Hadn’t seen this posted anywhere.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20070713/reservist-5th-deployment/
I am totally against the way he has been deployed (as well as the Reserves in general), but I hope his lawsuit gets booted quickly. He signed on voluntarily. There are no limits as to how he can be deployed. Multiple deployments were a distinct possibility. This would set an absolutely horrible precedent if this suit gains traction…
They had a good interview with him a few days ago on Larry King I think. I hope he wins…He is a real patroit, and after watching the interview, he really doesn’t want to do this…He has done 4 tours, and now in the middle of school. He just feels that he has done his part, and I agree. In fact way more than his part…If we don’t get out soon, there will be lots of stories like this one popping up…We are askinjg too much of a tired military, and moral will soon fall apart if our leaders don’t figure out our best solution for ending this…
Well, the higher ups don’t agree that he has done his part and that decision should be pretty much beyond judicial review (unless there is an improper motive like wanting to get someone “out of the way” to make time with his wife).
I am confused - is Sgt. Botta currently on orders to a military reserve unit or is he now part of the Army’s Individual Ready Reserve (IRR)? The IRR involves individuals who have already been through military training and previously served in either an active or selected reserve component but may have some period of military service obligation remaining? If Botta has completed his active duty service requirement and is now a member of the IRR, then the call up requires a Presedential Order, there is a maxium limit on how many soldiers from the IRR can be called up and soldiers can only be recalled for up to 270-days.
He may have done 4 tours but his total time in country is less than a year. I think that’s an important distinction.
“Botta was deployed to Afghanistan for about seven months in 2002. He then had three deployments to Iraq _ about a month in 2003, three months in 2004 and 15 days later that year.”
Well I think that is because his active duty commitment was primarily with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment - a unit with a very specialized mission. While the 160th typically does not partake in the traditional long term deployment model of the units conventional forces counterpart, that does not mean that Botta did not spend a lot of time temporarily deployed away from home! The problem is that despite the fact that Botta may have been gone TDY 3 weeks out of every month during his tenure with the 160th, those types of ‘deployments’ are probably not reflected in his service record.
Agree with too.tall here. I have some pts. that have there, off and on, for 4 years now. The amount of time he has spent, is paltry compared to that. Of course, the media will play up the “4 tours” thing.
I think it is ok to highlight that he has 4 tours, even two were of short duration. It’s a pretty significant disruption to be sent half way around the globe, even for a short period of time.
My opinion might change if he knew ahead of time that his last tour, for example, was only going to be 15 days.
did this dumbass think he was signing up for the girl scouts?
"did this dumbass think he was signing up for the girl scouts? "
Thank you!
From what I have read (in the link) he hasn’t been deployed by the reserves at all. He deployed while on Active Duty (which he requested he be transferred to). I have very little sympathy for him because I too was in the reserves and got tired of being called up, and what I was being asked to do. So I got out. I’m hoping that at some point I can rejoin the reserves or guard (my plan is to enter the Guard again when 1) the wars are over…or settled down enough or 2) before I get too old). I want to get my retirement, and my benefits, but I’ll sacrifice them because I don’t like the administration (the federal government or the leadership of my particular branch of service, regional headquarters, or my immediate boss for that matter) or the war. If he can get out of the reserves (which I’m betting he can), then he should either shut up and deploy, or give up the benefits he gets by being ready, able and wiling to deploy, by separating. If he thinks he can serve his country better as a defense contractor, that’s a bunch of BS. It’s probably more like…he’s found a job he can do making a LOT more money and that’s what he wants to do. My guess is the country is having a lot harder time filling guard/reserve/active duty slots then the contractors are having filling their positions. If him being involved in the war is what he really thinks is the best thing he can do to ‘serve his country’ it’s as a reservist, not as a defense contractor.
FWIW, I have no specific problem with how the reserves are deployed. I have a problem with how the military as a whole is being deployed/used, and the reserves are part of the military.
And I’ll add I don’t know if he can get out of the reserves, but if he can’t then he certainly knew going into it what the commitment was/is, so again, he should just shut up and deploy, and when he’s eligible to get out I would expect him to be the first one in line to get into the separation briefings. That’s what is so great about this country, you can sign up for things you want to do, but you aren’t bound for life (unless that’s your choosing), and you can make a stand/show your position by your actions.
So I just re-read the article and it does state he was under an 8 year contract. That’s a long initial contract for the reserves (unless it’s the active duty commitment and then the IRR time). That tells me that he probably got some sort of monetary bonus for joining. So, since he he probably took advantage of the bonus (probably thinking, heck the war won’t last that long), he really just needs to deploy and then start the process to separate when he gets back. Now I think he’s probably upset the war might be over when he gets back and he won’t be able to go and make a mint doing the defense contractor thing.
And I want to add that this thread’s title is slightly misleading. Since he hasn’t ever deployed as reservist.
Monty,
up until pretty recently I agreed with most of the things that came from your keyboard. Lately you seem to have shit in your pants and wiped it all over the screen.
The number of times he has flown from here to there is really immaterial. HE DOES NOT EVEN HAVE 12 MONTHS ON THE GROUND. There is no way in the world he is part of our “tired military”. There are already plenty of stories much worse than this turd’s. The difference is this guy is one of very very few who have balls enough to think their contribution is worth more than everyone elses. I cannot presume to know what this guy has gone through, but he had to have an idea what he was getting into when he volunteered to come on active duty, then again volunteer to go to the 160th (they only take volunteers, and in fact turn many away, even turd mechanics).
“Botta was deployed to Afghanistan for about seven months in 2002. He then had three deployments to Iraq _ about a month in 2003, three months in 2004 and 15 days later that year.”
Is this guy kidding? Those aren’t deployments. Those are short vacations. 15 days? What a chump. My Sailors are working on a dwell of about 1-1.5, meaning they’ve gotten an average of 1 day at home for every 1.5 days deployed over the last 2 years. And we’re not getting the worst of it. This guy just wanted to be a Soldier without really having to do what Soldiers do.
I’m going to have to jump aboard the train and disagree with you on this one, monty. I feel for the guy, but war is a known risk when you join the reserves, and as others have pointed out, he asked to be transferred to active duty. I don’t think the Army needs to schedule around this guy.
Monty,
up until pretty recently I agreed with most of the things that came from your keyboard. Lately you seem to have shit in your pants and wiped it all over the screen. \
Ok, Ok, I said I just saw it briefly on Larry King, I should have known better to trust that old fuck…After reading up for myself, I defer to the experts out there. It appears that this guy is doing a little dodge, and in the process getting his 15 minutes of fame… Ghia Girl sumed it up very nicely, that is my position, and I’m sticking to it. At least until someone else accuses me of shitting my pants, and wiping it all over the screen…(-;
Ok, Ok, I said I just saw it briefly on Larry King, I should have known better to trust that old fuck…
I used to watch Larry King, then one day I was watching David Letterman (or maybe it was Leno—it might have even been Barbara Walters on Larry King), and DL or Leno was talking to him about interviewing the presidents. Larry King was talking about the younger George Bush. Larry said he spent 15 min talking to him about baseball. I thought to myself… George has 2 wars going on, he’s sleeping more then most american’s do, he takes more vacactions then most american’s do, and when he’s working he’s talking to a talk show host about BASEBALL. At first I was annoyed at the president, then I realized it was also a statement about Larry King. Larry had at least 15 min with the ‘leader of the free world’ and he chose to have a conversation about baseball. I don’t watch Larry King anymore.
Exactly–this is coitus interruptus on his life.
It takes a big man to admit he believed anything that Big Larry said.
I’ve not heard of the Huffington Post prior to now, is the squeaky wheel Arianna Huffington the editor?
I don’t know any court would touch this just for the fact if they did everyone that wanted to get out of their commitment would be filing suit based on this that and the other. They won’t open the flood gates, I don’t think. But then again you may get some activist judge that will try to make a point.
Overall I think this guy has done his bit, and should be allowed to get on with his life. But, if his case is dismissed or he doesn’t win, and he still refuses, he could be lined up against the wall and shot for mutiny. I doubt the military would do that, but they would throw him in the graybar hotel in Kansas.