. Based on the information we've gotten, no one was hurt.

I can't share where in Iraq my brother is deployed, but let me just say that it's one of the "quieter" parts of Iraq (i.e., doesn't make the news as much). There's still plenty going on, though.

For the next 18 months, he'll be on patrol for 9 hours, off for 18, with a day off every two weeks. He says that on either end of the 9 hours, 1.5 hours are spent a piece getting equipment ready/stowing it away. Based on this, we figure he'll make about $10/hour during his deployment.

The $10/hour (tax free) he earns he'll mostly spend on internet access, phone charges and (surprising to me), bed linen, apparently.

I have two things to ask:

1. Prayers for his safe return.

2. Before being deployed, Ben got married. Though they were intending on getting married later, they made this decision because military death benefits are much easier with which to deal if you're married, than if you're not. Whenever he can, Ben calls his wife, Sarah, or Mom & Dad using an AT&T Phone Card. If you are so inclined, you can donate some money for this card. PM for details.

Thanks.

[oliegirl]

Our prayers are with you and your family.

[Dutch]

There are some odd statements here, Flere.

Internet Service and Linen are things that should not be paid for by the member. That is really strange. What is his e-mail address? Isn't it a *.mil addy?

I didn't realize that reservists were paid by the hour. I thought they were under salary.

I wish him the best and I'm sure he will serve proudly and professionally. I'll pray for his safe return.

[Mr. Wednesday]

It looks to me as though flere calculated the per-hour based on salary and the number of hours his brother will be working.

[stevew]

Would it be possible to send him a Vonage box? If he can access the internet, via a high speed connection, he could radically reduce his costs on the phone department, as his number would be local.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by Dutch

There are some odd statements here, Flere.

It gets worse. Prior to deployment, his unit spent 5 months in Mississippi & one month in California training. Their entire training consisted of training to support tanks, even though their stated mission objectives from the start were to do humvee & infantry patrols. There are no tanks anywhere near their deployment site. Anyway, they all complained about the training through normal channels and apparently it went to the Lt. Col and stopped there.

Internet Service and Linen are things that should not be paid for by the member. That is really strange. What is his e-mail address? Isn't it a *.mil addy?

Neither he nor anyone in his company have been given a *.mil addy. He's paying for internet access to get to his webmail. He is paying for bed linen.

Also, the outgoing Guard troop told the new guys about the mail. In their area, the Marines handle the mail, as they're in charge of that part of Iraq (or something). Anyway, if someone sends a soldier a package, and the soldier and the sender do not share the same last name, the soldier never gets the package, ever. Apparently the outgoing Guard guys worked with their families to test this several ways, so they're quite sure the Marines are confiscating these packages. They complained through normal channels, which got to their Lt. Col and died.

I didn't realize that reservists were paid by the hour. I thought they were under salary.

What Mr. Wednesday said.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by stevew

Would it be possible to send him a Vonage box? If he can access the internet, via a high speed connection, he could radically reduce his costs on the phone department, as his number would be local.

No idea, but I'll look into it. He's just gotten over there, so I have no idea how good the connection is, and whether or not the Marines, who run the base, will allow it.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Elvis

No offense, but it sounds like your brother had no business joining the Guard in the first place.

Based on what?

[Honolulu_Blue]

I will certainly keep him in my thoughts and wish him a safe return home.

[valhalla]

Anyway, if someone sends a soldier a package, and the soldier and the sender do not share the same last name, the soldier never gets the package, ever.

Sounds like those are good security precautions if you ask me, im sure they do these things for a reason. Im not sure what you are getting at with that comment?

Sorry but I dont think its appropriate to post the donation thing. If anyone is interested in helping out they should do so through one of the many organizations set up to help all the soldiers oversees.

Being a fellow soldier i allready pray for your brother and all the other troops over there to come home safe. God bless.

[CraigSca]

Originally Posted by Elvis

No offense, but it sounds like your brother had no business joining the Guard in the first place.

That was out of left field.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by Elvis

No offense, but it sounds like your brother had no business joining the Guard in the first place.

Well, he was invited to join, and since he joined his commanders have practically begged him to attend OCS (he hasn't, and is now a Sergeant). But perhaps you know more than the brass on this.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by valhalla

Sounds like those are good security precautions if you ask me, im sure they do these things for a reason. Im not sure what you are getting at with that comment?

Checking the package sounds like a good security practice. Confiscating it without notifying the intended recipient seems a bit much, especially considering packages where the sender & recipient have the same last name go through.

[Raiders Army]

flere, I don't pray, but my thoughts are with your brother and your family in this. Knowing how vehemently you post against the war in Iraq on this board, I really have to give your brother credit for going over there...more so than a lot of soldiers. This is simply for the fact that he could've claimed a lot of things or done something to get out of going.

That being said, you have brought up some serious problems. Look for a PM from me.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by Raiders Army

flere, I don't pray, but my thoughts are with your brother and your family in this. Knowing how vehemently you post against the war in Iraq on this board, I really have to give your brother credit for going over there...more so than a lot of soldiers. This is simply for the fact that he could've claimed a lot of things or done something to get out of going.

That being said, you have brought up some serious problems. Look for a PM from me.

I was thinking about this post while in class today. (I'm in a week-long training class right now) I think their are some serious differences between National Guard/Reserve units from Active units.

For instance, I had one of my troops go to Iraq, he had flack jacket, internet access, a bed (albeit in a tent), and was either working (TCN Escort Duty/Guard Post), Going to the Gym, E-Mailing, or sleeping. That was about it. But he came back financially in better shape than when he left.

But I think deploying is more of a "feature" for active duty folks and a royal pain in the ass for "guard/reserve" folks as they can lose money by not being at their civilian jobs.

I'm not really up to speed on how civilian jobs are maintained (I think the job is supposed to be gauranteed upon your return but not paid while away???) when you are called up to active duty in the Guard/Reserve.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by Dutch

For instance, I had one of my troops go to Iraq, he had flack jacket, internet access, a bed (albeit in a tent), and was either working (TCN Escort Duty/Guard Post), Going to the Gym, E-Mailing, or sleeping. That was about it. But he came back financially in better shape than when he left.

It goes further than that, even. Guard troops rarely have ammunition for drills. My brother's unit often just bought their own, out of their own pocket. Mechanized guard units most of the time have equipment that is very old and not really fit for deployment. In some cases, Guard cavalry units were sent to Iraq without any vehicles and were told they'd just be infantry until some vehicles could be found for them.

But I think deploying is more of a "feature" for active duty folks and a royal pain in the ass for "guard/reserve" folks as they can lose money by not being at their civilian jobs.

These things, I feel, underscore the difference between the Guard and the Regular Army (Air Force, etc....)

I'm not really up to speed on how civilian jobs are maintained (I think the job is supposed to be gauranteed upon your return but not paid while away???) when you are called up to active duty in the Guard/Reserve.

You have this correct. Unfortunately, there's no provision for self-employed Guardsmen. Many self-employed Guardsmen deployed to Iraq for extended periods just go bankrupt.