Gen. Petraeus: Do Not Deploy 82nd Airborne Brigade Again

Veterans for America applauds General David H. Petraeus for stating today in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee that he will probably recommend this fall that the U.S. military reduce its troop presence in Iraq by an additional Army Brigade Combat Team.

Veterans for America is deeply concerned about the stress placed on our Army's frontline units, and we urge General Petraeus not to again deploy the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 82nd Airborne Division, which is based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Earlier this week, the Pentagon announced that the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 82nd Airborne Division, which has already been deployed three times since September 11, 2001, will be deployed again this fall, making it one of a handful of BCT's that will have seen four tours.

During its last Iraq deployment, which was extended to 15 months, the 3rd BCT suffered the highest fatality rates of any unit in the 82nd Airborne Division; according to VFA research, the 3rd BCT lost 49 Soldiers during its 15-month long deployment to Iraq.

We must start giving our troops rest. The churning of our frontline units has had an incredible negative impact on the health of our troops. We stand posed to irrevocably damage the lives of those who deploy multiple times if we don't allow them time to heal.

The members of the 3rd BCT -- 70 to 80% of whom have already been deployed to Iraq -- deserve more time at home to reconnect with family and friends, prepare for other contingencies and, most importantly, they deserve time to heal.

Comments

[deminmo]

The General said just a week or two ago, there would be a 45 day
moritorium and then an unlimited amount of time for him to evaluate
before more troop withdrawls. Do you believe him? Which time?
More likely, that depends on whether Bush decides to initiate military
action in Iran. And fall would be a perfect time for that.
Yea, in 5 years has either the Bush Administration or the Veterans
Administration proved concern for the troops?

[jfor]

If you have been in combat do you ever really heal? After three tours I believe the healing process will take the rest of their lives not an extra month at home. What does it say about a Commander in Chief who asks so much from so few? Not one time has this President asked any American or corporation or anyone to make any kind of sacrifice for the war in Iraq, He, himself has not made many sacrifices for the war and has had hundreds of days off while our sons and daughters, moms and dads are serving repeated tours of duty in multiple war zones.

I certainly thank the few members of Congress whose own children have served. I also shake my head in disgust at the men and women in Congress who are of the right age to volunteer themselves but have not. That says everything you need to know about this war and every war that is fought for dubious reasons, Doesn't it make sense that if you believe in this war so much your willing to send and continue to keep your constituents in combat zones by voting repeatedly for the war you should volunteer to serve in it yourself? That is called patriotism, it isn't a tin flag on your lapel.