"...and he will be coming home for good."
Maybe there is some confusion. Deployment is not like a punch-card - once you've paid, well, it doesn't entitle you to a free sub sandwich or a "get out of the next deployment" free card. If you're lucky, it entitles you to about a year home.
For now, there is no "Home For Good" when it comes to deployments for our military:
...the president said from the beginning that July 2011 was only when forces would begin to be brought home - which means he could conceivably bring back just a few thousand troops and still technically meet the deadline. CBS News - June 2011
President Barack Obama announced Wednesday night that all the 33,000 additional U.S. forces he ordered to Afghanistan in December 2009 will be home within 15 months. In a nationally televised address from the East Room of the White House, Obama said 10,000 of the "surge" forces would withdraw by the end of this year, and the other 23,000 would leave Afghanistan by September 2012. (Oh, read down a little and there it is: After the departure of all the surge forces, the total U.S. military deployment in Afghanistan will be slightly fewer than 70,000 troops.) CNN - June 2011
I forgot about Iraq (but I guess most other Americans have too):
US plans to withdraw most Iraq troops by 2010 - CNN (oops - that was last year and they did say between 35,000 to 50,000 troops will remain in Iraq)
NPR: Whatever the decision, it's clear that America's war in Iraq is almost entirely in the past now. (ahem)
If you think it is confusing for you, imagine how confusing the message is for military families. The only thing we know is:
Ala National Guard Unit Deploying For Iraq: August 26
Two RI National Guard Units To Deploy To Iraq: August 11
Guard Members Scrambling Now that Iraq Deployment is Called Off (but they may go to Afghanistan in 13 months)...: August 24
"Home For Good" only comes through tragedy for many military families. Most are waiting and watching, hoping for at least a year together before spending many months apart. It's a process that has repeated itself over and over again since 9/11. One that leaves us asking not "if" they will leave but "when" they will leave.
1 comments:
A very sobering post, Janine. I can't even imagine what this kind of uncertainty is like for military families - knowing that another deployment is likely but not knowing when. And this line in your post was really wrenching -- "'Home For Good' only comes through tragedy for many military families." I hope that's something you and your family never have to experience and that Jeremy is home for a long time and always comes back safe and sound from any future deployments.
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