Wednesday, November 21st, 2007...8:24 am
And, We’d Like That Ammo You Used Back Too…
Jump to Comments
There is a guy in the Pentagon whose job it is to come up with butt-stupid policies that are destined to infuriate the masses of folks who want to do right by our young people in uniform. He’s probably a Rumsfeld holdover.
That is the only reason I can figure for this latest outrage.
The Defense Department is witholding bonuses from servicemembers who fail to complete their commitments.
So, you say, “Tedski, you dumb liberal, of course they are doing that. If they don’t complete, why the heck should my tax dollars go to them?”
Well, you actually have a very good point there. Except for one thing: they didn’t complete their commitment because of injuries sustained in combat.
Yeah, their fault for driving by that IED.
12 Comments
November 21st, 2007 at 12:59 pm
just when i think this administration can’t get any more appalling.
November 21st, 2007 at 2:12 pm
For some reason, this reminds me of Lieutenant Harry Price, the spendthrift drunkard from Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe novels who borrows money from his commrades the day before the Seige of Badajoz knowing that they probably won’t live to collect the debts. It seems like the same kind of business plan.
November 21st, 2007 at 2:57 pm
Tom,
I understand that the Pentagon has called it a mistake and will rectify it.
Since when have you become concerned with our troops? Last I heard, you were trying to throw punches at an Iraq war veteran. If you really respected veterans, you wouldn’t have done that.
I always find it interesting that “Chicken Doves” like you and Tedski have no military experience, yet make the biggest noise about the military.
November 21st, 2007 at 3:40 pm
Would you like to see my discharge papers?
November 21st, 2007 at 5:09 pm
Tom,
If you are a veteran, I owe you my sincere apologies and respect. What branch, by the way.
As a veteran, you know that all bureaucracies make mistakes: the Pentagon, Social Security, Medicare, DES, Hillary’s fund raising team, etc. That’s no reason to ascribe evil intent to them.
November 21st, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Rusty -
I didn’t realize that failure to serve means you cannot have admiration for the armed forces. Kind of funny that you don’t seem to extend that rule to non-veteran conservatives who are happy to use the trappings of the military to further their agendas.
That aside…why did it take a congressman making noise about this to make the Pentagon realize what a stupid policy this was? I can’t imagine that none of the hundreds of Iraq War Vets that have run up against this haven’t contacted them about this.
November 21st, 2007 at 5:59 pm
If Rusty is truly concerned about people who didn’t serve - but are willing to send people into battle - he can start with a long list of Republicans, including:
- Dick Cheny
- Rumsfeld
- Karl Rove
- Jon Kyl
And let’s not even talk about our President and his National Guard enlistment.
I could go on and on and on.
November 21st, 2007 at 8:31 pm
Rusty, so you acually believe that it was a Pentagon paperwork error??? If so, why wasn’t the problem fixed until AFTER some of the wounded soldiers went to the press after getting tired of battling the Pentagon morass???
.
November 22nd, 2007 at 7:05 am
This latest story about trying to get a refund from a wounded soldier is part of this administration’s way of “supporting our troops.” CNN reported last week about the agony wounded vets go through trying to get certified as X percent disabled, and how they succeeded only when they enlisted a member of Congress or hired an attorney. One example was a guy who had shrapnel wounds over most of his body. The VA first declared them to be “non-service connected.” These are some of the reasons Jeff Latas and others are pushing for the formation of a Veterans Caucus within the State Democratic Party.
(And if you’re wondering, I spent three years on active duty in the Air Force during the Cold War, plus four more years in the reserves and guard.)
November 22nd, 2007 at 9:00 am
Happy Thanksgiving every one.
Sonoran Sam. Be careful about trashing President Bush’s national guard service. I think Tom Prezelski was in the National Guard. I respect both of them for their service
Having served during both Republican and Democratic administrations, I know that faceless bureaucracies are a pain and many screw ups are made (why do you think the military is always talking about SNAFUs?). I’ve heard of the same disability stories during Democratic Administrations. One that comes to mind is the “Atomic Soldiers” who had trouble getting disability compensation during the Clinton Administration. Many of them had to go to their congressmen and the media to break the VA intransigence.
I do not like people who cheapen the sacrifices of honorable veterans by using them as centerpieces for cheap political attacks as Tedski did. That doesn’t show respect. Rather, it makes them poker chips in a political game.
Finally get over the Bush Derangement Syndrome. Bush isn’t guilty for every bad thing that happens, just as Clinton isn’t guilty for every bad thing that happened during his administration. If your mashed potatoes are too watery today, it isn’t Bush’s fault. And, if the turkey is cooked to perfection, thank the cook.
December 4th, 2007 at 11:21 am
You know, the current administration pourd billions into going to war and continues to do so, but put very little into preperations for those comming out of it. For servicemen and womens health care, for counseling, re-hab , you name it . All the vital things that are critical to the folks comming back from a combat zone. They intentionaly ignored all those issues. Too politicaly volatile for their petty carriers and political image I guess.
You know , I’m pretty ignorant about politics and I dont have much education, but I’m always amazed at how shortsighted politicians, both Democrat and Republican choose to be. I say “Choose” because I firmly believe that all those folks who voted for this war intentionaly side steped these unconforatble issues for fear of being acused of being “umpatriotic”.
I look around my neighborhood, friends and family, and there are allot of them being deployed to Iraq. These are peopel I love, respect and grew up with. It matters to me what happens to them, to the families they leave behinde, to their health and well being when they return. This crap about ” If you didn’t serve you shouldent have an opinion” is just that “crap! Because for every service man and woman serving in Iraq or Afghanisatn, there are entire communities of families and friends back home who look after children left behinde, who worry and pray, and who nurture and take care of those who return reguardless of what condition they may be in. Thye don’t need “X” amount of injuries to qulify for care in this circle.
Republicans , Democrats ..Get your shit together, allot of families are suffering because of this war, while you guys are playing “I am Hollier than thou”. Shame on all of you.
December 5th, 2007 at 6:18 am
Sorry about all the gramatical and spelling erros in my rant Ted. I was pist, pised, pizzed…uh, I was angry when I wrote it.
Carlos
Leave a Reply