To Be Announced...

Des Moines Register columnist John Carlson has been talking to the wrong people. He's spitting mad that no one seems to be as mad as him about extending tours in Iraq for Iowa Guard members. See earlier post about recruitment levels in Iowa. Recruitment is UP in Iowa...

In 2004, 1,076 enlisted in the Iowa National Guard. The following year, 1,193 men and women did the same. Another 1,337 soldiers joined last year, which sent recruiting numbers back to pre-9/11 levels, according to the National Guard.

Carlson: Why the silence on Iowa troops' extension?

Disturbing rumors began circulating early last week among Iowa National Guard families, although nobody in uniform was saying anything official.

"We were hearing that our guys were being extended in Iraq," said Debbie Linthicum of Des Moines. "I mean, that's something nobody wants to hear, but the rumors just kept up."

In Iowa, there's been a whole lot of silence...

Iowa's governor has been on the job less than a week, so maybe he doesn't know. This state's politicians in Washington seem more worried about ending the spat between the owner of a couple of television stations and a cable company.

Linthicum talked to her son, Spc. Andrew Ogle, after the extension was announced in Iowa and before the soldiers were officially notified.

"Andy was mad," Linthicum said. "He just blew up when he found out. Nobody over there had bothered to tell them and it really got to him. They were coming home in a couple of months and everybody was counting down the number of missions they had left. They were all making plans, because that was the promise. Be there a year and then come home. The government broke a promise to these guys."

"My son chose a military life," she said. "That's all he's ever wanted to do. I'll support him and all the other soldiers until my dying breath. I just wish the government would care more about them. The politicians talk the talk, but that's about it."

Some aren't even bothering to talk.

They might like to know the unit is based in one of the very worst areas of Iraq. The soldiers' job is escorting convoys. It's incredibly dangerous. Two of the battalion's soldiers have been killed during this deployment.

Now, the Iowans are in place until August.

So how about it, Gov. Culver? You're the commander in chief of the Iowa National Guard. Any concerns on this one?

What about you, Sens. Grassley and Harkin and Reps. Braley, Loebsack, Boswell, Latham and King?

Do you even know about this? Do you care?

The soldiers and their families would like to think so.

They care enough to send our very best...and recruitment is UP in Iowa, John. Rewrite those last few paragraphs...

So how about it, John? You're a member of the largest newspaper in Iowa. Any thoughts on this one?

Do you even know about this? Do you care?

Iowans would like to think so.

Labels: iraq, recruiting

Wow...fair and balanced from America's campuses:

Iowa Guard recruiting up

UI senior Andrew McElmeel said he felt a desire to take part in the war effort so much that he volunteered to be deployed overseas as soon as possible.

"I've always wanted to go into the military," he said. "It's also an awesome way to knock off some [college debt]."

Though the Bush administration's plan for Iraq - which calls for an additional 21,500 troops in the embattled country - has elicited vows from political opponents who say they won't support the commander-in-chief's proposal, recruitment numbers in Iowa show a steady increase in the number of people signing up for duty.

In 2004, 1,076 enlisted in the Iowa National Guard. The following year, 1,193 men and women did the same. Another 1,337 soldiers joined last year, which sent recruiting numbers back to pre-9/11 levels, according to the National Guard.

It hasn't made the "major" press yet, but this is good news so don't hold your breath.

But UI graduate Tiffany Jenkins...After finishing her deployment to the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, she said, she remains personally invested in the outcome of the war - especially because her brother and sister both enlisted.

"Nobody wants people to be over there, but the mission needs to be accomplished," she said.

But despite opposition to the war, Jenkins remains firm in her belief that the United States is doing the right thing by staying in Iraq.

"I think there are some decisions that could be made differently, but no war is perfect," she said.

If only our politicians had such wisdom and patience.

Labels: iraq, recruiting