Reply #206: From an Infantryman's Journal

[monicab]

The reply to this post will be an entry in a soldier's journal. He wrote this and forwarded it to us so that we could help him get his story out.

This soldier is AWOL. He was originally AWOL until March. We talked with him, and his mom, for a period of time while he tried to make a decision on the right course of action for himself. He was scared, and was considered a deserter because he was AWOL for more than 29 consecutive days. The post we offer is his explanation for one of the reasons that he was scared, and would not deploy to Iraq.

After spending weeks talking back and forth, this soldier finally called his Rear Detachment commander and began talking with him about the options he had. The commander, a Cpt., told him that if he were to report back for duty within 3 days of his phone call, that he would be in-processed back into the Army, and then they would begin the process of a Chapter 10, which is basically a bad-conduct discharge in which he would lose any benefits accrued. The soldier was fine with this, he just wanted out. He reported back, and was in-processed. He came and talked with us, (all we could do was listen, and provide emotional support, but at least he wasn't alone) and he told us that the Cpt. assured him that they would complete the process of the Chapter 10. At some point, about 2 weeks after he returned, he came back to us and said that the Cpt. had changed his story, and that he had 4 days to prepare, that this soldier was going to be on a plane bound for Iraq in that time. They were concerned that he was a flight risk, so they were going to send an NCO to his barracks room, confine him there and impound his car so that he could not leave. Before this could happen, the soldier went AWOL again. All of his property has now been impounded, he has a warrant for his arrest, and if he returns or is arrested he will have a Federal conviction on his record for the rest of his life (he is 23)... all because he did not want to go to war...

We do not agree with going AWOL. We can't counsel anyone to do that. We believe that it is important for these soldiers to know that they have the support if they stand up and face what is wrong. BUT... we also know that it's difficult for these soldiers to know of the support, and the way they are treated by many in command positions DOES SCARE THEM. They are young. If they were to do anything except enlist in the Army.. they would not be in a situation that was Life and Death, and they could take more time to grow into their positions. BUT... in the ARMY.. THEY ARE PUTTING THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE BEFORE THEY HAVE EVER HAD A CHANCE TO COME TO KNOW JUST HOW VALUABLE THEIR ONE LIFE REALLY IS.

It takes wisdom for people to appreciate the life they have. Wisdom comes with experience, and these young soldiers haven't had enough life experience, before they enlist, to fully comprehend the value of what they have been given. They can't be expected to have that understanding. They are still kids in so many ways.. But.. they are anything BUT kids when they return from these killing fields - IF THEY RETURN AT ALL.

Monica