U.S. Sends Wounded Troops Back To Iraq

(AP)  Seventy-nine injured soldiers were pressed into war duty last month as the U.S. Army struggled to fill its ranks, but most were assigned to light-duty jobs within limits set by doctors, two Army leaders said.

The Denver Post, quoting internal Army e-mails and a Fort Carson soldier, reported that troops had been deployed to Kuwait en route to Iraq while they were still receiving medical treatment for various conditions.

Fort Carson's top general Maj. Gen. Mark Graham said most of the 79 soldiers remain in Iraq, while about a dozen are in Kuwait, the newspaper reported in Friday editions. A few returned to the United States because of inadequate rehabilitation available in theater, Graham said.

Graham said he has asked Fort Carson's inspector general to investigate whether proper procedures were followed in sending the soldiers into war zones.

Congressional investigators also are reviewing allegations that medically unfit soldiers have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan to shore up lagging troop numbers.

"My personal opinion is, is that as the war goes on, you'll see more and more soldiers with (limitations)," Graham said.

Master Sgt. Denny Nelson was sent overseas last month for a third tour in the Middle East though doctor's orders said he should not run, jump or carry more than 20 pounds because of a serious foot injury, The Denver Post reported.

Nelson was sent back to the U.S. after a doctor in Kuwait told Fort Carson officials he should never have left the United States.

Col. John Hort, commander of Fort Carson's 3rd Brigade Combat Team, said the 79 soldiers were among 130 who had been judged temporarily unfit for war duty, The Gazette reported.

The 79 were deemed able to perform limited duties such as straightening out paperwork at bases in Kuwait because their conditions, including sleep disorders and broken bones, could be treated by doctors in the Middle East as easily as in Colorado, he said.

Hort needed the troops so he could send other soldiers into the streets of Baghdad's suburbs.

"Those soldiers could perform limited duty that could allow healthy soldiers to perform more strenuous tasks," Hort told The Gazette from Iraq.

No soldiers with diagnosed mental illnesses were sent, he said.

Graham said commanders do not put any injured soldier in harm's way.

Sending an unfit soldier back to war means "you are not mission capable, and the soldier becomes a risk to himself and others in the unit," said U.S. Rep. Mark Udall, a Colorado Democrat. He is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, which requested an investigation by the Government Accountability Office last summer.

GAO investigators have identified other cases of unfit soldiers being deployed from Fort Drum in New York and Fort Stewart and Fort Benning in Georgia, said Brenda Farrell, director of defense capabilities and management investigations for the GAO, a nonpartisan congressional agency that audits federal programs.

"We don't have any confirmation that commanders are under pressure to fill their units," Farrell said.

The 3rd Brigade Combat Team deployed in December for the third time. The unit has been under strength, partly because of the number of soldiers who are injured.

"Almost a battalion of soldiers have had medical conditions that prevent them from coming back to Iraq with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team," Hort said.

[gunnerv1]

kansas 1946 What about Kennedy''s/Johnsons failed war?

[gunnerv1]

Did the same thing in Viet-nam, you were put on "limited" duty (light duty). So what''s the big deal? I lived through it and got over it, I suggest that the rest of you do the same.

[samsel3]

On September 14,2002 Rep. James McDermott at a Capitol Hill Briefing said that politics and oil, not fear that Iraq will use WMD are driving factors behind the presidents call for regime change. McDermott said there was an organized effort to squelch such discussions. "The political operatives in the white house have been very careful to spin it away from oil. Anytime anybody sees a connection they spin it the other way".

[samsel3]

The Times of India August 2007 reported : " Iran, Iraq signed an agreement to build pipelines for the transfer of Iraqi crude oil and oil products." Under the deal crude will be refined and sent back to Iraq. Bush opposes this agreement and wants the Iraqi Parliment to accept and sign a U.S. designed oil law that would result in huge profits for BIG OIL. Iraqi oil workers and 63% of Iraqis polled are opposed to the Bush law and prefer a hands off Iraq oil policy. Taking out Saddam helped BIG OIL drive the prices up. A few months before the invasion, gasoline was 89 cents a gallon. Iraq''''''''''''''''s oil infrastructure was rebuilt when Cheney controlled Haliburton. Halliburton/Iraq deal was done through the French because it was illegal for US companies to deal with Iraq, except for the oil for food program which US oil companies participated in.
Saddam actually lowered the world price of oil by selling it cheaper to Russia, China, France, Germany and South Korea before the invasion. He created an advantage against US & British oil by charging them more for oil than these countries increasing competition. US oil companies then got subsidies from the congress.

[watcher269-2009]

Now I do not have to call that ignorant it is what it is and that%u2019s apparent for all to see.

Posted by blameamerica

--------------------

Hey guys, I think we just found the stain in Rove''s shorts - it''s blameamerica.

Oh, and this is the Brown stain!

[armywife1234]

According to the DP, soldiers with canes and slings were being sent. If they didn''t have mental disorders yet, they do now.

79 soldiers. Only 79? You are going to tell me that they delayed and prolonged treatment for 79 soldiers? And when they have to move to another base, when they go on leave and they are ambushed and can not run, can not shoot a weapon...they are not a danger to themselves or others? Get real, they can not stay at the FOG indefinatley. How long could it have taken for them to heal at home? a few extra weeks. If they are fit enough to travel to Iraq and work WITH these soldiers, the healing process should not be a terribley long time.

[kansas1946]

This article is so misleadig; makes it sound like the US is sending bleeding, cripled men/women back to the battlefield. More fuel for the liberal wacks.
**************************

The article isn''t misleading at all. In fact, they made it quite clear that the soldiers were given light duty with limits prescribed by the doctors. So effin what. The problem is there aren''t enough soldiers for Bush''s failed war. He went in short, stayed short, and keeps redeploying the same soldiers over and over. Not enough rest in between. No one is going to be joining the military with this nut in the Whitehouse. No parent is going to encourage their kids to sign up with this nut in the Whitehouse. He has made a mess and will leave it to someone else to clean up. Worst president in US history.

[pfd572]

This article is so misleadig; makes it sound like the US is sending bleeding, cripled men/women back to the battlefield. More fuel for the liberal wacks.

Posted by katg21 at 06:23 PM : Jan 21, 2008

AND THAT is the only thing you have a problem with? You are a sad, little person. Sending anyone not deemed fit for combat or a combat zone, where adequate medical attention is unavailable is wrong. It doesn''t matter if they are bleeding or crippled or experiencing other Medical problems, they should not be sent back. You condone the use of soldiers in a war zone where required medical care not available? More fuel for the right wing, armchair patriots? I see a lot more than you do, obviously. Or do you find the abuse of active duty and disabled veterans, the trashing of the Constitution and criminals at the highest level of government acceptable? Read up on the Constitution, other than the 2nd Amendment, and the beliefs of our founding fathers to understand how pathetic you really are to accept infringements on your rights. And quit being such a mind-numbing parrot, obviously by the approval ratings liberals aren''t the only people who are disgusted with your men leading the country. This admin has the lowest approval ratings of any other admin in the history of our country. Enough is enough.

[kansas1946]

Yes, GWB, supporting the troops in his usual manner.

[katg21]

This article is so misleadig; makes it sound like the US is sending bleeding, cripled men/women back to the battlefield. More fuel for the liberal wacks.