ISU student killed in Iraq left off soldiers' memorial (Mercenary)

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

AMES, Iowa An Iowa State University memorial to soldiers killed while serving the military will likely not include an Iowa National Guard soldier who was in Iraq with a private contractor when he died.
Robert Jason Gore, of Nevada, was among eleven people killed in April by Iraqi insurgents. The civilian helicopter they were riding in was shot down as it flew from Baghdad to Tikrit.

Gore was a sergeant with the Iowa National Guard's 186th Military Police Company, but he was performing a six-month tour of duty as a private security contractor for Blackwater U-S-A when he died.

The Gold Star Hall memorial at the university's Memorial Union requires four criteria to be met before someone can be included.

Organizers say he was not on active duty when he died and therefore doesn't qualify for inclusion on the memorial wall.

A little more: http://www.whotv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3522246

[acmavm]

1. Boy, am I torn on this one. Have to think about it for a while.

.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

2. I was as well... I am so sorry for the situation that cost this boy his

life and these parents thier son...

But signing on as a hired gun for big(ger) bucks...

Taints the water.

[aquart]

3. I'm not torn.

If they want to set up a separate memorial for mercenaries, or contractors, or those who died working for wealthy corporations, I'm all for it.

But our soldiers are not mercenaries and they should never be listed together.

[acmavm]

4. Well, I don't think that if they're associated with the military in any

way that they should be toting fire arms for a PRIVATE company that makes huge sums off the misery and deaths of people who's only crime is that they object to the hijacking of their country.

[Iowa]

6. Agree.

[daleo]

5. I don't think "tour of duty" is an appropriate phrase

If he is working for a private contractor, his only duty is to the company.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

7. That's a damn good point... which begs to ask, what in the hell

are active duty guardsmen doing working for mercenary outfits like Blackwell?

[LiberalFighter]

8. That's right... "tour of duty" is not appropriate terminology

Hired gun
Mercenary
Independent contractor

All paid by civilian businesses.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. He died in the service of the mightly dollar

not his country... sorry I believe Mercs ARE scum

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

10. The mighty dollar is this country now....

Greed is good was an understatement....


Now, it's a fucking virtue.