End Stop Loss Now

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Senate Armed Services Committee

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This entry was posted on 7/23/2007 3:12 PM and is filed under Suzanne's Column.

Hello all:

I haven't written anything in a while but I thought I would let you all know that I was busy contacting Senators this weekend and leaving messages about stop loss.  Senator Bill Nelson's office is the only one that has called me back so far and I know you appreciate that as much as I do.  I talked for several minutes with a young man in his office and from what he told me, they are well aware of the problems associated with stop loss.  Their goal is to bring out kids home.  That's my overarching goal, too.  I offered to do whatever it took to make the Senate aware of the hardships that face soldiers who are stop lossed.  I said this policy was used in a highly arbitrary way and these commanders could and do use it with unfettered discretion.  The young man agreed and said that Sen. Nelson, as did the Senate Armed Services Committee, does understand.  The problem is the need for 60 votes.  Please write your Senators and ask them to vote against stop loss or at least limit its use to declared war and TRUE national emergencies.  That's all we can do but it may make a difference.  A few Republicans have already jumped ship and more may in the coming weeks and months.

Sincerely,

Suzanne Miller

 

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    • 8/23/2007 7:56 PM Jan wrote:
      September 4 my son will be returning to Iraq. He was Stop-Lossed, but, unlike most of his fellow soldiers, he didn't re-enlist just to get the "bonus" money. David is in the 10th Mountain Division out of Fort Drum, NY. He's an interesting person, because like you, he is an attorney. He graduated from Rutgers in 2003. In fact, he was accepted into JAG Corp for training this fall, but because of the Stop-Loss situation, that is being postponed. I have been trying to influence legislators myself, to little avail. I think I've also been in a wishful state of mind thinking some sanity would show itself in our government. That is clearly not the case. Anyway, I just wanted to connect with you as a mom in similar circumstances. By the way, David is the one who told me about your website.
      Reply to this
      1. 8/24/2007 5:40 AM Suzanne Miller wrote:

        Dear Jan,

        I tried to talk to one of Hillary Clinton's staffers but because neither my son nor I were from NY, I had little luck.  I have had some luck with Senator Bill Nelson.  Call Hillary Clinton's office and leave a voicemail.  They will call you back.  The Senate Armed Services Committee needs to deal with this problem from a global perspective and not a state-by-state perspective.  Convincing them of that has been next to impossible.  My son refuses to re-enlist, also.  He has told his Captain that, no matter how much money they offer, he is not re-enlisting.  But, they are sending him anyway.  The thing is that Army regulations say you can't change someone's ETS until you are within 90 days of deployment but they changed my son's in July (6th) and he will not depoy until November.  That, of coure, is more than 90 days but they laughed at him when he brought that to their attention so I sent it along to Senator Nelson.  God bless you and your son.  I did get in touch with Harry Reid and he actually wrote me back and said that when they begin debates over defense appropriations in September, he would certainly keep "stop loss" in mind.  If there is no money, your son may not be going anywhere and they may bring the others home.  No matter what kind of rosy picture, Patreus tries to paint on September 15th, we all know its not going well.  I can't imagine them sending another brigade over before that report comes out.  I will pray for you and your son.  If you need to talk, you can call Information and get my number.  I know I just opened myself up to a whole bunch of "crackpots" but I don't care.  Maybe, together, we can do more than as individuals.  The sum of the whole is greater than its parts.

        Best regards,

        Suzanne Miller


        Reply to this
        1. 8/24/2007 6:14 PM Jan wrote:
          Suzanne,
          I so much appreciate your response. I just fired off an e-mail to John Warner thanking him for taking a stand that we need to begin pulling our troops out of Iraq. His voice is powerful because he's respected for a number of reasons. I have not received any positive response from Hillary Clinton, either, also because I don't live in New York...and she wants my vote for her for President? I think not.
          I will contact Harry Reid as you suggested and I would like to talk with you personally. It is important that we get as many people behind this as possible. More later. Thanks for your prayers.
          Sincerely, Jan
          Reply to this
      2. 8/24/2007 1:23 PM Christine wrote:
        As I have written before, my son, who is an Army Combat Medic, has also been stop-lossed. He was put under stop-loss in July even though he is not leaving for Iraq until December. That is the date he really should be leaving the Army because his contract will be up after 4 years. He refuses to re-enlist but his superiors never quit trying to convince him and have told him that even after he returns from this upcoming tour in Iraq, they'll stop-loss him again if he still refuses to re-enlist. My husband and I keep telling him to stay strong and not to give in to their threats and we pray that this craziness will come to an end. Thank you again, Suzanne, for your hard work in trying to get this stop-loss policy eliminated--I have written letters but have received no answers.
        Reply to this
        1. 8/24/2007 8:51 PM Suzanne Miller wrote:

          Christine,

          I feel so for your son.  We will see what happens when General Patreus (sp?) gives his report in September.  He will try to paint a rosy picture but I don't think the Defense Appropriations Committee is going to fall for it.  I completely support John Warner's position for immediate troop withdrawal.  I have not given up nor will I.  I keep calling their offices and they usually calll me back.  I don't know if its because I'm a lawyer but they do.  We have got to get the Senate Armed Services Committee to do what they need to do.  Hillary Clinton won't do anything because my son nor I am from NY.  So much for her but I am going to keep calling her office and reminding her of her duty as a US Senator.  And that's the way I feel about all of them.  Senator Nelson has been very receptive but we need them all.  God bless you and your son.  I will keep you in my prayers and I promise you I will keep fighting this battle.  My son was supposed to have been out July 6th.  They are deploying some time in November so they have violated their own regulations.  Crazy isn't it?  Take care and please write again and let me know what's going on.  I do care about all of these kids and I just want them home.

          Sincerely,
          Suzanne


          Reply to this
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