Army Sends Weaponless Reserve Unit To Iraq

[arwalden]

http://www.kwtx.com/news/headlines/1029996.html

About 800 members of the 98th Army Reserve Division from Rochester, New York will begin a year-long mission in Iraq next month.

The unit, which normally trains reserve and active-duty soldiers in the U.S., will find itself training Iraq’s new army.

The 98th is a non-combat unit that doesn't even have its own weapons or vehicles.

"This is a hard war and we, frankly, inside the Army Reserve have been not properly prepared for it,” said Lt. Gen. James Helmly, chief of the U.S. Army Reserve.

[napi21]

1. They don't have their own, but are they going to get some ?

This is sounding more and more like "nam every damn day!

[Inland]

2. And they need shoes and toothpaste. Send your gifts of canned goods to

that asshole in the White House.

[Gin]

4. jesus.....imagine being these peope.........not knowing what the hell is

going to happen...not prepared..not armed...god...what a mess...nobody will want to join the guard anymore...it's another thing the shrub has screwed up....he cannot do anything without ruining it.

[leftchick]

3. so will their families have to hold bake sales to equip them?

This is fucking insane! How the hell does aWol* continue to get away with this shit... :grr:

[ClintonTyree]

5. He makes...............

everyone "feel so safe", or at least that what's we're told in polls. The "Security Mom's" love him, he's SOOO manly and they feel SOOO safe with him at the helm. If we only had a press in this country that told the truth they'd all be shitting their pants. Safe my ass!

[KittyWampus]

6. WHAT THE FUCK!

jesus fucking christ how can the asshole in chief possibly stand in front of America's seeking re-election when he can't even perform the most minimal tasks equiping our soldiers who have to go into the hell-hole HE created in Iraq?

He has been in office for three fucking years. If these troops aren't properly equipt it is on HIS watch & it is HIS FAULT.

Day after day I have done my best to transmute my anger towards these reptiles.

But today I can only feel HATRED.

I hope Junior and every single one of the greedy motherfuckers around him get their just rewards in this lifetime so we can all observe it. I personally have no idea what their fate should be although I suspect it has something to do with standing trial.

[JusticeForAll]

24. You echo my sentiments

Why doesn't W* meet these soldiers upon their deployment and give them the gift of little bullseye target tatoos they can apply to their foreheads for their "training mission" in Iraq?

This country is sick. We have a cancer that needs to be cut out.

[StClone]

7. Bet they have plenty of black bags, coffins and flags

For their middle of the night, inauspicious, flag-draped return.

[arwalden]

8. Same Story... Another Article (& Link)

http://www.wric.com/Global/story.asp?S=2312769

WASHINGTON The Army Reserve is sending a unit to Iraq that has never been deployed overseas before.

The 800 or so troops of the 98th Division out of Rochester, New York, normally train reserve and active-duty soldiers in the U-S. Next month they'll begin a year-long mission training Iraq's army.

The head of the Army Reserve says the call-up of the non-combat unit that doesn't even have its own weapons or vehicles, illustrates how all part-time soldiers must get used to the idea they can be called to active duty.

<SNIP>

[SOS]

9. In the last 24 months

the Pentagon has consumed $1,060,000,000,000.00
One trillion, 60 billion tax dollars. And these soldiers don't even have a sidearm or a jeep?
Where (tf) does all that money go?
And why does the US need to force retired Guardsmen into Iraq service when there are 70,000 active duty soldiers sitting in Germany? What do they do all day?
Contrary to it's image, the War Department seems to be just another mismanaged, wasteful, Washington bureaucracy.

[arwalden]

10. Republican Legislator From The 98th *NOT* Being Deployed...

... it must be nice to have connections, eh? I guess that little (R) after his name helps out a lot in times like this.

-- Allen


http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20040918/1006965.asp

<SNIP>

The call-up does not include the best-known local member of the 98th, County Legislator Charles M. Swanick, R-Kenmore, who is a master sergeant in the division's 2nd Brigade, headquartered in Amherst.

"I am not being deployed at this time," Swanick said Friday.

<SNIP>

[Mr E McSquare]

13. Charles M Swanick

I'm sure Mr Swanick would love to hear from all the DUers out there that appreciate the sacrifice he's made for the fatherland.
I'm sure google has a listing for this scumbag.
lets all give a big bronx cheer!

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

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

[arwalden]

17. Even Though This Info Can Be Easily Googled...

... it's against DU rules to post personal information about others.

-- Allen

P.S. Welcome to DU! Glad to have someone here who's as fired-up as you are!!

[MidwestTransplant]

11. Rumsfeld: Lt. Gen. James Helmly you are FIRED

"This is a hard war and we, frankly, inside the Army Reserve have been not properly prepared for it,” said Lt. Gen. James Helmly, chief of the U.S. Army Reserve.

[wurzel]

12. What do we have to show for the trillions of dollars spent on defense?

We have been taxed trillions of dollars over the decades for our so called defense. We couldn't defeat a country with bicycles in the sixties. Nor now a country that has had a fifth rate economy for decades. Maybe weapons are not enough?

[enough]

14. kick

[progressivebydesign]

16. Why are we sending a training unit over there?

Aren't the people we're sending already trained???

[ROC]

18. Been watching the news?

How many Iraquis are we training is a big issue at the moment.

[Mizmoon]

19. On NPR I heard a return reservist say

that none of the reserve guys has current flack (sp?) jackets - they get Vietnam era ones that aren't much use at all. Only the "proper military" people get the new jackets.

[lebkuchen]

23. Not only are they ill-equiped

they lack training for their mission.

[LynnTheDem]

20. Busy times ahead...

For all of us at the Coalition Casualty Count.

[nadinbrzezinski]

21. I gfuess next thing will be sending them

sans uniforms....

[Cleopatra2a]

27. They already send some of them without desert uniforms

The first time I went my boots were too small, the second time, too big. Someone always shows up wearing green BDUs. I couldn't get a Gortex jacket, it does get cold, rainy and windy at night. They wanted to give me an X-Large jacket and then find someone to trade with when I got there. At least in the AF we get to keep our uniforms. We had a meeting with a female Army major. She said they had to turn theirs in when they returned. When they deployed, they got 1 new one, and had to pick thru used ones to get a full set.

[Pharlo]

22. George W.'s 'epiphany'

THOUGHT #1: Iraqi police and military have little or no equipment.

THOUGHT #2: Therefore, they should be trained to win a war on terra by people with little or no equipment.

ISSUES ORDER: Send training troops to Iraq with little or no equipment.

[luaneryder]

25. Send postal workers and teachers

to train the Iraq army how to march in a straight line. These people get a crash course on the range and they're qualified to train the army of another nation! This is just sick! And so long LTG Helmly; you'll be receiving your d/c papers soon.

[Lithos]

26. WTF?

why don't we fly the Iraqi's to the 98th to do the training as opposed to putting our troops in harm's way?

L-

[TahitiNut]

28. Simple. It's OJT.

:shrug: The Busholini Regime piles atrocity on top of atrocity and the brain-dead boob-tubers treat it like entertainment.
:puke:

[Lithos]

29. Yeah

I heard Kerry talk on NPR the other day and he actually had a plan which involved training outside of Iraq to minimize casualties. Course planning would be a novel concept to the Bush-leaguers in control.

L-

[FlemingsGhost]

30. Don't need 'em--they are going to clean up all the flowers.

Those allergic to pollen, are equipped with Kleenex and Claritin.

(edited for clarity)

[mbperrin]

31. Helmly must hate us for our freedoms!

Gosh, they're everwhere!!!

[tblue37]

32. Well, it's the same administration

that sent our troops to the desert without food or water, right? And there have never been enough armored vehicles or flak jackets. parents have been buying and sending bottled water and proper flak jackets to their kids over there since the war began 9(also air conditioners). So how is it a surprise that these troops don't have weapons or vehicles?

[NVMojo]

33. how long must we bear this mess?

Gawd, I don't pray much but we don't need FOUR MORE YEARS OF THESE SOUL-LESS BASTARDS!!!

[Pharlo]

34. Possible Solution to US Armed Forces Weapon shortage

Confiscate assault weapons from US citizens for US 'defensive' purposes. Any individual gun owner who feels that this is an infringement upon their 'right to bear arms' should be given the option of accompanying their 'property' to Iraq and defending the second amendment.

[MirrorAshes]

35. Who was the one sending our troops to fight with "spitballs" again?

oh, the irony.