Support Our Troops! They will need it.

Dear God this is terrible. Injured troops in Fort Benning, Georgia deemed unfit for combat are being sent to Iraq to fill the gaps in the regiment. Men and women with medical problems have had their profiles examined and changed by a medical team commissioned by Lt. Col. George Appenzeller and downplayed the soldiers injuries without any physical examinations or extensive view of medical records so that they could be sent overseas. One soldier, Master Sgt. Jenkins, is 42 years old and has had surgery to fix back problem he acquired overseas in which they fused three vertebras in his neck and the regular doctor has said that he is not allowed to wear heavy Kevlar or carry ordinance is being sent overseas where he would be required to do this.

When the Appenzeller, the CO, was asked about this he said that they had changed some of the files to keep soldier home which was contradictory to what the soldiers and the files themselves say. He said in response that our soldiers are and quote, “ our most important resource, perhaps the most important resource we have in this country.” PEOPLE ARE NOT RESOURSES AND SHOULD NOT BE TREATED AS SO! THEY ARE NOT EXPENDABLE; THEY CANNOT BE CAST ASIDE! These brave men and women served their country and were injured doing so, you have to take care of them not push them back into battle. The guidelines for not being sent over were not being able to fire a weapon or not being able to dive and roll for cover. I’m once again disappointed, oh well.