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I have a newfound respect fo, mazasapa. If he could have stopped himself from the seemingly reflexive liberal jab of "It's apparent she's a liberal with no business being there", I would have proclaimed that as the single most insightful MNSpeak comment I've read to date. Can't wait to hear Amber...er, Raindog...concur.

As you were -- meant to say (military occupation specialty).

At ease, troops.

Well, certainly someone who has mastered the apostrophe like you have is in a particular position to comment.

and of course bud jr. would be advocating execution if it were a man.

Women out of combat and into roles more suitable 'behind the lines'.
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In case you haven't noticed, there is not really a 'behind the lines' in Iraq, save for the green zone. And that's not even that safe. Rememeber, we are fighting Iraqi citizens here.

She's not a liberal or a conservative,

Trust me, if she thinks the war was about oil, she's a liberal.

One of the problems with military recruiting is that they seem to be willing to accept people based on aptitude alone. If she and the other reservists and national guardsmen who are serving on the front lines had been given the type of battery of psychological exams that were given to those who attempted to join the force I was a part of (if I told you which one, you'd say I was bragging), they would have failed the attitude portion of the battery and had been politiely rejected for duty. But no, recruiters are measured by the number of recruits they sign up, not the quality apparently.

See, if the conflict in question were actually a justified one that directly involved the safety of america, you'd probably have no problem finding recruits. When it's a hopeless cause in a far away country that will drag on indefinitely ... yeah, you might have a tougher time finding people willing to join up. I actually agree with maz, here.

Yup

Your elite unit didn't do much testing for comprehension, did they?

Or were they specifically looking for cranky old bullies?

Heh.

i think the bigger issue is to get people to stop saying "wrongheaded". when did that become so popular? if you think someone is "wrong", just say "wrong".

if you don't want to get shot at, well...you probably shouldn't join the military. what did she think those guns are for, anyway?

Hey, speaking of Iraq, have any of you read "State of Denial" by Bob Woodward. I'm reading it now and it's an awesome book.

I'll bet there are a lot of gay soldiers that would take her place.

Oh wait they don't want you if your gay.
Maybe she should just say she is a lesbian.

I love Ben Bradlee. If you ever want to find out how cool JFK really was, read "Conversations With Kennedy" by Bradlee. The two were close friends before and during Kennedy's years in office.

The military branches have continued to meet their recruiting goals though?

I am no longer too old to join! (I'm too smart, but not too old!)

by lowering their standards and lying to recruits, yes

Sounds like what we used to do @ the bar around 1am. The US Military is wearing beer goggles.

Deserters need to be held accountable for the miltary system to work.

That said, I didn't get the impression from the article that she was trying to get off the hook for going AWOL. She objected to her orders and seems willing to accept the consequences.

It's too bad she thought she would be just a journalist for the service. I wonder when it dawned on her that she may have to shoot somebody. After all, she is holding a rifle that she was trained to use in the photo.

Thank you for everyones time with reading my story in the Star Tribune. The article was good, but I feel like alot of key points were not included. There seems to be quite a bit of confusion reguarding the circumstances of why I chose to go AWOL. I have included extensive statements and a timeline for clarification. If you have specific questions for me my e-mail is melmcpherson27@hotmail.com. I chose to go public in the hopes of giving others courage for voicing injustices, I intend to get this story out to more sorces, please read on... Peace, Melanie McPherson

AWOL Journalist from Minnesota Turns Self in and Faces Court Martial, Hopes to Prompt More Stringent Regulations Regarding the Safe Placement of Soldiers in Iraq

Long Personal Statement by Melanie McPherson

September 23, 2006

Melanie McPherson, AWOL soldier

During my junior year at the College of Visual Arts in St. Paul, MN, I studied photojournalism. I was very drawn to war photography in particular. The images I saw, documenting events sparked by war, were immediately etched into my mind. I understood the impact photography had in changing history. This was very evident to me through the iconic images taking during the Vietnam War. Such still images brought a face to collateral damage. I had great admiration for photographers who sacrificed their lives to bring forth the realities of warfare. I wished to be one of them.

I decided to join the Army Reserves in May of 1999 as a journalist. I saw it as a way to gain an understanding of war documentation from within the military, as an opportunity to travel and meet new people, and as a means to attain financial support for college. I was excited to experience the physical and mental challenges of basic training, and I saw it as a way to honor my father who was a Green Beret Vietnam Veteran - a paratrooper, a demolitionist, and a sniper.

I saw my father as a survivor. He experienced and participated in many horrors while he served. He was very lucky to be alive; therefore, I understood I was lucky to exist as well. I believed my life was a granted gift to be used in ways that would help better society and the environment regardless of the personal sacrifices I may have to make.

I went to basic training in January of 2000 and continued on to Advanced Individual Training for journalism at the Defense Information School in Ft. Meade, MD. I graduated from training and joined my unit, the 364th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment at Ft. Snelling, MN, for our two-week Annual Training in Seoul, Korea in August of 2000.

Later that August, I went back to CVA to finish my Bachelors in photography and graduated in May of 2001. Before graduation, while researching job opportunities, I discovered an ad in the newspaper for people interested in sleeping under the stars, canoeing rivers, and helping at-risk youth with Eckerd Youth Alternatives.

The day after September 11, 2001, I flew to Vermont for a job interview with EYA and was very inspired by the service I could contribute to the community as a counselor for juvenile delinquents. The group, known as Pathfinders, consisted of court-appointed teenage males, ages 13-17, who had committed sexual offenses. I was dedicated to helping them become healthy members of society and believed that my presence there, as well as that of other staff, would serve to decrease the number of potential assault victims.

I moved to Vermont and became a member of the Inactive Ready Reserves. I was unable to find a reserve unit to transfer to that was within a reasonable driving distance and not slotted to deploy to Kuwait at that time.

I believed my civilian job was of greater importance than my job as a reservist doing weekend drills. More importantly, I did not want to leave the Pathfinders after gaining their trust or to abandon the relationships I had invested in. These kids already had enough issues to overcome. I stayed with the Pathfinders for a year-and-a-half, as long as I could physically and mentally endure.

I became very drawn to home, wanting to be with my mother who was overcoming a brain tumor for the second time. Wanting to be with my father who was healing from a botched back surgery, and to support him through the stress of my mothers illness. It was time to be with my family, and to personally heal.

I moved back to Minnesota and stayed for six months. At that time, I was in a two-year relationship with an active duty soldier whom I had met at AIT during journalism training at Ft. Meade. He was going through his own trials as a conscientious objector and desired my support in person. Believing he would be there for me if I were in need, I moved to Ft. Drum to help him in his situation.

While my partner awaited his discharge in New York, I worked at a home for at-risk youth and also did graphic design at a local newspaper. His conscientious objector claim was not honored. He was discharged in August of 2004, his original ETS date.

From there, we decided to join AmeriCorps. We moved to Northern California and worked for the Watershed Stewards Project. The project was dedicated to watershed ecology, conservation, and environmental education in the local schools. During the ten-month program, I worked with the Salmon River Restoration Council in Sawyers Bar, Ca., the Forest Service, the Hoopa, Karuk, and Yurok Tribes, and two local schools.

The job entailed many things. We hiked and snorkeled the Salmon and Klamath rivers, as well as numerous tributaries, to assess the ecological health of the waterways. We counted salmon and their nests to determine the welfare of the species. I also made regular class visits to teach watershed education, started an organic garden at the Forks of Salmon School, and ran migrant fish-traps along the rivers to gather data on salmon breeding and health.

Shortly before my contract was complete with AmeriCorps, my relationship shattered. I finished my commitment with AmeriCorps and decided it best to return to Minnesota and start anew.

I moved back in with my brother on the North Shore of Lake Superior and dedicated myself to art. I was creating an inventory of pottery to sell, with the hopes of using it to springboard financial investment in my photography career. In order to pay the bills, I was serving at a local resort and teaching kids to ski in the winter.

I had been contemplating volunteering as a journalist with the Army since 2004. I decided against it due to my familys feelings toward my being in such a dangerous position. I was hoping to be requested for my assistance. Eventually, as fate had it, I was.

I had just received loan approval to invest in a ceramics studio and a darkroom and was in the process of planning a through hike of the Superior Hiking Trail when, on April 1, 2006, I received an official letter in the mail requesting my service as an Army journalist for the mission Operation Iraqi Freedom.

I was assigned to the 131st MPAD out of Mobil, AL, and was to proceed to Ft. Jackson, SC, on May 28th for a two-week combat refresher course. My family and friends were devastated. I, however, was very excited and believed it was my destiny to serve others through my photography and skills as a counselor. I believed I had a lot to contribute to the soldiers around me and to the mission at hand.

After my training at Ft. Jackson, I was sent to Ft. Meade, MD, for my journalism refresher course. It was a crash-course of four months worth of material packed into a two-week format. From there I reported to the Conus Replacement Center in Ft. Bliss, TX. Led by the 875th RC out of Iowa, I went through similar combat training, was issued gear, and was given medical evaluations.

Three days before I was to fly out to Kuwait, and then be transported to join my newly assigned unit (National Guard 34th Brigade 1st Infantry unit HHC) already stationed in Iraq, I received an e-mail that was of great concern to me. It was from a fellow journalist that I had trained with.

He stated, "Most folks dont know what to do with you as an IRR soldier. You think youre going to be doing journalism when you get over here, fat chance. They put you where they need you. The last thing they need is a writer, photographer, or broadcaster. Because you are a female, I dont know what theyll have you doing when you get here, but me, Im now 11B-infantry. But hey, you never know, maybe they do need a journalist."

Immediately upon receiving this e-mail I went to the Commander and 1st Sgt. of the CRC who are in charge of processing soldiers mobilizing for O.I.F. The initial reaction was one of disbelief. They thought it was absurd to take someone out of their specified skills and put them into a role that they were not trained for or assigned to. I agreed that it was strange, but that it was in fact happening. I offered the example of the broadcast soldier I had trained with and his new job as an infantryman upon arrival to Kuwait.

The 1st Sgt. kept saying that I didnt need to worry about being an infantryman - that role is only for males to be slotted into. That was not my concern, and I was very aware of the rules regarding females in combat. The issue was my being crossed into the role of truck driver, an assignment outside of my trained specialty and skilled talents.

As I sat in the office, the Commander made a phone call and the statement that I heard was loud and clear, "How could they put her into the position of a military police officer? It just doesnt make any sense!" Until that point, I was not aware of the possibility of being a military police officer. But in the time following that conversation, more evidence came forth that portrayed an even greater possibility of my being an MP versus a truck driver.

I was not able to stay in the Commanders office, as I was due to make training formation. I was told she would get back to me later that day, or she would seek me out on the range the following day to inform me of information she had acquired pertaining to my situation. Later that evening, I went to the commands office to follow-up on the phone call she had made, but no one was there. While I was on the range the next day I was hoping to see her, but she did not come. When we returned back to the company from the range I went into her office, but she had gone home for the evening. In the meantime, I had written and spoke to several officials for assistance, but the overall message was disbelief of the situation. The Sgt. Maj. of Reserves Public Affairs at Fort McPherson, GA, did confirm to me, however, that my friend was serving in anything but his MOS in Iraq.

When I did track down the Commander on the third day, less than 24 hours away from our departure to Kuwait en route to Iraq, I was told to be optimistic and flexible if my job did change from a journalist to an MP or a truck driver upon arrival to theatre.

I felt as though I was in the darkness concerning both the mission and the expectations the Army had for me. I never knew where in Iraq my unit was located, so I did not have the advantage of networking prior to deployment. I had not met the new unit I was assigned to. I was cross-componented from the Reserves into the National Guard. The likelihood of serving as a journalist was slim. I was very fearful of being put into a position that I was not trained for. I was concerned for my safety and the safety of those around me in a combat zone improperly prepared. It could not be verified that I would be a journalist. But it was verified that the other broadcast soldier I had trained with was not in his specialty, that he was, in fact, infantry. I was devastated.

I could not see myself continuing on to one of the most dangerous places on earth with so many unknowns and very few assurances. I felt as though I had tried to take the proper steps to serve others and my country, but I had been misled. I could only see things getting worse if I were to board the plane for the flight to Kuwait.

I decided to go AWOL.

I left this message behind:

Please fly without me. I Love my country. I was hoping to use my god-given talent, not just be a bullet catcher. I wish it were different. - McPherson

I had no preconceived plan. I had very little money. I decided to take the risks and I hitchhiked back to Minnesota. Arriving at a truck stop, I was fortunate enough to be adopted by a truck driver on his way to Florida. Eventually I made my way home after being on the road for almost a week.

I was in hiding for about 40 days. I had always intended on turning myself in rather than running forever. But I was waiting for my name to be dropped off the rolls for the CRC led by the 875th RC. I did not want to go back to Texas and be surrounded by soldiers being mobilized. Rather, I was hoping to be sent to Ft. Knox or Ft. Sill where they deal with AWOL and desertion cases specifically. I was hoping to be surrounded by soldiers with similar circumstances for support and I did not want to be in the way of the CRC while they had their own mission to perform.

I finally decided to remedy the situation by turning myself into proper authorities on September 7, 2006, and was later flown back to Texas where I had gone AWOL.

Upon arrival to CRC, I was instructed to sign-in on an hourly basis until further notice. I am not to leave building 503 for meals or appointments without the knowledge of cadre or a proper escort. I have been detailed to extra duties which regularly include: sweeping, mopping, taking out garbage, policing the grounds for trash, and desk duties from 8am to 8pm. These are duties typically assigned to soldiers who have been given an Article 15 for misconduct. I am awaiting a court martial.

The 1st Sgt. told me that I was not to sit on my ass all day. He said I am to earn my pay with the Army. I told him that I needed to work on my case. He said that was personal. I have been instructed to write a personal statement, to write my congressmen for updates, and to gather witnesses and so forth by my JAG attorney. It has been very difficult to find extra time to prepare my defense against the charges of missing movement and desertion when I am continuously on extra duty or just plain tired from stress.

I also discovered around September 18th that the orders I received on April 1st were for a mission that was cancelled in early March. I had run into a soldier at the CRC in Ft. Bliss that was also originally assigned to the 131st with the debunked mission. He became aware of my AWOL situation while he was in the process of completing his journalism refresher course in Ft. Meade, Md. He called around to seek answers regarding his job and the unit he was assigned to. During his inquiries he was given the option of finding his own unit to transfer to depending on that units needs for a journalist or, he was told, he could go home. I was never given that option. He was also AWOL for 29days from the CRC and received no punishment.

In addition, soldiers whom I have befriended have found themselves harassed continuously by the command and cadre of CRC on a daily basis. These soldiers have also been detailed to several extra duties, including a female Sgt. who was in the process of demobilizing from her mission in Iraq. They have felt threatened, harassed and cornered due to their relationships with me. Amazingly, they have stayed loyal and we have remained close.

One of the sergeants that I spent time with was called into the commands office and reprimanded for going to the Post Exchange the day she was flying to Kuwait, while over thirty other soldiers had done the same thing to gather last-minute items. She was told she was a terrible non-commissioned officer and she was put on lock-down for the remainder of the day until her flight. She later went back to get the counseling put in writing. The request for documentation was denied. She was also told to keep it down if she wanted to be on the flight later that night.

The command has also gone so far as to accuse me of encouraging other soldiers not to deploy. This is a very false accusation.

I respect the selfless service soldiers are willing to commit to in regards to their feelings of betterment for humanity and national safety. However, I also support soldiers who feel like they are not able to perform their assigned duties in the Army because of medical conditions, family issues, personal beliefs and legalities related to war, like Lt. Erin Watadas case, or circumstances such as the case of sexual harassment and assault SPC. Suzanne Swift is facing. They both have valid stances. I can also greatly relate to the prominence of sexual harassment females endure while in the service. It can run rampant. I hope she can heal and overcome such events. I, myself, have a long and documented history of severe depression since my teen years. Despite that documentation and myriad medications over time, I found that a medical discharge would be highly unlikely.

The military is not for everyone. It is difficult to predict what will take place once a person signs the dotted line. There are many unknowns until we are actually faced with them. When a situation does surface, it is very difficult to resolve without being ostracized or severely punished.

Due to my decision to take matters in my own hands by going AWOL, the CRC command recommended I face a summery court marshal. Their plans were to drop my rank from an E-4 to an E-1, take a months pay, confine me to prison for 30 days, and then recycle me and send me over to Iraq to face the same situation I originally fled.

I decided to deny the summery court martial. I will be assigned either a general or special court martial in the coming few weeks or months for the charges of missing movement and desertion. I face several years in prison.

The decisions I have made are not only for my benefit, but also for the fair and better treatment of soldiers coming up who will face similarly difficult situations. We are regarded as the best military in the world. I believe we should make it better and safer for those that serve our nation. They absolutely deserve it.

Wow. I must say I never expected Sp4. McPherson to join the thread personally.

All I can saw is, this is another MNSpeak landmark moment.

Wow.

Note, folks, she joined up long before the current conflict, and was re-activated as a member of the IRR. Changes the story a a bit. She wasn't a soldier -- she was out -- and they pulled her back in.

Another old DINFOS trained killer signing off.

If she was assigned duty as a truck driver, I bet they would let her bring her camera along. But seriously, and with all due respect, Ms McPherson reminds me of the kid who thought it would be fun to play football until the first time he got tackled. There is a large dose of naiveté in her explanation, but it only reinforces my original thoughts ... she doesn't belong there and shouldn't be forced to stay. Take the brig and the DD and get on with your life, hopefully a little wiser.

While I believe one has to be naive to think that this situation couldn't happen when signing up for military duty and one just has to suck it up when these things happen - I think we're seeing the results of this pisspoor shit going on in Iraq and the absolutely neglegent manner in which it is being managed.

Basically, they're just tossing whatever meat they can find into the grinder, and we're getting quite a shitty sausage out of it.

No fucking wonder we're losing in Iraq, they're sending bloody fucking journalists to do grunt work.

There's no reason it should be coming down to this.

Things must be far worse over there than we could ever imagine.

coward.

I am suprised that nobody has brought up Abu Grave. Aside from untrained soldiers abusing prisioners, it has also been proven that people put in positions they are not trained for do not have the ability to properly perform in life and death situations. Lets not forget that soldiers are welding scrap metel onto poorly equiped vehicles, and that relatives are mailing bullet proof vests to their loved ones because of inadequate equipment. I find it unacceptable that there are cases involving a lack of proper training and lack of proper equipment for our soldiers. Don't our soldiers deserve better?

I find it interesting that there are so many people that think that it is OK for the military to mislead people. That is exactly what they are doing with the bait and switch tactics that are being used. If the military was respectable, it would train people for what they called them up to do. Instead of wasting time and money on retraining her as a journalist when she was recalled, they should have used that valueble time to have trained and prepared her as an MP or Trucker, or whatever they had in mind. The actions taken by the military were poor and unorganized at best in regard to her preparation. An educated look at her time line would indicate such. This case is just another example of how desperate the military has become. Haste makes waste, and in this case the waste happens to be in the form of lives. It is no wonder that there were more soldiers that died at home from the Vietnam war than the actual number of soldiers that died in the war itself. Once again. we are sending people in without proper mental preparation, not to mention inadequate equipment. What will this result when things are all said and done at home? How mony soldiers will die on the streeets this time around? It remains to be seen. I am sure the numbers and information will probably take a good long time before people recognize it entirely. A case in point would be "Persian Gulf War Syndrome" How many people died from that? It is sad that we were bombing warehouses full a deadly biological agents with our troops in close proximity, but at least we weren't spraying them with agent orange. What will it be this time? Hopefully history will not repeat itself as heavily as to what was witnessed from Vietnam, or the Pursian Gulf war. It does seem obvious that the military has yet to learn from it's mistakes though, because in some ways history is repeating itself.

If you treat people like animals, they act like animals. The military has a well established track record at doing just that. I am glad that instead of being a sheep, and instead of getting on the plane, she acted like an eagle and flew. I am proud of her for sticking up for her beliefs through her actions. She was misled, and she stuck up for herself. Lord knows the military wasn't looking out for her, only their own interests. True Americans stick up for their beliefs, and sometimes that means not doing what one is told to do by one's superiors.
Melanie was trained as a journalist, retrained as a journalist, and was led to believe that she would serve her country overseas as a journalist. She was mentally prepared and was aware that she may have to take up arms and defend herself and others in her unit. She was not afraid of being fired at, or of returning fire. She accepted this and was good with it. There was never any indication that an MP position, infantry position, or trucker position would be her primary job up until 3 days before she was to fly out. Is that how we want to prepare our soldiers? Saying "That's just the way it goes" when somebody signs up is just a shortcut from thinking. Maybe that's the way the military works, but that is part of the problem. It is too bad that there are so many people that have the "you say jump, and I say how high" way of thinking. I guess that is what it takes to be a good sheep. "Baaah" to all of the negative, judgmental fools who have nothing better to do than to bag on someone who you have no clue about.
If more people stood up for themselves, I would be willing to bet that the military wouldn't be nearly as backward as it is these days. Is it too much to ask to be properly trained for one's assigned position? It is wrong to be playing with peoples lives, and to be potentially putting others at risk in the process. That is what bait and switch tactics are doing. People do not perform like robots where one can just throw them in wherever one likes. It's no wonder morale is so low. The silent masses speak through low numbers in recruiting, and through low approval ratings of George Bush Jr. This case is just a small fiasco within the framework of and international blunder.

Hey An aquantence. How about acquainting yourself with the truth before you waste any more of your time writing to this forum. Sounds to me like you spend waaayyyy too much time reading clueless left-wing websites. Do yourself a favor and talk to someone who's been there before your take on the situation devolves into clinical depression. If it hasn't already.

Hi George S. Thank you for your concern with my health in regard to your depression comment. I can tell by your possitive words that you are a real winner. Are you a Neo-con by chance? If you are, I would recommend the DVD "Commanding Hieghts, the rise of the global economy"- I believe that is the title- it is available through netflix. It has a small sound bite with Dick Cheney. George, how is Haliburton stock? It is an objective documentry that talks about how the global economy formed in the last centery. Economic theorists Cannes and Heinrich are the central players in the film. It is interesting for left wingers and right wingers alike. It is also easy to draw parallels to what is going on currently with our occupation. I would also like to recommend two book titles for you. One is called "The drive for power"- from the mid 70's I believe. This book is about how societies have formed from a historical context. It also talks about power drives within societies, and how sometimes one society will take over another for power. It is written objectively as a case study. Lastly, I would like to recommend to you a book called "The house of purple hearts"- written in the mid 80's by a vet, which is about how Vietnam vets died on the streets at home.
I do not spend any time on left wing websites, I just happen to like documentries, left or right wing. I find both sides important to hear in order to put ideas together. Being open minded is nice, along with being well educated. Speaking of which, I would like to thank Honey Bunny for correcting me. No offense taken.
George S.- Good luck to you, and may you find more answers to questions that you think you already know. I know you find my take on things offensive, but nonetheless, it wouldn't hurt to try to check out some of the titles I listed. They are not slanted in one direction or another, and they will make you think. One question for you- What did I write that you found to be untrue? Take care George, and good luck to you.

I guess the answer is, "I'm just going to crap on what somebody else said without offering any sort of plausible retort."

Nice try, but there is civil and uncivil discourse, and simply mocking someone doesn't fall into the former category.

Seriously, someone made a case. Either respond with facts, or shut up. Our public discourse is polluted enough by people who think all they need to do when they disagree is poke their nose in, bully a little bit with some unwelcome sarcasm, and duck out again. In the world of adults, this doesn't fly.

I appreciate the support regarding my situation. Thank you. It is even good that there is such dialogue concerning related politics and policy. It is patriotic to question decisions made by the government. Its not about the right or left wings, it is about the state of our country at home and abroad. What is this all for? What outcome is the goal for the U.S? Wasnt the Mission Accomplished? Are we empowering the people of Iraq? Where did the 45 million dollars go to train the Iraqi troops? Whos getting richer? Are we safer as a nation? What about N. Korea? Where is Osama? Do people actually believe Iraq should be the true focus? Sure we have less causalities than the Vietnam War. What about the other lives being lost due to this conflict? Post traumatic stress is abundant as well as serious injuries and exposure to toxins including depleted uranium. I have great regard for those that serve in the military, but isnt it our responsibility to protect them through training, adequate equipment, therapy, honesty and so fourth&. Have people forgotten about who is reconstructing the destruction taking place in Iraq and the ties to the company? Are people aware 58% of Inactive Ready Reserve soldiers avoided the call of duty and face little to no consequences? Do people know that there is a long list of soldiers who volunteered for this mission and it has taken over a year for them to be called to serve? Do people know that about half of the active Army have not been deployed for this mission? Why call ME out of the IRR for a mission that was cancelled well before I got my orders? Did they really want a journalist? Why invest so much time and training as a journalist to switch it upon arrival to theatre without specific training for another entirely different job? Be flexible to be broken and to harm those around me? My total time trained = 88 days of soldier skills, 220 days of journalism all said including for this mission. Was I ready? It is not all about me. I am just one example of hundreds or thousands being prepped for failure. Army standards keep being lowered& Physical, mental and age requirements are all very low, why do we think this is? I encourage people to read Bagdad Burning. Stop the judgment and be constructive. Too much hate. Use your energy for solutions for the greater good....

I happen to know this individual and I hope and pray that they hang her from the highest pole available.

There isnt a draft and even if there were, this country still does not and will not draft women. She came into the Army Reserve on her own free will and became a problem Soldier almost immediately.

She is a spoiled brat who thinks the rest of the world is out of step and should conform to her "fuzzy pink bubble" approach to everything. She enlisted voluntarily; stayed in voluntarily and she went AWOL voluntarily.

She should be punished and take complete responsibility for her foolish and immature actions.

The "S" started getting capitlized on Soldier in December of 2003. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker decreed that all command information products, including base newspapers, capitalize the word "soldier" from now on.

I can't tell you why Marine is always capitalized -- but as a former military journalist myself (Army MOS 71Q), I always write it that way.