So, a woman shows up to Fort Benning with her two kids in tow... like that somehow excuses her from her commitment.
I'm sure that the MSM won't sell this nearly as hard as they would if Mr. Bush was still president, but this woman should be presented with the following choices:
1. Face General Court Martial for violating orders; to wit, you are not supposed to report to active duty with your children or use them as an excuse to avoid deployment.
2. Give up custody of the children to the state of Georgia.
3. Have her husband get off his dead butt and come and get the kids so she can live up to her commitment.
Yeah, yeah... I know... she was discharged from active duty 4 years ago. Well, bully for her. It's not like she didn't know what the rules were, and it's not like she didn't sign on the dotted line KNOWING she was subject to recall.
But when she says this:
I'm sure that the MSM won't sell this nearly as hard as they would if Mr. Bush was still president, but this woman should be presented with the following choices:
1. Face General Court Martial for violating orders; to wit, you are not supposed to report to active duty with your children or use them as an excuse to avoid deployment.
2. Give up custody of the children to the state of Georgia.
3. Have her husband get off his dead butt and come and get the kids so she can live up to her commitment.
Yeah, yeah... I know... she was discharged from active duty 4 years ago. Well, bully for her. It's not like she didn't know what the rules were, and it's not like she didn't sign on the dotted line KNOWING she was subject to recall.
But when she says this:
"Them being away from me is not an option."
She fails to understand that those kids will either "be away from her" because she's been deployed, or they'll "be away from her" because she's rightfully in prison.
It's not only "an option," it's a likely outcome.
No, the military generally and the Army specifically needs to fall on this conniving, uh, woman, like a wall. These efforts to manipulate the Army must be harshly dealt with, because you can bet that hundreds of others are watching closely.
This is a no-brainer. But under the new Administration, there's no guarantee that "brains" will be available to handle this.
I'll update this as events move.
It's not only "an option," it's a likely outcome.
Pagan filed several appeals, arguing that because her husband travels for business, no one else can take care of her kids. All were rejected, leaving Pagan to choose between deploying to Iraq and abandoning her family, or refusing her orders and potentially facing charges.Leaving aside the scuzball reporter's characterization of being recalled to active duty as "abandoning her family," one wonders what would have happened, had, say, this woman been hit by a bus, killed or otherwise incapacitated or made unavailable to parent. What would her husband do THEN?
No, the military generally and the Army specifically needs to fall on this conniving, uh, woman, like a wall. These efforts to manipulate the Army must be harshly dealt with, because you can bet that hundreds of others are watching closely.
This is a no-brainer. But under the new Administration, there's no guarantee that "brains" will be available to handle this.
I'll update this as events move.
Originally published March 2, 2009 at 12:15 AM Page modified March 2, 2009 at 12:51 AM
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NC military mom arrives at Fort Benning with kids
A North Carolina mother who reported for Army duty with her two young children in tow is waiting to see what happens next.
By TOM FOREMAN Jr.
Associated Press Writer
DAVIDSON, N.C. — A North Carolina mother who reported for Army duty with her two young children in tow is waiting to see what happens next.
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NC military mom arrives at Fort Benning with kids
A North Carolina mother who reported for Army duty with her two young children in tow is waiting to see what happens next.
By TOM FOREMAN Jr.
Associated Press Writer
DAVIDSON, N.C. — A North Carolina mother who reported for Army duty with her two young children in tow is waiting to see what happens next.
Lisa Pagan, who was recalled to the Army four years after being honorably discharged, drove nearly 400 miles and braved a Southeastern winter storm to report for duty Sunday at Fort Benning, Ga. 
She says she has no one to take care of son Eric and daughter Elizabeth, so she brought them with her. She has reserved a motel room for a week and doesn't plan to stay in the barracks.
"Them being away from me is not an option," she said.
Pagan is among thousands of former service members who have left active duty since the Sept. 11 attacks, only to be recalled to service. They're not in training, they're not getting a Defense Department salary, but as long as they have time left on their original enlistment contracts, they're on "individual ready reserve" status - eligible to be recalled at any time.
More:
She says she has no one to take care of son Eric and daughter Elizabeth, so she brought them with her. She has reserved a motel room for a week and doesn't plan to stay in the barracks.
"Them being away from me is not an option," she said.
Pagan is among thousands of former service members who have left active duty since the Sept. 11 attacks, only to be recalled to service. They're not in training, they're not getting a Defense Department salary, but as long as they have time left on their original enlistment contracts, they're on "individual ready reserve" status - eligible to be recalled at any time.
More:
Sounds as if YOU have NEVER served in the military whatsoever. Either that, or you have no idea what the definition of hardship or compassion are. Did you know that she had exactly 30 days to report for inprocessing? 30 days to figure out what to do- she had no other option, she obviously couldn't construct a Family Care Plan (do you even know what that is?), and this is the route she chose. I'm GLAD she will not have to deploy- if you don't have anyone to take care of your kids, you just can't fulfill the commitment. The military is harsh and cruel (yes, I'm a Veteran) and getting anything done is a hassle. By the way, who peed in your Wheaties before you wrote your nasty, insensitive blog?
ReplyDeleteDoes it really "sound" that way?
ReplyDeleteI'm crushed... and, of course, could say the same about you, your claim to service notwithstanding.
First of all, I appreciate the fact that you're posting anonymously on my blog... very courageous, that.
Secondly, I served in the Army for a LONG time... so I have just a bit of a feel for that interesting thing called The Rules.
By failing to court-martial this woman, the flood gates will now be opened to all sorts of manipulation by similarly minded people who contrive (and it IS a contrivance) to AVOID THEIR RESPONSIBILITY by MAKING UP reasons NOT TO FULFILL THEIR OBLIGATION.
Her inability to parent is NOT my problem. Her husband's CHOICE not to parent is NOT my problem. And now, the FACT of the matter is that some OTHER poor schlub will NOW HAVE TO TAKE HER PLACE.
Not a peep out of you over that, eh? That victimology mindset has been so inculcated in you that you can even stop to consider that SOMEONE ELSE will HAVE TO TAKE HER PLACE.
Your response is so rife with inaccuracy that it's laughable. She DOES have "someone else to take care of" her kids, they just don't fricking want to.
And that's what all this boils down to.
She is in violation of her contract, of orders and regulations. She should suffer for that accordingly, and she should personally apologize to WHOEVER IT IS THAT HAS TO GO IN HER PLACE.
See, that's the problem with running a blog. Any moron can come along and comment.
Idiot.
You need to lighten up. The article says she served active 4yrs with an honorable. This a reservist that took the GI bill money then had a change of heart. It's a backdoor draft.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I served 10 yrs in the United States Marine Corps.
Regardless of how long she had served, the fact of the matter is this:
ReplyDeleteShe signed a contract that said she would show up if she was recalled. She was... and then decided that her commitment was worthless.
Now, as a result, someone else will have to take her place. And there's no excuse for that, just like she had no viable excuse save she didn't want to do it now.
Back door draft or no, the time to have this discussion or make this decision is BEFORE you sign on the dotted line.
Or is our word worthless these days as well?