Here is the deal.

My son is a soldier in the Army. He is what is known as IRR. individual ready reserve. Meaning he is a single soldier pulled out of his life to fight in this war in Iraq, not attached to any particular unit.

They are not treating all the soldiers the same. They were to get a four day pass to come home before going to Kuwait in April. Well, some are getting two passes and some are getting one longer leave. Either way...they were supposed to be four days with family. Jays Sergeant Major said he was most likely going to get to come home the day before to accomodate for travel time to and from the base. Well, his Seargeant Major is gone now. He cannot get any answers from the anyone about his leave, I mean pass. They will not cannot make a decision it seems. Why are they leaders if they cant do this? Anyway...that is not the only hing...there is this plane ticket thing? Since he is IRR he is on his own. He must buy his own plane ticket to get back home. Wait...he can't even do that because he can't get an answer as to when he is supposed to go home. Try buying a ticket without a date? All the while trying to get a plane that can accomodate your schedule to get the most out of your leave.

His four day pass will turn into two days home. While others will get more. Fair? He is soooo pissed! Why is it he has to pay both ways to do what the Army had pulled him into? No thank you, here is what we wont do for you, but "f" you and sorry bout'cha luck.

He is going to be gone a year fron his family...he has to fight to see them before he leaves?? He has already been gone three months.

His baby is due in April. His leave was to be in April. Probably still is but he will only have two days if he can't get someone to do something.

Another thing; he was to get 10 days paternity leave when the baby is born.He is now being told if the delivery is normal and no complications...he will see his new baby in a year! Sorry bout your luck.

When a soldier does everything you ask and just wants what he is told he will get...is that so wrong?

Another soldier friend of his; is from Columbia..he was called to serve..HE PAID FOR HIS OWN TICKET TO GET HERE TO SERVE THIS COUNTRY!!!!1000 DOLLARS!20 HOURS ON THE PLANE TO GET HERE. Now he has a pass as well. He gets a four day pass to get home to Columbia AND PAYS FOR HIS OWN PLANE TICKET AGAIN.He couldn't get answers to the day before thing either...so he had already bought a ticket home just to have to cancel and pay even more because of incompentance. He will in effect have two days flying time and barely over a day to spend with his family. Because in Columbia there is also a days drive time.

What the hell??? We are trying to find ways to get answers. Kelsey is trying to talk to our congressman and whomever. Jay is going up the chain of command. If he was regular army..he wouldn't have to do these things on his own. It would parlayed on up. hain of command.

Help me..I am so upset about this.

Kat
Why are these gals and guys not attached to a unit having to pay for their own tickets? They are there of their own accord while doing what their country asked. Where is the appreciation?

i don't know for sure....i'm no expert by any means, but could it be like a contract worker as opposed to an employee of a company?

Uhhh. he was sent a letter saying had this amount of time to be there. He would be found if he didn't show up. He was looking at brig time if he didn't.

He is one of those soldiers that is supposed to be out of the service, but for 'stop loss". That is why he is IRR.

He didn't want to go..he did it because he was told he was activated.

The government pulled him away fron his family, home, job..his life.

Kat

Contact the Red Cross. They have a program to facilitate bring soldiers home for the birth of a child, or for the death of a family member.

Gezz Kat, that sounds rough. I hate to say it, and I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but when you sign up to be a soldier that's the kind of treatment you can expect. You are no longer a person. You are a pawn to be moved about the board as the king sees fit. Sorry, it's a rough deal, but that's the way it is.

I am prior service and I was aware this could happen. I do know that you cant activated for longer then 400 days and must maintain a "ready" uniform and meet fitness req. Usually IRR is for those who volunteer for this but I can see how stop loss affects. I was under the assumption that all fees were reimbursable.

I hope it all works out for the best. They shouldnt be doing him like that!! For all that hes having to deal with his trip home or whatever should be even longer!! And we all know he wants to see their new arrival get here safely. Yeah he really should be able to stay home longer since they are doing this crap too him!!

If they are re-embursable..he knows nothing of it.

It really sucks because he was out..or so he thought. He also understands he had a contract and had no problem with that. His problem is he has no single command to do anything because he is IRR. He is telling everyone never take IRR. He wishes he had just taken the three in. He says that that stinkin base is so squirrely...no nuts ranking people. He is afraid he may blow up because he thinks he should have some sort of respecy for being there. He says he could lose his rank. But if he does he will take it to the top. He will fight all the way.

He just wants to see his family for the four days. He also wants to see the baby boy. He is very much a daddy.

His heart is breaking so he is getting mad.

Kat

Hmmmm Been to many of the Us Bases. Where is he to report to? Also in some of the cases upon activation soldiers are attached to a reserve unit. But Judging from the actions he is receiving I don't believe this to be the case.

He is in California..Mohave Desert, Fort Ed-something or other packing up to report to Fort Uhhhh North Carolina. He will leave from there to Iraq.

He left here in Oklahoma, went to Georgia, then to Mississippi, then to Cali, then to N Carolina. Then Iraq. He is with the 30th brigade HBC TACTICAL. F. O.B.Base-bit H. H. C..

Kat

kat....i'm very sorry to hear all of this and wish i knew the answer

whenever you enlist, it's for six years.

you may only serve two or four on active duty but you're still obligated for the six years and can be recalled during that time

I've never heard of the military paying for your plane ticket to go home on leave. I always had to buy my own (well actually I took the bus. it was much cheaper)

Ok with these decisions he would need to speak with his C O. Ft Bragg NC does have a phone he can call and speak with the Co of the 30th Brigade. Also he can always use the nearest reserve unit to him to give him the exact answers of reimbursement and steps to take.

Jays 45th here in Oklahoma has paid for many to come home. Anyway..it isn't even the issue. He will pay for his own way home. They just are not making it easy to know when to book a flight or even to give him anything to go on. And, they are treating others differently.

Did you see where the friend of Jays had to pay his own flight to come back by the call of the military? He flew 20 hours and at a cost of 1000 dollars to get here to serve this country. That is CRAP!!

He has done his six honey. He is stop lossed.

Kat

(((Kat)))

Is soldiers and veterans being treated badly news? Anyone? Can anyone tell me if veterans been treated like sh1t has happened before? ...

Do citizens know they're going to be treated as soldiers before they sign up but signed up anyway?

Yes?


Yes.


They sold their soul to the devil and now they're crying about it. Last time I checked, military service was not mandatory before they signed their name on the paper.

Look...he hasn't regretted signing on. He is mad that this has happened. He will deal with it. I just talked to him. He is going to come home anyway. He has a plan and I hope it doesn't befall him.

I will being seeing him real soon.

He is a good man, doing his job. He hasn't *****ed about most of it. He was mad because they treat some differently than others.

It's all good. Even though I hate him being there. He liked one week being out completely before the stop loss thing happened.

Thank you for coming in here.

Kat

O.I.C. you were just ranting... that's perfectly okay with me. I cry about stupid stuff I knew was going to happen too when I signed up to be a business owner

You're out-of-line, IMO. She's been talking about her son.