Dear Senators and Congressmen,
You probably have heard that the 419th Transportation Company has been extended duty for its second time. My friend currently serves in this division.
In a meeting last Sunday, officials from the Army came to listen to the concerns from this unit’s families and loved ones. As you can imagine, there were more tears than questions. I heard about a father who stood and cried about the possibility of losing his only son. My friend’s wife explained to me that a mother with two young children told her that her four year old asked her why daddy won’t be coming home. "Doesn’t he like us anymore?" the little girl said.
I also heard about one of the soldiers of the 419th whose upcoming wedding and honeymoon (in which he already had plane tickets, hotel reservations, etc. for) will have to be canceled. There are many other stories similar to this one in which family and extended family vacations have been planned and paid for in commemoration of these soldier’s homecomings and reunions after serving loyally for their country. These plans and reunions also will have to be cancelled.
For the families, this extension is a traumatic one because they thought that this would be the end of their personal battles. They had finally started letting go of the fear that has haunted them that they might never see their father, husband, fiancé, brother, or son return alive, daily worrying and praying and wondering if fate would be on their side. To be so close, only to have it taken away from you, has torn many hearts and souls. Some are used to it, they say this has happened to them before. Many feel short shrifted by the Army.
The extensions of the 1457th and the 419th units have deeply affected people in Utah. I’m sure you heard last Monday about the death of Chad Thompson, 32, a Utah National Guardsmen for 10 years who worked as the full-time supply staff sergeant (Salt Lake Tribune, Monday, April 19, 2004). Angered that his brother’s unit had been extended, especially since the Pentagon pledged that their tour of duty would not be more than 12 months, Thompson attempted to alleviate his sorrows drinking with friends Sunday night. After, however, he ended up arguing with his wife over the phone.
Thompson drove to her house where, it was reported, he threatened the mother-in-law (who was staying at the house) with a loaded gun. The mother-in-law called the police but before the police arrived, Thompson had fled.
The police found Thompson hiding behind one of the neighbor’s homes. They released a K 9 unit on him, which angered him more. Amidst cries to the cops to call off their dog, Thompson made threats that he’d shoot the police, even stating that his finger was on the trigger. One of the officers fired, hitting Thompson in the head. This scene was witnessed by the owner of the home, Patrice Rikli, who had happened to let her dog out into the backyard and Tina Morton, a neighbor who had been awakened by the commotion and saw what transpired from her second story bedroom window.
Two days after this incident, the 1457th received word that they are going home.
In this meeting with the Army last Sunday, the families were told that the uprisings in Iraq were the reason for the extension; they weren’t expecting the uprising. They also said that in order to replace the 419th, it would take 90 to 120 days to train the replacement division.
Personally, I find this reason disingenuous. Bush, Rumsfield, and many generals have stated that troops could be in Iraq well into 2005 or later. And this past week, the Washington Post published a report stating that Bush set aside $402 billion dollars for the Defense budget for 2005 to assist in sustaining the 100,000 troops that will stay in Iraq as a security/police force (LA Times).
Based on this information, the Army should have been training another unit when the 419th was serving their first extension. Either the Army is lying to these families or this is just another example of how poorly planned this invasion, reconstruction, and exit strategy is from the top of the executive branch to the Pentagon and the Defense Department to the Army. Nevertheless, someone or some people have been highly negligent toward the troops. In this case, to the highly patriotic 419th.
I have been told that there is no Army base in Utah and the troops of the 419th and their families wonder if this unit is continually extended because they are misrepresented or plainly have no representation. I implore you to be this representation they need. Go to bat for them. And please, don’t strike out. Honor their loyal service by bringing them home.
Sincerely,
Michael Parker
