Quote:In a stunning display of callousness, the Defense Department has announced that thousands of soldiers — many serving as commanding officers in Afghanistan — will be notified in the coming weeks that their service to the country is no longer needed.

Last week, more than 1,100 Army captains — the men and women who know best how to fight this enemy because they have experienced multiple deployments — were told they’ll be retired from the Army.

The overall news is not unexpected. The Army has ended its major operations in Iraq and is winding down in Afghanistan. Budget cuts are projected to shrink the Army from its current 520,000 troops to 440,000, the smallest size since before World War II.

What is astonishing is that the Defense Department thought it would be appropriate to notify deployed soldiers — men and women risking their lives daily in combat zones — that they’ll be laid off after their current deployment.

As one Army wife posted on MilitaryFamily.org, “On some level I knew the drawdowns were inevitable, but I guess I never expected to be simultaneously worried about a deployment to Afghanistan and a pink slip because my husband’s service is no longer needed.”

Yet the issues go far beyond thanklessness. The nation should worry about the increased national-security risk of separating such a large pool of combat-experienced leaders. The separated soldiers are those who carry the deepest knowledge base of counterinsurgency operations.

A senior Defense Department official warned: “If the force is smaller, there’s less margin for error. Let’s face it — things are pretty uncertain out there.”

Quote:According to the Naval History and Heritage Command, the West Point cadet-to-death ratio in Iraq and Afghanistan is 11 times higher than the ratio experienced for the Academy in World War II, four times greater than during the Korean War and more than three times greater than in the Vietnam and Persian Gulf wars.

None of our soldiers has ever asked for our gratitude — they never really expected it. But they did expect to be able to finish the job they trained to do.

Sending pink slips to commanders still serving in a combat zone is wrong. They deserve so much better than this.

(07-10-2014 02:56 PM)UofMemphis Wrote:  Good, bring our troops home...

(07-10-2014 02:56 PM)UofMemphis Wrote:  Good, bring our troops home...

(07-10-2014 02:56 PM)UofMemphis Wrote:  Good, bring our troops home...

(07-10-2014 02:56 PM)ncbeta Wrote:  Absolutely unbelievable. It blows my mind how poorly some of our service members and vets are treated.

(07-10-2014 02:59 PM)ncbeta Wrote:  

(07-10-2014 02:56 PM)UofMemphis Wrote:  Good, bring our troops home...

You mean bring the unemployed veterans home?

(07-10-2014 02:59 PM)LSU04_08 Wrote:  

(07-10-2014 02:56 PM)UofMemphis Wrote:  Good, bring our troops home...

Dude go away.

(07-10-2014 02:59 PM)LSU04_08 Wrote:  

(07-10-2014 02:56 PM)UofMemphis Wrote:  Good, bring our troops home...

Dude go away.

(07-10-2014 03:30 PM)Doctor Krieger Wrote:  

(07-10-2014 02:59 PM)LSU04_08 Wrote:  

(07-10-2014 02:56 PM)UofMemphis Wrote:  Good, bring our troops home...

Dude go away.

"You can't handle opposing viewpoints"

(07-10-2014 03:12 PM)vandiver49 Wrote:  

(07-10-2014 02:56 PM)ncbeta Wrote:  Absolutely unbelievable. It blows my mind how poorly some of our service members and vets are treated.

I'm not really sure how you can be surprised? The economy is in the tank and the only section of gov't that was allowed to be cut was the military. Now you're are going to have thousands of soldiers whose main skill set is the ability to close with and engage the enemy returning from combat without the necessary tools to make the transition into the civilian workforce. To say nothing about the casual disregard the military has demonstrated toward the mental health of former soldiers/marines.

(07-10-2014 04:39 PM)UofMstateU Wrote:  Obama hates the military.

We have vets dying waiting for care, while his cronies lie and get bonuses

We have a marine held hostage in Mexico, while OBlunder does nothing

Now this

(07-10-2014 04:41 PM)UofMemphis Wrote:  

(07-10-2014 04:39 PM)UofMstateU Wrote:  Obama hates the military.

We have vets dying waiting for care, while his cronies lie and get bonuses

We have a marine held hostage in Mexico, while OBlunder does nothing

Now this

Yeah, problems with the VA all started under Obama, right?

(07-10-2014 04:45 PM)UofMstateU Wrote:  

(07-10-2014 04:41 PM)UofMemphis Wrote:  

(07-10-2014 04:39 PM)UofMstateU Wrote:  Obama hates the military.

We have vets dying waiting for care, while his cronies lie and get bonuses

We have a marine held hostage in Mexico, while OBlunder does nothing

Now this

Yeah, problems with the VA all started under Obama, right?

Bush severely cut waiting times.

Under Obama, the waiting times skyrocketed up to pre-Bush, even higher than when CLinton was in office.

Then, under Obama, the croanies started lying about wait times so that they could get their bonuses for a job well done. And vets started dying. But as long as Obamas croanies make bank, its all good.

And Obama blasted Bush for his handling of the VA. Face it, Obama INHERITED a much better VA system than the one that exists under his administration.