SOLDIER LETTERS

From: Stacia Wells
Sent: Monday, October 27, 2003 11:40 AM
To: mike@michaelmoore.com; news@michaelmoore.com
Subject: Help with the War, Please!

Michael Moore:

My name is Stacia Wells; I am engaged to a soldier proudly serving his country in Iraq. I received a very disturbing call from him recently, characterized by the most fear and desperation I have ever heard. _______ has decided not to re-enlist in the Army after two tours and is scheduled to be discharged in March 2004. According to Army practice, _______ should be heading back to the States, in fact, he was supposed to be coming home sometime between November 1st and 15th, and his clearing process had already begun. For your awareness, the clearing process is where a soldier’s equipment is returned to the Army, and he had already returned his weapons and ammunition. Shortly after returning this equipment, it was returned to him and he was told that his return home date was in question. He then heard from his Platoon Sgt. that the Colonel had unilaterally decided to hold off allowing soldiers to come home until about a month prior to their ETS forcing them to sell back their leave days they did not get to use. It wasn’t until the next day that the Platoon Sgt informed my soldier that the Colonel had not received the required authorization to hold soldiers in Iraq. This Colonel claims he is holding these soldiers until he gets more troop replacements, however, no more troops will be sent to him until they come home in April. So, this Colonel has decided to hold my soldier as a pawn or hostage until his demands for additional troops are met. It seems he has ignored his superiors and is now commanding his troops using his own rules.

_______ has an outstanding history with the Army 4th Infantry, he spent time in Germany and upon returning to the US, was stationed at Fort Hood, but with the HHC rather than the full fledged 4th Infantry. He worked closely with his superiors who got to know and respect _______ for his dedication and commitment to his position. Unfortunately, the time came that the HHC had to return _______ to the 4th Infantry just about the time the war with Iraq began. It was during _______’s tour in Iraq that the question of his re-enlistment arose, when he was asked to re-enlist, he responded with a firm “no”, he was then continually pressured to reconsider his decision. _______ handled this pressure in the same manner he has conducted himself throughout his Army career, as thoughtful and professional. What he received in return were unprofessional comments that threatened to make the remaining time in Iraq very difficult.

_______ has given 110% to the US Army; he is a SSG with a Ranger qualification, which demonstrates his commitment and dedication to his country. _______ and I share very different political philosophies; he grew up a child of a career soldier, enlisted in the Army at 17 and is now a 2 time war veteran at 24. _______ served in Kosovo and Iraq firmly believing in the US Army and what it represents. His recent experience as a pawn in his Colonels game to receive replacement soldiers is shaking these beliefs at their very core. _______ now sees an Army not of organization, strict policies and command and control, rather he is now caught up in Army politics. Is this the value our Army places on the commitments it has made to its soldiers? Is this the value they put on a soldiers life? He is now seeing the world as I do. The unfortunate part of that experience is that _______ will not look back on his Army career with pride and accomplishment; rather he will remember the inhuman treatment he encountered at the hands of his own government. Rather than being a positive role model for future generations of young Americans, this Army has now ensured that _______ will regret and therefore, not encourage others to serve their country as he did.

In closing it is very sad to see the hypocrisy of this Administration, on one hand they denounce people that protest against this war saying they are unpatriotic and do not support our troops in harms way, that they side with the enemy. However, in reality, it is this Administration and its followers that are more harmful and disrespectful to our troops and military organizations. All _______ wants is what he deserves, the same treatment as other soldiers, to return to the States prior to his discharge in accordance with Army policy.

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