The National Press Club Screening of the Movie "Stop Loss"

This entry was posted on 4/23/2008 7:31 PM and is filed under "Stop Loss" the Movie.

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• 4/28/2008 8:01 PM Paula wrote:
  I don't want to re-create the wheel, so I need some guidance on what works and what doesn't when it comes to contacting Florida senators and (my) Congressman on the topic of Stop-Loss. I was told to send a letter. I sent a very detailed letter and received NO response (it's been over a month). I'm not trying to keep my son from deploying. I'm trying to get the Stop-Loss poicy changed. Do you have any suggestions?
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  1. 4/29/2008 8:02 AM Suzanne Miller wrote:
     Paula,
     
     I need details.  Where is your son?  What are the circumstances around his stop loss and deployment?  Where do you live?  When was he stop lossed?  When will he deploy?  I will send my private e-mail address to you but I need to know as much as possible.
     
     Suzanne
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• 5/1/2008 1:27 AM Jason Davis wrote:
  Greetings! I was a victim of Stoploss. After enlisting in the active Army for 4 years, I was stoplossed for a 5th, my second year long tour to Iraq. Whats worse is that my wife gave birth to our son just 19 days after leaving, and my dad (single, and has no caretaker) was in the hospital having surgery a day after I left. My CoC would not allow me to leave later, and I ended up not meeting my son until I went home on leave 7 months later. My stoploss was to go the full deployment plus 90, but upon return, we were allowed to use our saved leave days to leave before 90, but to an extent, a max of only 24 could be used. I had tried to fight the stoploss with the given exemptions (created an undue hardship to the well being of my family), and it only made things worse for me. I had tried going to Congressional route, but a response took nearly 4 months (was already in Iraq), and since I had not written the things with which they wanted me to state, had requested I send them another letter. By that time, I was fed up with the response, and gave up, fearing another 4 month delay wouldn't matter anyway.
  
  I've been out of the Army for 18 months now, and just this week, my MSO is complete, and owe nothing to the IRR. As a 27 y/o first time college student, at the request of some of my instructors, I have decided to start a new blog, entitled 13 Stoploss, as a narrative to the events and stories I've experienced through my two trips to the desert, and my battle with stoploss. My goal is "keep it real," and highlight some of the actual happenings for others who aren't in tune with what is going on over there. Maybe I can inspire or help others in need.
  
  - Jason
  
  http://13stoploss.blogspot.com
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• 5/6/2008 10:33 AM chuck wrote:
  I am currently in the United Staes Army. I signed a similar contract as your son. Guess what? It said that I owed Uncle Sam at least 8 years. Tell your genius son to read.
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• 5/19/2008 9:34 AM Ed Lopez wrote:
  Dear Mrs. Miller,
  
  I read about your blog after searching for some information regarding my own predicament in the military - I'm affected by a policy called "Stop Move”; originally the Army refused a unit transfer but now I am contractually supposed to be in the Individual Ready Reserve and there is ambiguity and silence coming from the Army on the issue. My story is too complicated to blog but I am curious to hear your perspective on a number of issues (like your family, my family is being affected by what seems like an arbitrary and capricious enforcement of “policies”). Is there a way I could communicate directly with you, briefly, to receive some feedback on a number of issues you have dealt with?
  
  The unit I am attached to is several states away from my home state and thousands of miles away from my school: I am a full-time PhD student in England. Despite all this, the unit refuses to let go because they are on a deployment alert. It is clear that the Army is violating our contractual agreement - unlike what some folks who respond so caustically to you imply when they accuse your son of not reading his contract. They probably don't understand their own contracts and are willing to accept involuntary servitude to avoid dealing with this national problem. Nothing could be more un-American, in my view, than rolling over and allowing the military to force people to serve beyond what they volunteered to serve. Our government is ignoring a massive need to reform our Armed Forces and to address the mistakes we made in Iraq.
  
  I have voted Republican since I turned 18, have worked for Republican officials and even ran for office at a very young age - a statewide office at the age of 23. I have served a mission for my Church (I'm a Latter-day Saint), and have generally focused most of my adult life on public service. This included signing up to serve in the military, following 9.11. I feel very strongly the Republican Party needs a new dialogue on this matter and I am concerned we are not hearing a stronger voice of dissent on these issues within the GOP. I know how you feel as someone who supported the Party.
  
  I am specifically concerned about "Stop-Loss", how standards have been lowered to recruit people into the military, etc.
  
  I have not seen the movie “Stop Loss” but have been concerned that in an effort to attract a younger crowd the movie would deviate from the seriousness of the issue toward a more youthful plot lacking the substance to carry such an important message with strength. I know I need to give the movie a fair chance and promise to watch it but I wanted to ask you some questions briefly without delving into a public discussion on the blog too quickly. Any feedback would be well appreciated.
  
  Regards,
  
  Ed Lopez
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• 6/14/2008 12:01 AM T_M wrote:
  I am a current active duty US Navy sailor, and I have been in the Navy for 7 years. I joined before September 11th, 2001. While I may not agree with all decisions made by our Commander in Chief, I, like your son, signed a contract that was open to stop-loss. I signed a contract to agree to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States, and I, while being only seventeen years old at the time of enlistment, enjoyed taking the time to read a contract (ALL of it) that would affect my life for the next 8 years.
  
  I have just re-enlisted for another 6 years to proudly serve this country, and I firmly disagree with most of your posts here.
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  1. 6/23/2008 12:55 PM Suzanne Miller wrote:
     While I respect you for serving your country, I think you should be reminded that the Navy, Air Force and Marines are NOT being stop lossed.  So, I guess I am missing the point.  You got a nice bonus to re-enlist.  Don't think anyone is fooled by that.  Again, its the Army that's being stop lossed.  I do respect your committment to your country but this is a Army/Marine war.  Sailors aren't really at risk unless they serve along side the Marine.
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• 6/22/2008 12:20 PM Sarah Lubinski wrote:
  Suzanne,
  
  I am so happy to see a website such as this one and I am so glad to see others working hard to put an end to the stop-loss program.
  
  My husband served 4 long and hard years active duty Army in the 82nd Airborne division. He deployed once to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan, for a total of 19 months in combat. Frankly, I consider myself lucky to have him home safely. He is now in the Florida National Guard. His IRR committment ends 21Dec2008, but he re-enlisted with the NG until 13Jun2009. Unfortunately, his NG unit is getting ready to deploy soon after his enlistment with them ends. I am terrified that he will be stop-lossed and forced to go with them to Kuwait, seeing that they have the power to do that during the 180-days prior to the unit mobilizing for deployment. I am appauled that this is even legal. We are expecting our first child 27Nov2008, and fear his missing out on precious time with his son. My husband has gone above and beyond, as many soldiers have, during his years in the Army. I am so proud of him and of all of the soldiers serving. We love this country and we love the military, but it is obvious that he has served his fair share of time. I don't see how it is even legal to force him to serve beyond his contract.
  
  Is there anything I can do to prevent him from being stop-lossed? I have only just begun my process of fighting this, but I want to become more involved in the cause.
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  1. 6/23/2008 12:59 PM Suzanne Miller wrote:
     First, thank your husband for his dedication to our country.  He is indeed a hero.  I would worry about stop loss, too.  Bob Gates has said that it must continue until at least the end of 2009.  Is there anything you can do?  I'm not sure.  He enlisted with the National Guard and they are using them to "backfill" the Army along with the backdoor draft.  If I hear of something or someone who is in a similar situation, I will let you know.  Believe me, I understand your anxiety.  God bless you. 
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• 7/28/2008 1:24 PM Candace wrote:
  Hello,I was just wanting to tell you Thank You because your actaully doing things to try to prevent stop loss.I recentley saw the movie a week ago and I became aware of this issue.Its a sad thing and I hate it.It needs to end.Im willing to do anything I can to help end stop losses.I have family in the war and if was to happen to them I would be really upset.I just hope one day this war is over and stop loss is gone for good.THANK YOU for trying!
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