Emergency Reservists Slow to Heed Call (30% AWOL)

[papau]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-awol29sep29,1,2008958.story?coll=la-headlines-world

THE CONFLICT IN IRAQ
Emergency Reservists Slow to Heed Call (30% AWOL)


WASHINGTON — Thirty percent of former U.S. soldiers who have been called back to duty involuntarily to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan have failed to report on time, and eight have been declared AWOL, the Army said Tuesday.

The Individual Ready Reserve is a seldom-tapped personnel pool made up of 111,000 people who have completed their voluntary Army service and returned to civilian life but remain eligible to be mobilized in a national emergency. Many left active duty years ago.


The Army has mobilized 3,664 people from the ready reserve, but 1,085 have not reported to their assigned Army post on time, said Julia Collins, a spokeswoman for the Army Human Resources Command.

Eight of those ordered back to active duty have been listed as absent without leave, or AWOL, and could face military criminal charges as deserters, Collins said. They have been notified that they are being classified as AWOL and still refuse to report for duty, she said.<snip> (Can one use the Bush did it - was AWOL/deserter - so why me?)

[wishlist]

1. AWOL set the example, and they are just following their strong leader

Seems quite hypocritical for WH and RWingers to be willing to overlook and excuse babyBush's failure to fulfill his obligations while current National Guard members are facing criminal charges.

[demnan]

2. If they were 100% AWOL

it would really send a message and they couldn't prosecute them all.

I'd like to see some really great lawyer argue the legitimacy of this "emergency" in court.

[Bandit]

8. They could and would prosecute all of them.. Only 3500 people

have been called up. that is not an insurmountable amount to prosecute. I only hope that those that do get prosecuted call Bush* as a witness in their trials. He does set the example afterall. If he can get away with being AWOL during a time of War then so can all.

[Inland]

10. Except they probably don't know where they are.

They probably just didn't report to whatever their address---since they never thought in a million years that they would be called up. Unlike Bush, who failed to report because he knew he would be asked to serve.

[Career Prole]

3. "Can one use the Bush did it - was AWOL/deserter - so why me?"

I know that's the defense I would use. Even if the prosecution would play the "If Georgie jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?" card right off the bat. I'd do it just for the bush humiliation points.

The best defense would probably be based on this:
The Individual Ready Reserve is a seldom-tapped personnel pool made up of 111,000 people who have completed their voluntary Army service and returned to civilian life but remain eligible to be mobilized in a national emergency.

I'd ask them to show me where the national emergency is. There wasn't one then, and there ain't one now.

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

4. Selfish bastards...

didn't they know when they signed up that they could be sent off at any time to get their asses shot off for bullshit oil wars? How dare they, when our great leader bravely defended Texas from the communist hoardes?

[lastliberalintexas]

5. I know that was sarcasm, but you

apparently don't understand just how difficult it was to defend 6th Street from the invading hordes of Commie beer drinkers. That was tough work, so stop beating up on our fair leader for his service. ;-)

[MsConduct]

6. Good for them...

don't blame them one little bit. What better way to protest than from the inside? And yes, bush is a great role model for them to emulate. The big difference being poppy's influence saved his ass from any repercussions. Baby bush wasn't making a political statement, he was just being the coward that he still is today.


Peace

[yellowcanine]

7. But * has the military vote locked up, oh yeah - something tells me the

little emperor is going to be presented with a nasty surprise in November by his weekend warriors.

[AndyTiedye]

11. Of Course He Does! Military Censors Will "Censor" any Kerry Ballots

or perhaps they will simply order everyone to vote for Boosh.

They are already censoring what few Kerry TV appearances there are
and giving them Fauxnews all the time.

[DFWJock]

9. Gee, Id love to go

but Im working on a senate campaign in Alabama.

Good luck!

[tabasco]

12. Anybody who believes the military is meeting recruiting goals ...

is smoking some good stuff and needs to share. I know some active duty recruiters and they tell me business is SLOW. The military will call up the rest of the IRR if Bush gets elected (including myself), but that is not anywhere near enough warm bodies for neocon global domination. The draft WILL be implemented under a second Bush term. The neocons will be little concerned about politics if they manage to get dimwit another term.

I laugh when the freeps ignorantly claim that recruiting goals are being met. It's amazing how gullible they are. They will claim that shit right up until they get their letter in the mail. Then they will start calling Rush to find out how to get out of this going to war shit.

[Merrick]

13. It's up to you not to heed the call up...

'n' you must not act the way you were brought up.

[AndyTiedye]

14. Should we All Request 'The Call Up' on the Radio? Would they Play It?