PS FAQ: Troops:  Recruiting, Morale, PTSD, War Crimes Also See Good News

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Troop morale continued to be an issue both in Iraq and on return home, when the Pentagon's own newspaper showed that one-third of U.S. troops surveyed in Iraq said morale was low (NYTimes/AP, 10/17/03).  A December 2003 front page Chicago Tribune story told of the number of suicides among U.S. troops, 20 since the war began in March.  Also see "Will a Draft Return?" FAQ.  At left is the so-called "Marlboro Man"

Morale was also an issue in October 2004 for a group of U.S. army personnel refused to deliver fuel, fearing that they were unprotected and would be under fire.  As of December, this appeared to be an isolated incident.  The soldiers learned about two weeks before Christmas that they would not be court-martialed.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A41279-2004Dec6?language=printer

An army report in late July of 2005, completed in October 2004, showed the troop morale has improved, though still low. 54% say that their unit morale is low or very low.  Post-traumatic stress has declined (15 to 10%) as has the rate of suicide. "More than 75% of soldier reported receiving coming artillery, rocket, or mortar attacks," wrote the Post.  The most common non-combat stressor was length deployment.

Troops morale and challenges continued to be reported often in the spring of 2005.  Lenders are illegally foreclosing on mortgages against active duty forces.  

In 2007, active troops organized an appeal for a return home. For details, see "US Troops Home--2007" FAQ.

Some troops wrote pieces in the media in the fall of 2007. One group's commentary in the Post wrote, "I Don't Think This Place Is Worth Another Soldier's Life."

"Party Here, Sacrifice Over There" titles a soldier op-ed (Times, 10/20/07). The veteran is struck by "the disparity between the lives of the few who are fighting and being killed, and the many who have been asked for nothing more than to continue shopping. Those who rationalize this disconnect have argue that our soldiers are volunteers, happy doing what they signed up to do...The assertion that soldiers are cheerfully returning for multiple combat tours is grounded in statistics and arguments that are misleading...My platoon's infantrymen expected to be 'stop-lossed' [kept from leaving] and some felt they might as well cash in on the reenlistment bonuses if they were going to be forced to stay in the Army anyway. Few of today's soldier expected 15-month deployments separated by home stay of less than 12 months."

Military families are losing faith, reported the Tribune in a December 2007 poll. "Was the war worth it?" Military families say "no" at nearly the exact percent as all respondents, 60%. Responded one father, "I pray to God that they did not die in vain, but I don't think our president is even sensitive at all to what it's like to have a child serving over there." 1/4 of responds feel troops should stay "as long as it takes to win." Nearly 7/10 favor a withdrawal within the coming year or "right away."

"Winter Soldier", a multi-day event in Washington in mid-March 2008, featured Iraqi soldiers speaking out about the difficulties they have encountered. Nearly 40 years ago, Sen. John Kerry was one of the Vietnam "winter soldiers" who spoke out against atrocities they had witnessed.

An embedded reporter during the "surge" was interviewed on Fresh Air by NPR's Terri Gross that same month.

Wounded soldiers return to Iraq, searching for solace, even visiting the place where they were shot or passed out. This new program, first detailed in October 2009, attempts to give them psychologlical closure. Operation Proper Exit will likely continue.

To the extent the pay and shorter deployments helps morale, the Pentagon announced in October 2009 $500 extra pay to those who were put through the contentious and unpopular stop-loss program. 185,000 troops. Those who died under stop-loss will have $500 to their families.

Morale may have been effected by President Obama's middle of the night first visit to Dover Air Force Base, to honor 18 returning coffins. This was a month before his Afghanistan "surge" speech. The Commander in Chief said, "The burden that both our troops and our families bear in any wartime situation is going to bear on how I see these conflicts."

"On Leaving a Soldier" from NPR's The Story, details how and why a wife leaves her husband, who is deployed. She was criticized for leaving her man, but defends herself in detail. She describes how they met at an ROTC dance, fell in love, married, and more. She left Darmouth to follow him into the Armed Forces.

Also see "Troops Home '07?" FAQ.

In terms of recruitment, it continued to be a concern approaching in late 2004. We learned that National Guard recruitment was down 30% in the past two months and only 56% of their quota.  The front page NYTimes article described the trend as "the latest signs of strains on the military."  Bonuses for enlisted would now triple to $17,000.  Signing bonuses would be up to $5000 for specialized jobs, like linguists and avionics technicians.  It is these jobs that could be step one of a future draft.   Also see "Will there be a draft?" FAQ.

Army scholarships have increased from $50,000 to $70,000.  National Guard and Army Reserve make up 40-45% of the troops and army National Guardsmen have sustained a 36% higher death rate than the active-duty Army.  As troops returned, reserves are running short.  By the summer of 2005, more reserves are nearing their 24-month maximum call-up limits. The Tribune front-page story (March 31, 2005) on recruitment concludes that "That is one reason the Army is no longer getting double use form its solders:  Those coming off active duty are reluctant to immediately join the National Guard or Reserve, as many have done in the past."  Says a former assistant defense secretary, "They don't want to join because they know they'll go right back to Iraq."

With great numbers of National Guard now serving overseas in extended deployments US Governors are concerned about the lack of manpower during a possible emergency at home, such as natural disasters or civil unrest.  Upcoming chairman of the Governor's association, Gov. Huckabee (R-Ark, at left.) says, "If we had a major natural disaster, we would be stretched thin. Adds Mark Warner of Virginia (D), "Is is really the best use to take a first responder from home and put him in to guard an airport in Saudi Arabia?"

The Navy and Air Force are downsizing and do not have a recruiting problem.  Some special op forces are being offered $150,000 bonus to re-enlist. In the Army, bonuses announced in July, included college assistance, can lead to more than $100,000 in incentives for active duty recruits. 

Five of six military reserve units missed recruiting goals for the past four months, announced in February 2005.  The news in March was no better.  For the first time in 5 years, the army missed their recruiting goal for a month, 27% below their goal.  "We're very concerned about it," the Army secretary told Congress.  The Tribune labeled "ominous" the Army's description.  For the past 5 months, the Army is down 6% from their goal.  Army Secretary Francis Harvey predicted in late March that Army goals would be missed in March and April.  For the first five months, the Army was 27% below its overall goals. 

Goals for the 2005 will not be met, the Pentagon first admitted in July.  This includes the Army, Army Reserve and Army National Guard.  This would be the first time the goal was missed since 1999.  

Recruiting efforts increased as a result.  Said Harvey, "it is a noble calling to serve the county...We're talking about getting that message to the influencers, including parents and teachers."  The military will go into local communities and address Rotary, Kiwanis, and other service clubs. The Army's top recruiter predicted in May that 2006 would be even harder, "perhaps the toughest year ...since the all-volunteer force began in 1973," wrote the Times.

The Marines missed their goal for the first time in nearly a decade; this occurred for two second straight month, but is slightly ahead of its overall goal for the year. The Marine numbers are especially shocking.  

Northwestern University Professor and military-sociology expert Charles Moskos comments, "We're going to recruit more foreigners" who are not US citizens. Moskos was cited in the length Sunday Times report, "All Quiet on the Home Front, and Some Soldiers Are asking Why" (7/24/05).  He calls the situation "patriotism lite" in both political parties.  "The political leaders are afraid to ask the public for any real sacrifice, which doesn't speak too highly of the citizenry."  

Other June 2005 reports were more positive.  Though not on track to meet goals for the fiscal year ending in September, to revised June goals were met, for the first time since January.   Reports in August 2005 were that re-enlisting were at record highs. The goal was 1000 below the June 2004 goal and there is little chance the annual quota will be met

A non-partisan Congressional Budget Office report of October 2005, calculated that the military could not sustain more than 123,000 troops in Iraq for much longer. Rumsfeld disputed the study.

The enlistments can now be as short as 15 months and bonuses as high as $20,000, which the army hopes to increase to $40,000.   The standards will be lowered for aptitude tests.  A new group of teenagers to be recruited will be home-schoolers and high school dropouts, up to 10%. 

Other changes in July 2005 included raising the maximum age from 40 to 42 for most of the services.  In March the age was raised from 35 to 40.  

In another tactic, The Army Times reported in October that sagging recruitment could be bolstered by taping "a demographic long deemed off limits:  high school dropouts who don't' have a GED credential." 

Final reports for the fiscal year came out in November 2005.  For the first time in at least four years, recruits were under 93% for in the Army (92% or 6600 out of 80,000 goal), Army Reserve (84%), and Navy Reserve (88%).  Army National Guard, at 80%, has not met its goal for three years in a row.  Those services that did best were Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Marine Corps Reserve, and Air Force Reserve.  The Army shortfall was the largest in 26 years.

Breaking down the numbers, special forces and translators were down.  Roadside bomb defusers, for obvious reasons, were down about 20%.  Michael O'Hanlon (Brookings) feels that these gaps will only be dangerous if the US does not reduce troops in Iraq.  Special Forces grew thanks to bonuses of up to $150,000.  An anonymous Army recruiter reported to the Times that "it was not common for noncombat positions to be opened up at the end of a tough recruiting month even though the Army did not need more people to do the job." 

Over 32% of the close to one million troops have been sent to Iraq or Afghanistan have returned to action.  This includes 40% of Air Reserve and Air National Guard have been deployed twice to Iraq or Afghanistan.  This type of information led to a January 2006 Pentagon investigation that the troops were being deployed too thinly.  Rumsfeld denied any problems and spoke highly of those serving.

The recruitment news of 2006 was of higher goals coupled with higher bonuses.  New active duty Army recruits would have their bonuses doubled to $40,000, while re-enlistment bonuses would increase to $90,000. Goals may be changed, as they were last year.

Expelling reservists  began in January 2006.  If they failed to report for active duty, the Army moved to expel these Individual Ready Reserves, who are rarely mobilized.  They were mobilized in the summer of 2004, showing the strain on the military. Hundreds more could be targeted. 

Good news came from the National Guard in late January, as the exceeded their goals of the last quarter.  This is attributed to three factors:
1.  a new advertisement campaign;
2.  increased financial incentives; and
3.  a near doubling a recruiters, to 5100.

However, Governors of both parties expressed their displeasure toward the President  in late February 2006.  Their feared state National Guardsmen were needed for their manpower and equipment for natural disasters.  All 50 Governors were against any cuts in the Guard forces.  Equipment leaves with the guard but does not come back.  Nearly 1/3 of US forces are Army National Guard and half of that equipment cannot be accounted for.  We further learned in March that units at home have only 34% of the equipment they need. They have less than 15% of what they need in terms of machine guns, rifles, night-vision goggles, and humvees.

In April 2006, we learned that military desertions had generally declined in the army since 2002.  The Army had about 4000 desertion in 2000 and only 2000 in 2005.  Up to 3000 of the 1.4 million Americans on active duty are absent without leave on any given day.

Desertions by the fall of 2007 proved more troublesome. With 40,000 desertions since the war began, this has cost taxpayers (to replace them) about $1 billion, as reported by NPR's All Things Considered (11/19/07). "Desertion rate leaps in Army," reported the Tribune (11/17/07), increasing 40% since last year and 80% since 2003. "The weight of the war has proved too heavy for a growing number of soldiers," opens the article. Rates are at their highest since 1980, about five years after the Vietnam War, when we still had a draft. A deserter is defined as someone who has been absent without leave for longer than 30 days.

College recruitment received a boost with a unanimous supreme court decision in early March, 2006.  The court upheld a law, according to the lead Times story, "that cuts federal financing for universities if they do not give military recruiters the same access to students that other potential employers receive.  The court ruled that the law does not violate the free-speech rights of universities that object to the military's exclusion of hay men and lesbians who are open about their sexual orientation."

Recruiting goals were met better in the fall of 2006, which the Naval Reserve having the least success compared to its target (87%). 100% targets were met by the Army (80,000), Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force." All of these percents were between 100.1 and 100.8. After last year's widest margin loss in two decades, this was good news at the Pentagon. Army bonuses are up to $40,000, for those willing to drive convoy trucks in Iraq. Standards are being lowered in a number of ways:
-- First, the army maximum age has risen from 35 to 42;
-- Lower aptitude rankings have been allowed.
-- Some recruits, reports the Times, "signed up after the Army waived criminal records that would have previously barred them."

"The Troops Did Their Homework" is a November 2006 Times analysis of the schooling of the military. A higher percent now have high school diplomas, 97% (compared to 85% of public in general) serving in active duty. In addition 17% of active duty have at least a bachelor's degree, whereas the nation as a whole is 28%. However, high school dropouts make up 19% of new enlistments, up from just 6% on 2003.

This similar bad news of early 2007 was that recruitment standards are being lowered in terms of age, as we already knew. Other waivers are for education, aptitude tests, and, especially, criminal records. In a front page Times story (2/14/07), "moral waivers" for criminal backgrounds, including felons, has grown 65% in the last three years. A felon carries a sentence of one year or longer in prison; most felons are not allowed to carry firearms. Some juvenile records are not released to the military. In the past three years, those new recruits with criminal records have totaled 125,000. Those still automatically excluded are drug traffickers, those with more than one felon, the those convicted of sexually violent crimes. Now in the Army 11% of the 8000 moral waivers are for felons. The Army has gone from about 400 felon waivers/year in 2004 to about 900/year in 2006. The total enlisted in 2006 was nearly 70,000. One member of the House (D-MA) feels the new data is "crystal clear; our armed forces are under incredible strain, and the only way that they can fill their recruiting quotas is by lowering their standards."

Oddly, the Tribune placed nearly the same story on their front page in mid-Ocotber. The article focused on the greater number of high school dropouts being recruited by the Army. Now 11% need wavers, up from 8% in the previous year and about 5% in 2003. The felons admitted were reported as 1600 in the past year, a steep increase from the February Times article. Overall, the Army met its recuiting goals for the fiscal year.

The lead Times editorial (2/20/07) sees the "vicious cycle" of declining standards. "Multiple, extended tours of duty have sapped morale and blighted recruiting New plans for a larger overall force could reduce pressures but would also mean that recruiters would have to meet higher quotas. To keep filing the ranks, the Army has to keep lowering its expect ions." It's not enough to lower standard, enlarge bonuses, so the military uses moral waivers. The paper is concerned about inadequate moniroting and counseling of felons with guns.

Tours of duty were extended for the Army in mid-April. Sec. Gates' policy makes official what had already been the facts on the ground: 15 months in the battle zones with 12 months back home. Gates hopes this policy would help the Army be more predicable. Morale, recruiting, and retention may become yet more challenging. At the start of the war, the goal was one year deployed and two years back home. For example, a soldier on their third tour would have spent more time in the combat zone than a World War II soldier from 1942 to 1945.

One reaction to the extensions came from Sen. Biden: "Recent graduates of West Point are choosing to leave active-duty service at the highest rate in more than three decades. This administration's policies are literally driving out some of our best young officers. Instead of escalating the war with no end in sight, we have to start bringing it to a responsible conclusion." Adding Sen Reid, "The President is...isolated" as when during Vietnam when Nixon "was hunkered down in the White House."

Bonuses were increased for re-enlistement again in October 2007. "On Bonuses and Leaving Iraq", the lead Times editorial focuses on the Marines desire to move out of Iraq and into Afghanistan. "The unprecendeted bonuses--up to $35,000--are a sign of desparation." There is a "critical shortage" of younger officers. The bonuses "are another desperate reminder of how little planning was done for the Iraq war and how much damage it has done to America's forces." Total bonuses to retain Green Berets and Navy SEALS were $100 million. The timeframe appears to be since 2003. Bonus payments top $150,000 as an incentive to stay.

The State Department reported the need to force some employees to go to Iraq.

Recruitement would certainly be needed, according to the long-term prediction of the new chairman of the joint chiefs. Adm. Mike Mullen, at a late October press conference, wants high levels of forces even after the Iraq war. He worries about the military's preparedness and distracted due to Afghanistan and Iraq. "We have to be incredibly thoughtful about the potential of in fact getting into a conflict with a third country in that part of the world."

How are families affected by the war? In late October "Old Enough Now to Ask How Dad Died at War" appeared in the front page of the Times. Children who were infants or toddlers when they father was killed are now asking how or why. Parents are confronting the death in a new manner. "Why did it have to be my dad?" they ask. One Mom responds, "When she asks me and I start talking about it, my voice gets cracky and tears roll down my face. I don't know if it will ever get better. I see [my daughter] hurting more now because she's understanding more." The children are facing a kind of "delayed grief." At school events only one parent is in attendance. "Nevertheless, many parents work hard to keep the memory of the dead parent alive for their children."

Women were more often in combat roles as "GI Jane" broke the barrier. As the front page Times reported in August 2009, women in ground combat was rare before 2001. The number of high ranking women and their status has increased. Women are commanding all-male units. "Their success, widely known in the military, remains largely hidden from public view." Women can lead men into battle but they cannot serve with them. They are barred from joining combat branches such as infantry, armor and Special Forces. Yet the barrier is broken with stealth, semantics, and "bureaucratic trickery." Women face sexual descrimination and rape. "Commanders also confront a new reality: that soldiers have sex, and some will be evacuated because they are pregnant." Americans were recently asked if they favor allowing women to serve in combat zones as support for the ground troops. 84% responded in the affirmative. When asked if women should join combat unity, only 53% agreed. Support was highest in the northeast and lowest among those age 65 and from the West. The overall increase in servicewomen began in the early 1970s, at the end of Vietnam. In the Persian Gulf War (1991) 7% were women and now that figure is up to 11%.

"Repeat tours to war take their toll" was a similar front page story from the Tribune of November 5. "The long, frequent deployments have had a grinding effect. One soldier recalled a heart-breaking conversation with his toddler, in which the child demanded that he quit his job and return home to play with him." Another was offered a $25,000 bonus for a six year re-enlistment but felt that "no amount could persuade him to stick with the Army..." The current policy remains 15 month tours and 12 month at home posts.

Recruitment in 2009 was easier, with the failing economy. A steady paycheck, benefits, and training seemed more appealing. This looked like the best year, relative to goals, since 2004.

Recruitment in  high schools, with No Child Left Behind Act, allows the military to get information from the schools and automatically contact any student unless they specifically "opt-out".  That it, parents must actively request not to be recruited. By the spring of 2005, parents were urging schools to make this option easier.

 In the New York Times front-page of June3, "Growing Problem for Military Recruiters:  Parents" quoted a Defense Department survey from November 2004 which shows that "only 25% of parents would recommend military service to their children, down from 42% in August 2003.

Bob Herbert's June 16, 2005 op-ed piece "Uncle Sam Really Wants You" opens, "With the situation in Iraq deteriorating and the willingness of Americans to serve in the armed forces declining a little-know Army publication called the 'School Recruitment Program Handbook' is becoming increasingly important, and controversial."  He describes the specific guidelines in the handbook and then concludes, "Let the Army be honest and up front in its recruitment.  War in not child's play, and warriors shouldn't be assembled through the use of seductive sales pitches to youngsters too immature to make an informed decision on matters that might well result in them having to kill others, or being killed themselves.' 

The week after Herbert's piece, we learned that the Pentagon begins tracking High School students at age 16, to see who might be likely recruits. This extensive Pentagon date base includes 30 million 16-25 year olds, combining social security numbers, GPA, email and phone.  It began three years ago and could be a violation of the federal Privacy Act.  

The Tribune story of mid-April was entitled, "Students telling Uncle Sam, 'Don't call us, we'll call you.'"  At Evanston Township High School., only 17 students have said it's OK to give their names to military recruiters.  In 2004, with the war well underway,  491 seniors did not opt out. The paper tells of reduced military access.  "Recruiters used to feel roam the halls and set up tables in the cafeteria, but now each branch is limited to one day in the career center."  In Chicago, the burden is on the parents to go the the CPS web site to learn how to opt out.  Only about 800 of the 420.000 students have chosen that option and "officials are considering sending letters home next year," according to a spokesmen."

More Tribune coverage in September looked at Evanston Township High School on opting out.  Half of the students opted out during the year the NCLB law went into effect and in 2003, only 22/1600 did not opt out.  Said the ETHS director of people personnel services, "A lot of parents were livid.  A lot of people were up in arms when they found out that this existed."  When Chicago public schools opened, community groups, peace activists and students distributed op-out forms in from of 20 schools.

Military recruitment in high school was further examined in a piece by The Baltimore Sun (12/22/05). 

NPR aired a series of reports on the National Guard and recruitment in the week of the second anniversary of the war. The Tribune's front page story of March 21 highlighted the "enlistment drought" of February and March, including the Army and Army Reserve.

NPR's "Story Corps" is a booth that travels around the country recording the stories of friends, family, and couples.  The couple Laurel and Tom Nelson talked movingly on April 28, 2006 of how deployment has effected their marriage and relationship. 
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5367957

Student anti-war protests were suspended for up to 10 days in a Chicago areas high school in mid-November, 2007. Morton West, in Berwyn, may expel some of the students. There were told to move their protest, and did, with the promise of light punishment. They and their parents are very upset with the school. Schools officials said they were not upset with the message but that the school day was being interrupted. Parents feel their children were, at worst, "loitering...Who's the next group to go off to war. These kids...Yet the military's running around the school trying to recruit."

Recuiting in Florida made the press in early December, 2007.

Recruitment data and stories in 2008 were infrequent. However, in late December, the lead Times editorial (12/28/08) discussed "Recruiting the Best." The paper suggests expanding the Army by 65,000 soldier to help rebuild them from overuse. Of the various armed forces, the Army has had the most trouble meeting recruiting targets. Recent standards have only been met by lowering the standards. In 2007 and 2008, only about 80% of recruits have high school diplomas, done from 92% in 2003. "Moral waivers" have increased to allow in those with criminal records, triple the 2003 number.

Who is serving?   Studies tend to show that a disproportionate number of from small towns and from poorer families.  The effect on small towns in larger because often everyone in the town knows the family. Also, thousands are many non-US citizens.  In the US military, there are over 5000 are from  Philippines, 3000 Mexicans, and 1500 Jamaicans. 27 Mexican citizens have died in Iraq or Afghanistan.  Of the 73 who have died, at least 23 received US citizenship posthumously, according to the USA Today  of June 30, 2005. 

The war is also labeled "the rural war."  In a Times op-ed of July 20, 2005, a Sociologist and reporter conclude that "Iraq is not the war of nay one race or region.  Rather, it is rural American's war...Small rural counties have a death rate" nearly double of those near metropolitan areas.  "This is above all an economics story...When the Iraq war memorials go up in years to come, these monuments to heroism and sacrifice will be found less often in thriving urban centers than in lagging rural communities."  

The Times of October 7 further examines recruiting, concluding that central and southern parts of the country are more fertile ground that the Northeast.  In fact, the highest recruiting levels are in places like:  Montana, Nevada, northern Pennsylvania, eastern Oregon, and much of Wyoming.

The front-page Chicago Tribune story of November 28, a few days before the President's major speech on Iraq, was that the Army is relatively successful in recruiting in downstate Illinois. Despite the worst recruiting year since 1979, in rural areas with high poverty about 1 in 10 young people joins the military, most the twice the national average.  

"A sense of duty and muted criticism of the war keep recruiting alive in the Midwest.  But more than patriotism is at work.  Tough times in the heartland make the military an appealing alternative," reports the Chicago paper. Comments Northwestern professor Charles Moskos, "Economic opportunities are limited, and patriotism is high in the midwest."  For example, at one high school, photographs of 20 enlisted solders are proudly displayed in the halls "next to the school's sports trophies and academic accomplishments." 

The Rural War story continued into 2007, with a Tribune story that 45% of US deaths come from soldiers of towns less than 25,000. Nearly 3/4 come from towns with income below that national average. One woman was taken aback with her 3 year old son answered the door he receive the news of the father's death. "I'm torn. Should we finish the job? And then I go the funerals of the local guys and I'm like, this is just stupid...I don't think we're going to finish it here. I don't think there's a finishing point. They're getting more efficient at killing us--that's a direct quote from the president." Replied another, whose brother died, "The last think these men need are people second-guessing what's going on. That's something for thhgiosyt books to decide whether it's right or wrong."

ROTC recruiting is also down, 16% in the past two year.  It could take many years to recover from this trend, as occurred during and after Vietnam.

A front page Tribune report of June 4, 2006 looked at recruitment since the draft ended in 1973. The average of those in the Army at is about 21, and 87% have a high school diploma. In contrast, during the years 1973 to 1982, under 75% of recruits had finished high school. The biggest recruiting deficit since 1979 (about 6600) is based on the much lower total numbers sought. For example, topped 200,000 in 1976 and remained above 120,000 through 1989. Since 1991, goals have usually been about 80,000.

A September 24, 2006 Times editorial covered a number of topics. "Facing Facts on Iraq" included the "dominant feature" of life is growing violence not growing democracy. "Every Iraqi knows this. Americans needs to know it too. Beyond the futility of simply staying the course lies the impossibility of keeping the bulk of American ground forces...indefinately." 42 months is longer than World War II and is "undermining the long-term strength of the Army and Marines, threatening to divert the National Guard from homeland security and emboldening Iran and North Korea."

In a related issue, 60 Minutes reported that according to the Pentagon, there were over 5000 deserters.  Also, a combat veteran back in Philadelphia was accused of having a friend shoot him in the leg, in hopes of avoiding conflict. Among reports are of Pentagon estimates of 3000 deserters (AWOL for over a month) in 2003.

14,000 National Guard will need to return early to Iraq, due to the 2007 surge urged by the President. They had been promised several years between deployments. The military is concerned that National Guards will not sign up to continue. Other reports were that the Guard was stretched too thin. The Army has become a "just in time" organization.

National Guard being used effected US citizens in Kansas, for example. In May 2008 the Governor and Kansas was one of several who warned that their state was ill prepared for the next local disaster. A tornado struck and the response was seen as slow.

Secretary Gates announced in the spring of 2007 that the normal tour for the Army will be extended. It will now be 15 months in combat and 12 months at home. Normal procedures were 12 months in and 24 months out. Most troops were on the second or third tour of duty, though some were on their fourth. 15 months is the longest combat tours since World War II. Gates wanted families to have more predictability. Gates is having trouble keeping his promises, as 9000 troops are kept beyond their committments through "stop loss." That is, is they are called up even one week before the time ends, they must serve the entire 15 month deployment.

A big bonus was increased in August, as the Army offered $20,000 for "QS", quick ship to stem recent shortfalls. $40,000 bonus is offered for a four year committment. Said a Junior from Calvin College (Michigan) on the Tribune's front page, "I was a student, and it was just getting way too expensive. I had a job, but it wasn't really what I wanted." Added a young Chicago man, "There's not many 18-year olds walking around with $25,000 in their pocket."

The new bonuses in October were up to $45,000 toward a new house. Combined with stop-loss, the Army hopes this will help. Under 80% will need to be high school graduates. Some vets re-sign rather than get called back at the last minute. Gates worries that some of the best troops are being lost to private contractors. For much more on Blackwater in 2007, see "PZ Violence"

Though the Army met its fiscal 2007 goal, it did so at a cost for future recruitment. The number in the pipeline has been decreased with the rush to deploy, usually within 30 days. The "pool" is usually 35% but now is only 9%. 2008 will probably be an even tougher year to recruit. The Pentagon wants to increase the overall number of troops from about 520,000 to nearly 550,000 by 2012. 38 combat brigades would become 44.

The Army wants to grow, it was announced in late September 2007. It would take only four years, down from the previous plan of five, to increase the total Army from about 480,000 to nearly 550,000. More recruits, about 25%) without a high school dipoma would be allowed in. 90% was the standard in past years.

Deserters often describe similar stories, according to Geov Parrish (1/28/05, at Working For Change web site):  "being deployed to Iraq and seeing that most of the dead there are civilians, that the war is being fought on its own momentum.  Many originally believed in the war--the hunt for WMD, the links to 9-11--but have become skeptical.  In most cases, the resisters are not claiming pacifists--they did, after all, volunteer to join the military--but have developed a specific objection to Bush's war in Iraq.  in many cases, solders have come to the belief that the war itself is illegal-an thus, so are the order to fight in it." 

Who are the Conscientious Objectors (CO)? One is Wilkerson, from Ft. Hood.. He turned himself in the summer of 2006 after 1 1/2 years. We are reminded that of the 30,000 deserters since 2001, 5-10% seek CO status. With the all-volunteer army, 211 have applied for CO status and about half have been approved. After approval, one is discharged or given non-combat duty. Some of those seeking CO status are Quakers, who oppose all wars. In comparison to the draft days of the Vietnam War when 50,000 went to Canada, only 200 have done so since 2001.

In late January the Tribune splashed the front page story of Drew Sleezer, in "'I don't have will to go back to war.'" From Hinsdale South High School and then Eastern Illinois University, he now resides in Darien, Illinois. Sleezer joined the Army at 17 with a $5000 signing bonus. The paper reports that "it all looked so good: a chance to travel, to pay for college and to fight in a meaningful war [Afghanistan]" after 9/11. With an eight year commitment, three years would be active duty and then inactive reservist. "He said he was told the chances of his being called back after his discharge from active duty were remote." Most of the 10,000 Individual Ready Reserve called back to active duty have been involuntary Of the 5000 appeals, about half have been granted. His Mom saw his mood shifts. "He's not the same boy he was at 18, when this all looked so glamorous."

Lt. Ehren Watada was courtmarialed for refusing to go to Iraq in 2006. He felt he would be a party to war crimes. His main claim was that he was not required to follow an illegal order. He believes the war is illegal. If convicted, Watada could face 4-6 years in prison. However, Watada's trial was deemed a mistrial in February 2007. The controversial soldier could avoid prosecution altogether. Watada was back in the news in September of 2009, when he was allowed to resign under "other than honorable conditions." Anti-war activists have lionized the First Lt while his lawyer labelled him "a hero and a patriot."

Agustin Aguayo, 35, was sentenced to 8 month in March 2007, for refusing to retrun to Iraq. He believes war is morally wrong. Sentenced for desertion, the maximum penalty was 7 years. Aguayo is a US citizen born in Mexico.

A crack down on deserters was publicized in April 2007. Prosecutions have risen sharply in the last four years to serve as a deterrent. The Army does not have a current study about how combat stress may effect the desertion rate, but the Army states stress has not caused many desertions. 2006 could see nearly 3500 desertions, still a smaller percent than during the draft era of Vietnam, which were 5%. In the past 4 years, over 100 have been convicted of going AWOL os deserting war zones.

A father couldn't stay with his ill newborn, reported the Tribune just before Christmas. The Chicago man failed to get his personal leave extended. His unit needed him. Then, a few days after the story hit the press, on Christmas Day, the paper reported that the military had made a mistake and he could stay with his newborn. "We take the welfare of our soldiers and their families very seriously."

One US officer adopted an Iraqi boy. Capt. Scott Southworth of Wisonsin used to visit on orphanage run by nuns in Iraq. Ala's was nine years old and had cerebral palsy. Southworth has brought him back to the US to live with him.

Looking at health issues in the military, studies in mid-December 2004 showed mental health problems of returning soldiers.  An Army study concluded that one in six report symptoms of major depression, serious anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder, according to the New York Times front page story of December 16.  The number could rise to one in three, the rate in Vietnam.  The number having served in Iraq or Afghanistan is about one million.  

A USA Today reported in late February described "flashbacks, inability to relax or relate, restless nights" and more.  "Some suffer from wounds of flesh and bone, others of emotions and psyche."  Many problems aren't seen until the solders return home.  Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), if untreated, can "severely affect the lives not only of veterans, but their families as well.  The paper reports that of the about 250,000 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan discharged, about 12,000 have been in VA counseling centers for readjustment problems and symptoms associated with PTSD. Estimates in early 2006 were of 16,000 veterans suffering from PTSD.  First defined only in 1980, after Vietnam,  PTSD can usually be diagnosed about 3-6 months after return.  Symptoms include sleeplessness, nightmares, depression, flashbacks, and others. 

Just a few days after the USA Today report, the PBS show "Frontline" showed "The Soldier's Heart" about three men returning from Iraq.  The "Shell Shock" of World War I and the "Battle Fatigue" of World War II was only labeled PTSD starting in 1980.  Some of the soldier and family members in the program warned of the stigma of seeking help:  "We are not supposed to show any weakness...there is a stigma to receiving services...don't want to be thought of as a wimp or coward... just 'suck it up.'"  A new Department of Defense policy from January is a required follow-up session 3-6 months after returning.  One soldier was charged with "cowardly conduct" during the early phases of the Iraq War.  Of the one million Americans who have served in the past few years, 1/6 have symptoms of anxiety, depression or PTSD.   A copy of the video can be ordered at 1-800-playpbs. 2006 figures estimated that 1/10 Americans returning suffered from some mental illness.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/heart/

There were also reports of recurring nightmares among returning veterans.  Says Wills Alison, "One of my friends has a son who returned home with such PTSD that he had flashbacks of the smell of burning flesh, of the sight of dead people torn to bits on the side of the road."  He crawled into his mother's bed every night to cry and fall asleep.  "And then he was redeployed."

In a long PTSD report in the Chicago Tribune, (3/20/05) one expert described the psychological effects of war.  "It is very clear that being shot at is traumatic, or losing your buddy is traumatic, but the act of shooting and killing another human being, something that goes against every instinct we have, is the biggest trauma of all."

Suicide rates were rising up 29% in the Marines in 2004, the highest level in a decade.  Suicide rates for all the services began rising in 2002.  Top officials attributed the demanding pace of military operations are a contributing factor.  In 2004, 31 Marines committed suicide and 83 attempted. This is still below the national average for a comparable civilians group.  The "biggest stressor", according to the military, was personal relationships. Also see "Will there be a draft?" FAQ.

The suicide story returned in April 2006, when the Army reported the highest rates since 1993. Iraq and Afghanistan accounting for 40% of these 83 deaths.

Another suicide story was highlighted by Bob Herbert in his March 19, 2007 column, the fourth anniversary of the war. Jeffrey Lucey signed up for the Marine Reserves at age 18. Upon return and in despair, he "hurled his dogtags at his sister Debra and cried out, 'Don't you know your brother's a murderer?' PTSD and depression followed. Herbert writes, "Wars do that to people. They rip apart the mind and the soul in the same way that bullets and bombs mutilate the body. The war in Iraq is inflicting a much greater emotional toll on US troops than most Americans realize." After Jeffrey's suicide, his parents joined an antiwar organization, Military Families Speak Out. Commended Jeffrey's father, "When we hear anybody in the administration get up and say that they support the troops, it sickens us."

In the fall of 2007, CBS News found that veterans are more than twice as likely to commit suicide. 2006 was also the year with the most Army suicides in 26 years, with 99 among active duty soldiers. This was not learned until November 2007. The Army reported that "there was a significant relationship between suicide attempts and number of days deployed." A Vermont editorial reflected about suicide and wondered about "Really Supporting The Troops"

One take on the CBS story was that 120 vets (of all wars?) commit suicide each week.

In January 2008, we learned that Army suicides were up 20% in 2007 (124) with about 30% occuring within Iraq. As the statistics keep dribbling in, we learned in February that 1/2 of suicides are guard or reserve.

The Washington Post editorial page (2/3/08) examined the case of Lt. Elizabeth Whiteside, who attempted suicide twice. The "mishandling of this case is indicative of a military culture dismissive of psychiatric ills as real sickness. Those who seek treatment are often stigmatized and punished. How else to explain the worry of service members who way they fear being labeled as weak?"

Soldier suicde is at a 30 year high, we learned in January 2009. The Army rate surpassed the rate of civilians for the first time since Vietnam. Suicide rates rose for the fourth year in a row, with 128 killing themsleves in 2008. 15 other deaths that year are still being investigated. 15 month deployments to war zones plays a role in this increase as is stress. The deployments also help cause PTSD, depression, alcohol abuse, and family problems. A "warrior culture" persists, which discourages treatment. Of these 128 suicides, 7 occured in Afghanistan and 31 in Iraq.

In December 2009, the Times editorialized about "Neglected Warriors." The suicide rate among active duty soldiers has doubled since 2001, and in 2009 is likely to top last year's record of 182. When veterans are included, the numbers are even worse. "Congress is rushing to enact prevention measures that should have been in place long ago....Far greater candor is needed about all the factors and risks."

In non-suicide stories, six Army reservists were court-martialed in December 2004 for taking equipment from abandoned US vehicles to protect their own vehicles.  Saying "the punishment is completely out of step with the violation", IL Senator Dick Durbin urged President Bush to pardon the soldiers. 

In the summer of 2005 morale and retention surveys were "shocking" according to the Illinois Army National Guard, as reported in the lead Tribune story of August 7.  "Few soldiers are re-enlisting after basic and advanced infantry training."

"The mental scars of war" is another fine BBC special.

Mental scars were supplemented with financial scars. In November 2006 it was reported that thousands of troops are so in debt that they are losing their security clearances. Thus, these troops are no longer allowed to serve overseas.

NPR's Morning Edition aired an interesting piece on PTSD on December 4, 2006. Said a Sargent, soldiers are pretending to have PTSD so they don't have to return to Iraq. In December with talk of keeping troops longer and repeating tours to increase size of the force, PTSD was an increasing concern.

NPR's All Things Considered used Daniel Zwerdling to follow up on PTSD at Fort Collins. He exlpains in late May 2007, that the base is using a roving expert to present a Powerpoint program on how best to treat PTSD. Yet, mental health experts are very unimpressed with the program, and fear it may actually do more harm than good

Morale was certainly harmed when the Army sent letters a few days after Christmas to 275 families of officers killed or wounded, urging them to return to active duty. The Army apoligized.

"The Sandbox", hosted by Salon, is an opportunity to read comments from soldiers, some of whom are still in Iraq. The are detailed and sometimes graphic.

Sexual assaults are up, the Pentagon reported in March 2007. About 3000 reports were filed in the entire military and action was taken against nearly 800. Sexual asualts often go unreported. "Another Peril in War Zones" was a lengthy Times front page story in late December, 2009. She charged her former boyfriend was sexual assault and with stalking her. Captain Margaret White feared coming forward. "Despite the military's stated 'zero tolerance' for abuse or harassment, she had no confience ther case would be taken seriously and so tried to cope on her own." She feared getting into a "he said, she said" exchange.

The Chicago Tribune made PTSD a front-page story back on March 13, 2007. Only official recognized in 1980 after Vietnam, now 13,000 vets of Iraq and Afghanistan have PTSD, and about 7000 have anxiety disorder. Thousands more suffer from adjustment disorder, depression, substance abuse and/or other challenges. "The unpredictable aspects of combat in Iraq seem to take a mental toll similar to what Vietnam soldiers experienced," feels one psychiatrist. "There is no front line in this war...no true safe place in Iraq. You can be anywhere, even on your base, and still not be safe." Military bases have shortages of professionals. The Tribune reminds us that PTSD symptoms vary, but most patients "find themselves unable to stop reliving traumatic episodes, often through nightmares, flashbacks or an intense feeling of anxiety prompted by an ordinary sound or event that recalls the painful experience.

Patrick Toney of the Illinois National Guard abused cocaine to stay awake and avoid nightmares. A buddy of his died in combat. His unemployment compensation has run out, his hands shake incessantly, but he is hopeful about further treatment.Crystal Cason, from Chicago's southwest side, suppressed her "internal terror" while in combat, explaining, "At the time, your body almost goes into shock. You're kind of numb. As a solder you're told not to cry about it. You suck it up and drive on." She felt guilty and wee of mentioning her symptoms. She was enraged by sexual harassment from other soldiers. Fearing that every scrap of debris is a bomb, she has a hard time driving. Her temper flares "with little provocation Cason told a doctor, "I'm damaged. You can't fix me, so don't try. She can't hold a job and her dream of becoming a police officer has faded because "she knows she's not ready to handle a gun again."

A second and larger front page Tribune story appeared on March 18, on the eve of the four year anniversary of the war. "When Dads Go To War" included large pictures and a Dad's letter to his family, only to be read upon his death. Writes Capt. Michael MacKinnon to his wife, "I needed to write this letter because there are some things that I needed to say and that I wanted you to hear. Bethany, you are the love of my life...I believe there is a heaven and I think I have been a good enough man to be there. I'll watch you and I'll watch the kids grow up with a tear in my eye wishing I was there to see with my own eyes. Someday we will all be together again. I don't think words could ever describe how much I love you."

MacKinnon goes on to write movingly to his son and daughter. "Madison, I'm sorry I broke my promise to you when I said I was coming back. You were the jewel of my life...I have to tell you that you really broke my heart that day when I left and you said, 'don't go, I need my daddy. I don't want my daddy to go.' I nearly cried in front of all the army guys...You will always be daddy's little girl...I consider myself the luckiest man to ever have lived."

The inside headline is, "Return to Iraq takes toll at home." For example, divorce rates soared in 2004. From Ft. Stewart, over 320 soldiers have died.

The Tribune of November 2007 examined "the enemy at home." Soldiers signs of PTSD of often delayed for a few months. Eventually, those needing treatment include 22% of active duty forces but over 40% of Army reservists. National Guard and Reserve soldiers suffer these problems at significantly higher rates than active duty soldiers. Conflicts with friends and family members increase 4-5 fold, according to the Army. Treatment for PTSD is often ineffective partly because the military medical system is overburdened.

The New England Journal of Medicine released a study in late January 2008 which concluded the PTSD, not brain injury, is responsible for many of the symptoms of solders who suffered concussions in Iraq.

Bob Herbert described Bryan Adams, who suffered from PTSD. In "Help Is On The Way" (11/22/08), Herbert opens, "With so much attention understandably focused on the economy and the incoming administration, the struggles being faced by GI's coming home from combat overseas are receding even further from the public's conscience" Adams was an Army sniper who was shot and saw horrible things. About 1/3 or more of those in combat zones, over 300,000, have endured "mental health difficulties." Herbert reminds us that CBS news studied suicides and concluded that veterans ate 20-24 were 2-4 times more likely to commit suicide as non-veterans of the same age.

Child abuse increased, reported the lead story of the USA Today on August 1, 2007. Army wives have committed "markedly higher rates of child neglect and abuse than when their spouses are at home." The rates were 2-4 times higher. The study was conducted by the Journal of the American Medical Association.

121 veterans of Iraq or Afghanistan committed a killing in the US, or were charged with one, after they returned. What sets the stage for this tragedy? According to multiple front page, very lengthy Times stories of 1/13/08 and 1/20/08, causes include combat trauma, the stress of deployment, alcohol abuse, and family discord.

The 1/27/08 Times front page story examined combat trauma. Returning solider accused of murder in the US are able to bring up combat trauma as part of their testimony.

"Tracking a Marine Lost at Home" in the large front page Times story of April 2008 on how the sadness can continues once soldiers return. Veteran Eric Hall disappeared into the woods of southwest Florida. He had experienced a flashback, fleeing a relatives home after sensing he was surrounded by insurgents. From Indiana, corporal Hall was medically discharged after "a bomb ripped through his leg" and killed his close friend. The story sounded familiar to other veterans and their families. Later, his body was found in Florida.

One reservist, Lance Cpl. Walter Smith, was a Mormon who aspired to serve a mission board. At a firing range upon return he raised his rifle. However, as Smith "stared through the scope" he "started shaking. What he saw were not the inanimate targets before him but vivid, hallucinatory images of Iraq: 'the cars coming at us, the chaos, the dust, the women and children, the bodies we left behind.' Each time he squeezed the trigger, Mr. Smith cried, harder and harder until he was, in his own words, 'bawling on the rifle range, which marines just do not do.' This was a "red flag" for Smith. Later, he drowned his mother of his young twins.

Another morale issue is the lack of acceptance of gays in the military. General Peter Pace through flames on the fire by saying in a Tribune interview in March 2007 that gays were "as immoral as those who committed adultery." The words "carried a special measure of hurt coming from the nation's highest military officer, when thousand of may men and lesbians are serving their country in Iraq," opined the Times editorial the next day. Clinton's "don't ask, don't tell" is "a bad system...but it is still the policy...Pace is wrong in every way, and out of step." His apology was only regretting that he let his personal views come out.

A new film in March 2008, by veteran TV host Phil Donahue, is Body of War. Says Donahue, "This administration says you can't cover the coffins coming home. And the entire mainstream media establishment has said, 'OK.' What is happening" with a family whose son returns injured "is talking place behind the closed doors of thousand of homes in our nation, homes occupied by people who come home with catastrophic injuries, injuries that alter the lives of the victims but the lives of their vamilies...Free speech has become a quaint idea. To dissent at a time when the president is getting on his horse with his sword drawn is somehow seen as unpatiroc...For another American soldier to die in this war is morally indefensible.

Morale and PTSD merged in 2009 with the Pentagon's decision not to give purple hearts to those vets who suffer from PTSD. "The military should create a medal for psychological suffering," suggested Tyler Boudreau, a former Marine captain, in the Times op-ed. He feels that some Americans are disappointed with the decision of denial, while "many more are downright appalled."

A second op-ed on the same page concludes that the numbers of those suffering from PTSD are low. From Stanford's Business School, Lawrence Wein doubts studies showing a 14-17% rate. Eventually, the numbers go higher, because of the lag of onset. His study found 35%, or 300,000 people. This translates to 20,000 new sufferers "for each year the war lasts."

Sgt. John M. Russell killed five fellow American at Camp Liberty in Baghdad. He had had been ordered to receive psychological counseling and to turn in his gun. "The Army broke him," said his father. "If a guy actually goes to the clinic and asks for help, they think of him as a wimp and he's got something wrong with him and try to get rid of him." Russell joined the Army National Guard in 1988. Last year's 140 confirmed suicides was the highest since at least 1980. Experts feel that repeated deployments in the war zone are a factor.

The Army will train soldier to "cope with emotions", the army announced in August of 2009. All 1.1 million will eventually be required to take intensive training in "emotional resiliency." About 1/5 of returning troops suffer from depression, PTSD, or suicide. The program will be gradually phased in. The Army hopes to train 1500 sergenats by next summer in the $117 million program. Some complain that the program sounds too "touchy-feely" for a young private who just wants to "hang out with his buddies and drink beer." As the Times editorialized, "The Spartan cliche that all a true soldier needs to do is mutely absorb it all is clearly not working."

Women suffer from PTSD, too, as a lenthy Times piece detailed in November, 2009. Also note the graphic here, showing the number of women evacuated from Iraq and Afghanistan due to PTSD. In 2006, the number was about 425, but it has grown the past two year to over 600 and over 800. Women with stress disorder tend to choose isolation over embarrassment upon returning home. As of mid-2008, nearly 20,000 female veterans of the two wars had received mental disorder diagnoses. This has not been updated for 2009 and does not incldue those still in combat. Women are on the front lines more often.

One woman who continues to suffer from PTSD in 2010 was Shoshana Johnson, the first Africa-American female to be held hostage during the early stages of the war. Johnson's book, I'm Still Standing, details her 22 day hostage ordeal, her need for continued therapy and her advice for young people. Interviewed on Tavis Smiley (PRI, 2/14/10), Johsnon discusses her injuries and the fact that she was moved 7 times in 22 days before being rescued. The Jessica Lynch story got much more press at the time.

On November 5, 2009, Maj. Nidal Hassan opened fire on his fellow soldiers at Fort Hood, in Texas. Hassan, 39, was an Army pschiatrist and killed 13, wounding 28. Why did he do it? Hassan was an American born Muslim whose parents were Palestinian. He had complained about being harassed and was about to the deployed to Afghanistan. He counseled soldiers in PTSD, so he knew "the terrifying realities" of war.

"The Minefield at Home" examines those returning with PTSD. He and others "feel like strangers here, carrying around a burden many people are unaware of or just can't understand. The possibilities for misunderstandings, collisions, and alienation are great." The author, Michael Jernigan has an empty left eye socket "and my right one usually has a prosthetic...I often behave in ways that I do not understand. And most times, it seems, the people around me understand it even less." He hopes that Obama October signing of the veterans bill "will help raise awareness of problems like these. But there is something we can do that no legislation can: educate."

The minefields at home often include children. Children left at home are more likely to report anxiety, a December 2009 study concluded. It was the largest study of its kind. Predictibly, longer the deployement, the more likely their children had trouble in school or at home. Deployments last an average of 11 months.

"Back From War, but Not Really Home", a 11/09Times op-ed, recalls the Greek hero Odysseus, who groans, "Ah, me, what are the people whose land I have come to this time?" Author Caroline Alexander examines the sense of dislocation "shared by veterans returning from the field of war since Homer conjured Odysseus' inauspicious return some 28000 years ago. Its vexing power was underscored" with the shooting at Fort Hood. "Who is the veteran, and how does he stand in relation to his native land and people? This question remains relevant to those marching in parades this week for Veterans Day in the US and Armistice Day in Europe."

Veteran and former US Senator Max Cleland penned a piece in early November, 2009, "The Forever War of the Mind." He is now confined to a wheel chair. One of the soldiers who fought in Vietnam with Cleland said, "Every day I was in Vietnam, I thought about home. And, every day I've been home, I've thought about Vietnam." Cleland feels that "wars are not over when the shooting stops. They live on in the lives of those who fight them. That is the curse of the soldier. He never forgets...War is haunting. Death. Pain. Blood. Dismemberment. A buddy dying in your arms. Imagine trying to get over the memory of a bomb splitting a Humvee apart beneath your fee and taking your leg with it." He recalls that more than 1.7 million soldiers have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. About 1/20 veterans are homeless and "about twice that many will spend part of this year homeless." There were recent failures at Walter Reed Medical Center with soldiers in substandard barracks "infested with rats while awaiting treatment."

The Good Soldiers was considered one of the top 5 non-fiction books of 2009, according The New York Times. The author, David Findel, is interviewed on NPR's To The Best of Our Knowledge in December 2009.

Can a woman be kicked out for becoming pregnant? A US general, in the fall of 2009, listed pregnancy as a reason for court-martialing and/or jailing soldiers. About 1700 of General Cucolo's 22,000 soldiers are women. A few days later, the general changed his statements, backing off the pregnancy policy. He also said that those raped would not be subject to any such orders.

Back in 2004, troops complained to Rumsfeld about equipment they lacked for safety.  In a unique Q and A on December 8,the Secretary of Defense was on the defensive.  One issue was a lack of sufficient armored Humvees which needed to be rummaged for in dumps to find "hillbilly armor."  Rumsfeld's response was, "You go to war with the army you have, not the army you wish to have at a later time."  It was odd to hear soldiers publicly criticize their defense secretary in such a public setting. An increasing number of Democrats joined the call for his resignation.

Also see "Might Rumsfeld Resign?" FAQ.

A subsequent Post editorial was entitled "Don't Blame Me."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A53719-2004Dec9?language=printer

Another response to Rumsfeld in the Chicago Tribune came from DePaul University history professor Tom Mockaitis in "Embarrassing questions" (12/10/04).  In response to the the Secretary and the President not expecting such a tough resistance movement, Mockaitis wrote, "Didn't expect?  Failed to anticipate?  Didn't have a policy?  As someone who has spent his professional life writing about insurgency and counterinsurgency, I find these excuses strange indeed."  In broadening his argument, the professor added, "Could it be that collective wishful thinking had come to dominate an administration that, long before the invasion, equated dissent with disloyalty, or was there a willful intent to proceed, no matter the consequences or the cost?  

A third response to Rumsfeld came from Clarence Page, was entitled, "Just answer the question, Mr. Rumsfeld" (Tribune, 12/12/04).  He felt Rumsfeld's response was "curious" given how much time there was to build up the military before the war.  "Rumsfeld deliberately held down the manpower and support for Iraq against the strong advice of former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Eric Shinseki and other general who said more troops and equipment would be needed.  The Army we have is what Rumsfeld wanted, not what the generals wished we needed." For more on pre-war planning see "The War" FAQ section and see Bob Woodward's Plan of Attack. 

The Tribune editorial ("Coping with surprises of war", 12/12/04) on the same day expressed understanding that "unforeseen hazards" are hard to predict. and that "the basic mistake...was expecting an orderly aftermath, a speedy handover of power to Iraqis, and an early American withdrawal...Rumsfeld suggested the Pentagon is moving as fast as it can but the company which produces the armored Humvees said that they could double production if asked.  Recalling a similar call, the paper concludes, "But there's still a job to finish and soldiers to protect in Iraq."

The normally more critical New York Times editorial (12/9/04) was entitled "Please Sir, May I Have Some Armor?", opened, "We're used to hearing...Rumsfeld answer questions about things that went wrong in Iraq by saying they went right.  when he does that to reports, it's annoying.  When he does it to troops risking their lives in his failed test of bargain-basement warfare, it's outrageous."  The paper pointed out that 95% of its 300 trucks were not sufficiently armored.  It concluded, "Mr. Rumsfeld talks a lot about supporting the troops.  We wish that someone powerful would explain to him that doing so includes treating them with respect and telling them the truth." 

The Pentagon soon announced that it was spending $4 billion to insure that all US military vehicles in the war zone carry protective armor by June of 2005.  Few comments on the Op-ed pages reminded readings that Senators Durbin and Kerry had for months been pointing out this same problem of unprotected Humvees.

Armor delay was the subject of an in-depth front page report in the March 7, 2004 New York Times.  In the spring of 2003 after an order was placed, it took the Pentagon 167 days "just to start getting the bulletproof vests to soldiers."  In contrast, allies went straight to the Michigan supplier and began getting armor in just 12 days.

Part of the problem was misjudging the insurgency and their tactics. For example, the Times report says that "some Pentagon officials...first realized solders were being killed by IED's as early as June 2003...But the Pentagon did not start ordering large quantities of one of the most promising ones...until December 2003.   The delivery and tracking of body armor "was so chaotic" that armor got lost and stored with socks. Rep. Hunter (R-CA) blames Congress for the "oversight hoops" they set up for the Pentagon.  

One reaction to the Times lengthy criticism was from the Pentagon spokesman, Lawrence DiRita, in a letter to the paper.  He was concerned that the article did not mention "a rather important point: Despite the bureaucratic logjams that the Army faced in stepping up production, the Army went from producing 30 armored Humvees per month in August 2003 to nearly 450 armored Humvees per month a year later."

The body plates are now worn by the majority of the troops.   The Marines did not start buying the armor until September 2005, but it has been available since 2003.   The Army is still deciding what to purchase.  The plates cost $260 each. Soldiers and units would buy their own vests. When this has been a concern since the war began, why the delay?  At various point, the Pentagon had production problems, wanted further study,  and claimed the armor was too heavy or too constricting for its troops.   The side plates weigh about five pounds and may decrease mobility. 

Within a week of the Times original story, the Army announced they will order more armor.  Then a few days later we learned of an emergency contract.  

Another armor problem is for vehicles, such as the Cougar, which has fallen three months behind schedule in production.  The Pentagon is relying on a small factory in Ohio to armor military trucks.  Another company in South Carolina has been mass-produced vehicles.  Other problems include defective workmanship. 

Commented the Times editorial page the next day (1/8/06) in "Marines Without Armor," the Pentagon "has let these brave warriors down" due to "scores of needlessly lost lives." Four days later the editorial shows a lack of patience with the Pentagon.  The weight and movement concerns "sound less like debate and more like an excuse for the delays."

An Army's early April, 2006 announcement from front-page news.  The only body armor allowed would be issued by the military.  Since all soldiers were now properly equipped, soldiers would not be compensated for armor they bought on their own. 

In early 2007, a Pentagon inspector general reported that the existing troops don't have enough guns and ammunition. Armor and trucks are in such short supply, that commanders tell the Post that their best hope is that "five brigades of up-armored Humvees fall out of the sky." In February as the House was debated the escalation resolution, "Not Supporting Our Troops" was the lead Times editorial (2/15/07). It opens, "How do you explain to the thousands of Aemrican troops now being poured into Baghdad that they will have to wait until the summer for the protective armor that could easily mean the difference between life and death?..That's a shame, if not an outright scandal, because up-to-date armor is essential for saving American lives."

These reports continuing through August 2007, the delivery lagging on armored vehicles. The goal of 3500 by the end of 2007 will reach only 1500.

Disillusionment was rises for troops, reported the front page of the Times in May 2007. Some soldiers don't believe in the mission, partly because the Iraqi Army is sometimes planting IED's. "What are we doing here? Why are we still here...We're helping guys that are trying to kill us. We help them in the day. They turn around at night and try to kill us." Surveys of soldiers' attitudes are rarely reliable.

The Pentagon and the press improved relations, the Times Thom Shanker reported in early 2008. Coverage is more upbeat. Gates, unlike Rumsfeld, says that "the press is not the enemy and to treat it as such is self-defeating.

The Marines own study found faults in the delay of armored trucks. Released in February 2008, and led by former Marine officer Gayl, it concludes that hundreds of Marines may have been killed or wounded before the equipment request was granted. Requests made in Feb. 2005, asking for 1200 vehicles, were delayed for two years. "Cost was a driving factor" as was "gross mismanagement." The vehicles weigh as much as 40 tons. Gayl filed for whistle-blower protection in May of 2007, saying he was threatened with disciplinary action after meeting with Congressional staff. The story made the front page of the Tribune.

When soldiers return home, they are sometimes placed in horrible conditions at Walter Reed Medical Center. It took a months long investigation by the Washington Post to bring the conditions to the public. The Feb. 19 and Feb. 20, 2007 story details mold, rot, mice, and cockroaches in Building 18, for outpatient. 76 soldiers live in Building 18. In addition, the bureaucratic red tape for these injured soldiers is maddening. Many top officials had visited the medical center.

The Army said it was shocked by the findings but a Republican leader in the House said that the Army "has known for years" about shortcomings at Walter Reed. In fact, the online magazine Salon reported the mistreatment two years earlier. The Army vowed to improve the care, led by General Cody. The President did not comment on the story for about 10 days. Then he said, "This is unacceptable to me, it is unacceptable to our country, and it's not going to continue." After a few days, Sec. Gates added that he vows action to improve conditions and would set up a commission. The General in change, George W. Weightman, a physician, was fired on March 1. On March 3, the Army Secretary was forced to resign, the second change in command in two days. Congress heard testimony the week of March 5, where Army officials promised to correct conditions. "We have let some soldiers down," admitted one top official.

Politicians on both sides of the aisle were upset with the conditions. Democrat Charles Shumer, refering to the adminstration not being pro-active, said, "This is the Katrina of 2007."

Paul Krugman was one of many to criticize the Army, yet he also criticized a pattern he deduced from the administration After the Salon story, officials "simply denied that there were nay program. And they initially tried to brush off" the Post story. "But this time...the whitewash didn't stick....For all its cries of 'support the troops' the Bush administration has treated veteran's medical care the same way it treats everything else: nickel-and-diming the needy, protecting the incompetent and privatizing everything it can." (3/5/07)

Thomas Friedman (3/7/07) faults the administration for continually using "smiling soldiers as backdrop" for their optimistic pronouncements of progress in the war. In a takeoff on the Pentagon's policy toward gays in the military, "Don't Ask, Don't Know, Don't Get", he feels the conditions at Walter Reed of shocking in their detail but not surprising because "they are one more manifestation--like insufficient troops, postwar planning, and armor--of a war that was really important to get right but really hard...Mr. Bush summoned the county to D-Day and prepared the Army, the military health system, military industries and the American people for the invasion of Grenada [under Reagan]. From the start, the Bush team has tried to keep the Iraq war 'off the books' both financially and emotionally." Friedman quotes Stanford's Larry Diamond, "'America is not at war. The US Army is at war.' The rest of us are just watching, or just ignoring, while the whole fight is carried on by 150,000 soldiers and their families. " Soldiers still do not have the armor they need, he adds.

Editorial reaction to Walter Reed came in all the press. The Times "feels fury" at the "shameful neglect" shown. While acknowledging that there is "plenty of blame to go around...the fundamental responsibility rests with the president and his former defense secretary...Is it any surprise that the war's wounded have been hidden away in the shadow of moldy buildings by an administration that refused to let photographers take pictures of retuning coffins...The Walter Reed revelations once again put the lie to the president's claim that everything is being done to support America's troops." (3/7/07).

A retired Army General, Paul Eaton, feels that Walter Reed "is simply the tip of the iceberg". Other problems include too many injuries to handle, lack of oversight, and lack of proper funding.

Bush appointed a commission to be led by former Senator and veteran Bob Dole and Donna Shalala, former cabinet leader under Clinton. They are charged with examining the entire military health care system.

The independent film "The Ground Truth", released a few month before the Walter Reed scandal, examines the medical care and struggles of six returning soldiers. Some suffer from depression, PTSD, and even suicide. See many more films listed and reviewed.

In contrast to the Abu Ghraib military scandal, in the case of Walter Reed, senior leaders are being fired and/or help accountable. Abu Ghraib was "just a few bad apples," suggested Sec. of Defense Rumsfeld.

Yet, six months later, little progress was being made on Walter Reed treatment. The new teams have not been fully staffed. Commented one critical DC Representative, "We are seven month into this process, and we are just now getting off the ground"

"Making it Home" was the Post video special for Memorial Day of 2007. It offers two perspectives on leaving and coming home.

"A Failure to Protect Our Troops" was the lead Times editorial in mid-June 2007. The Pentagon largely ignored urgent request for better armor-protected vehicles. Untold lives and limbs could have been saved vs. IED's.

"The War As We See It" was an op-ed in the New York Times (8/19/07) expressing the views of seven US soldiers. After their deployment, they see the political debate in Washington as "surreal." These members of the 82nd Airborne Division feel that counterinsurgency is, "by definition, a competition between insurgents and counterinsurgents for the control and support of a population. To believe that Americans, with an occupying force that long ago outlived its reluctant welcome, can win over a recalcitrant local population and win this counterinsurgency is far-fetched."

Purple Hearts: Back From Iraq is a photo exhibit by Nina Berman. First released in 2004, a subsequently reported on by the Times in August 2007, none of the photos is more starting than "Marine Wedding", a photo perhaps too graphic for this web site. The marine's face is horribly disfigured.

"The Soul of War" was the "Speaking of Faith" program on NPR on the eve of Memorial Day. Watch of slide show or download a Podcast, for a show that airs at 6 a.m. on Sunday mornings in Chicago. Host Krista Tippett spoke with Chaplain John Morris about PTSD, the role of faith among soldiers, asks "whose side is God on?", looks at soldiers who wonder if God has abondoned them, and examines coming home. We learn that 1700 soldiers are over age 55. National Guard self-reports psychological problems at 49%. One of Morris's essays is "Beyond the Yellow Ribbon."

"Iraq Veterans Air Their Anger on the LA Stage", aired on NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday in early December 2007. Veternas write, produce, and sometimes act in plays about war and their return to the U.S.

Returning GI's are violent, we were reminded again with the front page Times story of Jan. 2, 2009. Just at Fort Carson, CO fourth brigade, nine have killed someone back home or been charged with doing so, in the past three years. Five slayings "took place in the last year alone." In addition, there are numerous insidents of domestic violence, rape and sexual assault. Rape and domestic crimes are usually underreported.

Back in the spring of 2005, the death gratuity of $12,000 was discussed and might be increased substantially. The House bill of mid-March increased the death gratuity to $100,000 and also nearly doubled life insurance. Condolence payments by early June 2007 topped $31 million, which includes civilians from Afghanistan.

After the Fallujah killing of an injured and nearly dead Iraqi in a mosque came to light with video, a different U.S. soldier was sentenced for murder.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A56762-2004Dec11.html

A Chicago area GI, Roger Maynulet, was on the Tribune front-page in late March, 2005 during his court-martial trial.  He called his killing of an injured Iraqi "honorable".  He was at first charged with murder and later reduced to assault with intent to kill., Maynulet said "I had to put him out of his misery...What I did was humane." The killing was taped by a US drone aircraft.  On April we learned that the charges were again reduced and he was found guilty.  The sentence could be up to ten years.

Also see "Torture '05 '06 FAQ"

The front-page Chicago Tribune story of June 17 was of a US staff sergeant who will face charges in the death of two superior offices.  Part of this  military announcement was that this was the first case in which a US solder is accused of intentionally killing his own comrades. 

In general "troop" news, the Pentagon announced in January 2006 that General Casey would stay on for at least another year.  He has worked closely with the US ambassador.  In 2007 Casey was replaced.

Treating the Wounded was the NPR show just before Christmas of 2008. Some parts are graphic. Those in health care back in the US stuggle with compassion fatigue.

What happened in Haditha? In the spring and summer of 2006, the Marine massacre in Haditha of 24 Iraqi civilians was the big story. Occurring in November 2005, about 10 of those killed in the rampage "by rifle fire at close range" were women, children, and a man in a wheelchair. Five others were pulled from a taxi and shot. Among the six children killed were those ages four, six, and eleven. Another report had the two youngest children at age two and three. The BBC examined Haditha one year after the November 19, 2005 attacks. Battle of Haditha is a 2007 film directed by Nick Broomfield. A Frontline special "Rules of Engagement" details Haditha. Time magazine broke the story in the spring of 2006 with "One Morning in Haditha"

What is their defense? The "stresses of war" (Tribune headline of June 5) and "pressure cooker" led Marines to take out their frustration on old men, women, and children. They allege they were following the rules of engagement. The convening authority in the case said, "Young Marines need to keep their ethical balance under morally bruising conditions" where the enemy can hide behind women and children. The lead authority can overturn a jury or judge guilty verdict.

There was a cover-up and series of investigations. After a cover up, it just happened that an aspiring Iraqi videographer was in the neighborhood and took video after the massacre. The Marines reported nothing wrong, but paid $2500 for each Iraqi killed. The story was that 15 Iraqis were killed in a roadside bomb set off by insurgents. Others were killed in a "firefight." However, Time magazine broke the story in their March 27 edition. On June 12 the magazine followed up with a cover Special Report on Haditha.

As the Tribune describes Iraq in their lead story, "This is a war against an enemy who wears no uniform. Death can come at any moment from a bomb hidden along a road or a mortar round lobbed onto a base. And often, in the angry moments after a comrade's life is ripped away [as in Haditha] there is no readily identifiable enemy to confront--only a foreign population in which friend, foe and bystander may seem indistinguishable."

On December 22, 2006 we learned that five marines were charged, four with murder in the Haditha deaths. The banner Tribune headline was "8 Charged in Iraq massacre." Four officers were charged. One of the defendants is from Chicago, Col Sanick Dela Cruz, 24, charged with killing five civilians. Another, Frank Wuterick, is charged in the unpremeditaded murders of 18 people. As commander he allegedly told those under him to "shoot first and ask questions later." An analyst feels the Marines are sending a message that commanders "better pay close attention to the activites of their subordinates." With murder as the charges, sentences could be life in prison and dishounorable discharge. Another Marine is from Crystal Lake, Illinois, Salvador Arredondo.

Haditha hearings continued at Camp Pendelton in California in May. Testimony was that citizens went to officials demanding on investigation. Lt. Col. Chistani it alleged to have not properly investigated. He never talked with squad members or visited the houses of those killed. From the week of testimony it appears that some will face penalty for covering up or not thoroughly investigating, and others for committing the murders.

"More Hadithas Are Likely" writes syndicated columnist Cynthia Tucker in May 2007. She feels the stress on the military will lead to more such atrocities.

The investigating officer for Haditha recommended in late August that charges be dismissed for Stephen Tatum. Col. Chessani appeared headed for a court-martial for fialing to direct a thorough investigation. NPR's Morning Edition did a special on the Haditha investigations, playing an interview of Wuterich from a 60 Minutes show. He is the last man to face murder charges in the case. Cruz, Sharratt and Tatum have had their unpremeditated murder charges dropped or recommended they be dropped. One Marine testified with immunity that Wuterich had reacted to an earlier roadside bomb by telling him and other marines, "'If we ever get hit again, we should kill everybody in that area.'" After killing the five men from the taxi, Wuterich told the sergeant, "If anyone asks, say they were running away."

On the first day 2008, Haditha remained in the news. We learned on New Years Day that Wuterich will be tried via court martial for voluntary manslaughter and other charges, but not murder. Now the preliminary hearings have concluded for all eight defendants. Four were originally charged with murder. Others who still face charges are Tatum, Chessani, and Grayson.

Is Haditha the exception? Sadly, Haditha was not the only story of murder and rape by American forces.

Mahmudiya charges from March 2006 were that 5-6 Army soldiers had raped and murdered numerous Iraqi civilians who were not at all engaged in combat. One soldier, Steven Green, was arrested while back in the US on charges of gang raping a 14 year old girl, burning her body with kerosene to conceal the evidence, and killing her family execution style, including a 7 year old sister and an old man. This and other related stories continued to be in the mainstream US press through the entire summer of 2006. Eight others were eventually charged. Green denies any wrongdoing and was quoted in the Tribune as saying before the incident: "Over here, killing people is like squashing an ant. I mean, you kill somebody and it's like 'All right, let's go get some pizza.'" The rape/murder story came back in the news in November 2006, when a guilty plea in a military court was offered by one of the defendants, James Barker. Green finally pleaded guilty that week. Barker will avoid the death penalty with his plea, and admitted that the group of four acted with premeditation. A second defendant, according to Barker, also is guilty of rape. According to the Tribune, Barker claimed that "Green brought up the idea of raping the girl and killing her family." Barker, Green, and Cortez raped the girl, and Green killed the girl, her parents, and her sister.

A year after the rape and murder, another private pleaded guilty to rape, murder, and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Ryan Howard pleased guilty at a court in Kentucky.

One of the Muhmudiya US soldiers, James Barker, was sentenced in mid-November, to 90 years in prison, with parole possible in 20 years. Barker said to the judge, "I hated Iraqis, your honor. They can smile at you, then shoot you in your face without even thinking about it." He will testify against the other soldiers.

Sgt. Paul Cortez pled guilty in February, 2007 and broke down in tears describing the rape and murders. The premeditation was explained by Cortez: "Barker and Green had lardy know what, um, house they wanted to go to. They had been there before and knew only one male was in the house, and knew it would be an easy target....After Barker was 'done', Green came out of the bedroom and said that he had killed them all."

Only in March of 2007 did we learn that these 101st soldiers in the Muhmudiya rape had been drinking local whiskey supplied illegally by Iraqi army soldiers. Alcohol is strictly forbidden for all US soldiers in Iraq. In fact, alcohol is involved in 1/3 of criminal prosecutions, and in amazing 90% of sex crimes. The rate of binge drinking, according to the Pentagon health study, has increased 30% from 2002 to 2005. Meanwhile, spending for programs has been reduced by 39%. Says one professor who studies these issues, "The real story here is in the suicide and stress, and the drinking is just a symptom of it."

The film Redacted, based on the Muhmudiya rape and murders, was released in mid-Novemeber 2007. Director by Brain DePalma was interviewed on NPR's Fresh Air on Nov. 14.

Green got life in prison in May 2009, just over three years from the murders. A jury in Kentucky sentenced the 24 year old to life in prison without parole on 17 counts, including raping a 14 year old girl and murdering her, her parents, and a younger sister. In an Iraqi court Green could have been given a death sentence.

Who is Steven Green? Reared in Midland, Texas, Steven Green came from a broken home. He only entered the Army with a "morals waiver" since he had problems with alcohol and drug abuse. He told an Army stress counselor that he wanted to take revenge on Iraqis, including civilians.

At least four other soldiers have pleaded guilty or been convicted in this case. All will be eligible for parole in 10 years or less.

A third major war crimes story is from Hamdaniya civilian deaths, reports of which continued in the news in September, 2006. Jerry Shumate was accused and on trial for killing an Iraqi civilian on April 26, 2006. The government has charged eight service members of dragging Mr. Hashim Ibrahim Awad from his home in Anbar, into the street and murdering him. They then attempted to frame him by planting a gun by him and firing from it. The accused were said to have planted a shovel and AK-47 near the body to "make it look as if he were an insurgent digging a hole for a hidden bomb."

In October 2006 a plea bargain led one of the eight to a one year prison sentence, avoiding murder charges. Petty Officer Melson Bacos testified that his hands and feet and mouth were bound and he was shot at least 10 times at point blank range. What would lead military personal to this type of pre mediated murder. They claim that they were searching for a Saleh Gowad, who had been released from Abu Ghraib. They "devised a plan" to kill any Iraqi if Mr. Gowad could not be found. Ironically, they chose a pro-occuption disabled police officer. Said Bacos, "I tried to say something, and then I decided to look away. I wanted to be part of the team. I wanted to by loyal...I feel my honor is gone."

A fifth Hamdaniya soldier was found guilty in mid-February, 2007. Pennington, age 22, had pleaded guilty to lesser charges and will testify against the remaining defendants. He was given 8 years in prison. In August, two marines pleaded guilty and sentenced to 21 months. Trent Thomas is from Madison, Illinois. The Tribune reported in January that Thomas "faced life in the brig, but the jury--all nine of whom had served in Iraq--decided that Thomas deserved no further time incarcerated beyond the 14 months he had spent in the brig awaiting trail. Thomas, who was also convicted by giving a false statement, also received bad conduct discharge."

At this point 16 Americans have been sentenced to prison for killing Iraqi civilians.

In August a Marine squad leader Lawrence Hutchins was convicted of unpremeditated murder (rather than premedicated) and other crimes from Apirl 2006. The maximum sentence would be life in prison. Hutchins, who received the strongest penalty in Hamdaniya, received a 15-year sentence. He was the fifth member out of eight in the squad, with sentences ranging from 1-8 years in prison. Another military jury found Marshall Magincalda guilty of conspiracy to murder and other crimes.

Also see "Torture '05- '06 FAQ"

New charges of an alleged massacre in Ramadi were first reported on November 17, 2006. Tank fire was said to have killed scores of civilians.

A May 2006 killing resulted in prosecutions. Three Iraqis, near Tikrit, were let free and then shot after being told to run away. Sgt. Girouard, charged with premeditated murder, was found guilty of negligent homicide, sentenced to 10 years, and eligible for parole after about 3 years. Two other soldiers have been found guilty, receiving 18 years and nine months. They had testified that Girouard ordered them to shoot the men.

Yet another allegation surfaced in mid-November, in the form of a lawsuit by two former employees of Triple Canopy contracting firm. They alleged that their supervisor deliberately shot at Iraqi vehicles and civilians and that they were fired and blacklisted for reporting the incidents. The shift leader, ready to leave Iraq the next day, was "determined to kill" before he left, announcing that he was "going to kill someone today." He fired his M1 rifle into windshields of at least two vehicles and then said to the workers, "That didn't happen, understand" and threatened to fire them if they reported the incidents. It was not clear if any Iraqis were killed. The trial is set for summer of 2007.

Another sad story was of the two unarmed Iraqis murdered in May 2006 when they were released northwest of Baghdad. The soldiers claimed that they had tried to escape but exhumed bodies showed their hands were still tied and some were still blindfolded. In late January a third infantryman pleaded guilty of murder and received 18 years of prison. Corey Clagett, 22, is eligible for parol in five years. The squad leader, not yet found guilty, is chaged with creating a plan to free the Iraqis and then shoot them. A Col. Steele told his men, testified others that they should kill all men of military age they encountered during a raid. One defense lawyer said that "they were terrorists."

In March 2007, an Army specialist received 15 months in prison after being convicted of negligent homicide of a fellow Guardsman.

"We're in jail, dude," said a US pilot after realizing he had fired on British troops. The cockpit audio tape was withheld by the US but preserved. In March 2007, a British coroner labeled the March 2003 attacks"criminal," contradicting a US finding. The coroner added, "I don't think this was a case of honest mistake. There is no evidence that the pilots were acting in self-defense." The State Department feels the incident was not criminal. One question is whether ground forces gave permission to fire.

Troops have low ethical standards, found a May 2007 report. For example, 1/3 of US troops believed torture of Iraqis was OK. Also see "Torture III" FAQ. Many would not report illegal or unethical behavior of a fellow soldier. The majority of Marines would not report the killing of an innocent civilian. What other war crimes do we not know about?

Documents whose release was induced by the ACLU (via Freedom of Information Act) showed in early September that troops claim they are following military guidelines and are within the law when civilians are murdered, killed or wounded. The AP story showed a "troubling pattern" of understanding orders. With 22 cases covering 10,000 pages released. Some events, already discussed on this site, include a man who broke curfew being thrown off a bridge into the river, and drowning. Another is of an Iraqi general who was suffocated to death. Upon conviction, one US military man said, "An interrogation without stress is not an interrogation--it is a conversation." The ACLU feels that the US government "has gone out of its way to hide the human cost of this war."

Though I follow trials and charges carefully in at least three daily newspapers, a new one seemed to appear in mid-November 2007. A trial began for a sergeant charged with the murder of three Iraqis, in three separate incidents. One was in May, 2007. The team leader, Sgt. Hensley praised the "increasing kill count" of his unit. Another man was told that they were operating under new rules of engagement where they could kill even unarmed man fleeing a battle in a rural areas with American or Iraqi Army forces. Hensley was acquitted on nearly all charges at the Camp Liberty (Baghdad) trial. He was found guilty of planting an AK-47 with the remains of one of the three men killed. He felt "betrayed" and added, "Every last man we killed was a confirmed terrorist." Sandoval was also acquitted. Both were reprimanded and demoted.

The Hensley case became more clear in February 2008. Also called the al-Janabi case (the Iraqi killed), began at Camp Liberty in Baghdad. Hensley, the sniper, under a grant of immunity, testified that he had ordered a subordinate, Sgt. Evan Vela, to shoot an unarmed man who wandered into their hiding position near Iskandariya. Janabi was held for 30 minutes but his son Mustafa, 17, was released. Vela is the third to be charged. They planted an AK-47 by his body and gave a false report. More details emerged. Hensley further testified that a new tactic emerged in 2007, with soldiers carrying extra weapons to plant on innocent Iraqis. "Kill rates" were urged to increase. "He was making too much noise," testified Hensley. "I thought that the only way to protect my guys was to take this guy's life."

Vela's former commander felt that if the actions of every combat servicemen were subjected to the same scrutiny, "we would have thousands" of cases." Added his lawyer, "[This case is] about giving warriors the benefit of the doubt." The attorney in defense argued that the men had insufficient sleep and water. "It was an accident waiting to happen." In response, the prosecuting attorney argued that "It was murder, plain and simple. United States soldiers do not kill unarmed, detained individuals." The son, Mustafa, testified that the killing had devastated his family.

Vela got 10 years from the eight member military panel. Convicted of murder, he faced a maximum of life in prison.

Another case determined in December 2007 appeared to be new. Back on New Year's Eve of 2006 Marine Reservist Lance Corp. Delano Holmes stabbed an Iraqi 40 times, while they were on guard together. Holmes claimed self defense when the victim opened his cell phone and lit a cigarette. They struggled, and Homes felt that Hasan was reaching for his AK-47. Initially charged with murder, he was found guilty of negligent homicide. The penalty could have been up to 8 years in prison, but...

The Times of 2/08 cited the Vela/Janabi case as the fourth in a pattern: Haditha (2005), Mahmoudiya (2006) and Ishaqi (2006) when 11 family members were killed.

The New Republic magazine printed The Baghdad Diarist in July 2007, with accusations from a US Army private. Scott Thomas Beauchamp made claims of casually cruel behavior. The charges were disputed. In December, the magazine announced that after an investigation it was "unable to confirm" the articles and that some of the claims were false.

In January 2008, a new incident was revealed from the summer of 2007. US troops allegedly killed detainees, as being investigated by US Army officials. The LA Times article points out that frequently such allegations "surface months after an incident, when soldiers come forward or talk among themselves."

Winter Soldier Hearings occured in DC in March of 2008. The descriptions are not pretty.

In May a GI used a Koran for target practice. The US apologized.

Also that month a US helicopter allegedly fired on a group of school students, killing as many as seven.

Cremation policy was changed in mid-May. No longer would the remains of US soldiers be cremated on base. The facility also cremated pets.

Another trial was decided in August. An ex-Marine was cleared of voluntary manslaughter of 4 Iraqis in 2004 in Fallujah. Jose Luis Nazario was acquitted in the US by a federal trial. This was the first time in the war that a trial took place in the US with a civilian jury.

New charges in September 2008 involved military prosecutors accusing a US soldier of "taking an Iraqi detainee to a remote desert location, striping him naked, shooting him in the head and chest then watching as another solder set fire to the body with an incendiary grenade." Lt. Michael Behenna has been court martialed.

In late September came another deadly US raid, condemned by Iraqis, much as Afghans were more frequently condemning bombings there. Iraqi officials accused the US of "shooting down men and women from the air as they fled." The US responded that "despite nearly an hour of multiple calls and warnings that the force would engage them, the individuals inside refused to come out," reported the Times.

In early October we learned that Spec. Steven Ribordy pleaded guilty of accessory to murder and agreed to testify against others. He helped stand guard while at least four prisoners were shot and killed in early 2007.

The news of January was that a sergeant was court-martialed on murder charges in connections with the klling of four Iraqi prisoners. They were found boudn, blindfolded, shot, and dumpted in a Baghdad canal in 2007. Sg. Joseph Mayo could recieve a life sentence. Two others have also been accused, Sgt. Leahy and Hatley.

For details on Blackwater, see "Blackwater"FAQ.

Joker One is a Marine's memoirs of the war. Captain Donovan Campbell, fighting mostly in Ramadi, provides gripping details in his Fresh Air interview of March, 2009. His men find it a challenge to win the "hearts and minds" of the Iraqis while also fighting against insurgents. Also see dozens of book reviews.

Sgt. John Russell is accused of killing 5 Americans at Camp Liberty in May, even after he threatened suicide. Age 44, Russell was in his third deployment. There seemed to be a lack of adequate guidelines on how to handle his case and allowing it to get out of control.