Staring at the Emptiness of Brother's Death in Iraq

[harrison]

Staring at the Emptiness of Brother's Death in Iraq
by Dante Zappala



Not long ago, $250,000 bought you a house, a car, started a college trust fund, and still left you with enough for dinner at the Olive Garden. Today, $250,000 gets you a dead soldier.

My brother, Sgt. Sherwood Baker, was killed in action in Baghdad last month. Before he left, he took out the maximum Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance of $250,000. His widow, Debra, gets that money and a folded flag. It should come with a note: "Thanks for doing business with Uncle Sam. The medals are on us."

What I'm left with is a dead brother; J.D., a fatherless 9-year-old nephew; and a giant void where this giant man once stood.


http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0617-01.htm

[bluestateguy]

1. $250,000 doesn't go far for life

Even a million would not go too far for a young parent. There's mortgages, home repairs, college tuition, car and health insurance, utility bills and outstanding credit cards. That money will be gone relatively quickly.

[UpInArms]

2. $250,000 will never repair the holes in the hearts and lives

of those that have lost all that matters - their friends, families, loved ones - in this senseless abomination that this mal-administration was fomented.

Just before he died, Sherwood plainly illustrated where a life of hard work and dedication gets you: hungry and thirsty in the desert. In his last e-mail, he asked that we send him and his fellow soldiers food and water. As it turns out, the most powerful military machine in the world has its soldiers on rations.

Who profits? No one but the BFEE.

:cry:

[merh]

3. This is heart breaking, I can't stop crying...

Just before he died, Sherwood plainly illustrated where a life of hard work and dedication gets you: hungry and thirsty in the desert. In his last e-mail, he asked that we send him and his fellow soldiers food and water. As it turns out, the most powerful military machine in the world has its soldiers on rations.

God forgive us!

[Skittles]

4. I sent a care package that included two one pound bags of jerky

and giant boxes of rice crispie treats. I received a letter from a soldier saying a group of them ate it all and declared it to be the "best meal they ever had". *sniff*

[merh]

5. How can I find an address to send some care packages?

If my government won't provide for them, the least I can do is try to give some to make things a little bit better.

Where can I go to get the information?

Thanks - god, this just hurts me to my soul.

[Skittles]

6. the ones I sent to will be home soon

so I'm not sending packages right now. I sent some to Mari333's son until he was moved; not sure of his status now. I just scout for the posts of people saying my son/grandson/nephew is going to Iraq - then I ask the person, could I send them stuff or perhaps he can supply an address for other soldiers in need.

[merh]

7. I will follow your lead, if you read of anyone or know of

anyone who has a loved one over there that could use a care package or 2, pass my name along. I just can't believe he was asking that water be sent to him. My god.

[NuttyFluffers]

12. how come there's no central area to send them stuff!

it's sad that i have no method to drop off goods for my soldiers. heck Toys for Tots is infinitely easier than getting goods compiled for my troops. it feels like some surreptitious underground of passing names to get care packages to these guys.

i know of no one directly in Iraq or Afghanistan (the one in Afghanistan left soon after he was stationed there) so i have no way of sending stuff easily. and considering families i can understand why they wouldn't feel all that comfortable giving out names to send them goodies. this system blows. that's just it. it blows. feels like the underground railroad it does.

any info from the pentagon to send care packages, or am i dependent on grassroots whispering?

[PDX Bara]

9. Crying Heart

My heart has been crying big time ever since the story about Pat Tillman came out in the San Francisco Bay Area, not because he was a big football star but because he was a real and local face on this war of profit for the cowards who never saw real conflict, let alone a war.

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. I presume there is some kind of widow's and childrens' pension

or annuity, etc. How generous the the US military for this? I suspect it would not go very far, seeing what Bush has done to other military benefits. It doesn't make up for the loss of a husband and father, of course, but as this all points out, there are a lot of costs in running a family.

[Bridget Burke]

10. $833 a month for the widow, $211 a month for each child under 18

Plus Social Security. A few other benefits as well.

Not sure how recent these figures are, but it gives you a general idea.

www.cpms.osd.mil/icuc/attacks/Death%20Benefits%20Chart.htm

[Sugarbleus]

11. Terribly sad post......... I weep for these

My youngest daughter served in Gulf I. I used to send her packages but then she wasn't in the same dire straights as these troops in Iraq are now.

It's scandalous!

Now that everyone's mentioned it, I'd like to send something too. I'll go look into it...find a site where that info will be available.

..........My heart aches............