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A Patriotic American Reservist Writes BuzzFlash From Kuwait: This is What She Has to Say

A BUZZFLASH GUEST COMMENTARY

My name is SGT Leanne Duffy.

I am a National Guardsman of the 105th PSD out of Lincoln, Nebraska. My unit and I are stationed in Kuwait at Camp Wolf. We were deployed February 2nd. We arrived in Jordan in April and half of us were moved a week later to Kuwait to throw mail. When our unit came back together in June we had a frag order to go home. This order was revoked and we ended up replacing an Active Army unit. When replacing the Active unit we were told our date was December 1st.

We now hear that we may be here for a full year. We are under 3rd PERSCOM. They say they don't know how they are going to do anything, but they do know that when they decide who stays and who goes they are not going to go by how long soldiers have been deployed, just by unit necessity.

My unit works in-processing and re-deploying for theater. We are doing a great job and are working hard to treat each soldier with care and consideration as they come past our desks. They have spread our 44 soldiers out to replace an active unit who had over 50 and to replace a National Guard unit who has over 60 soldiers not only are we running 24 hour operations seven days a week for these two units but we have 4 of our soldiers on the redeployment side working validation for another unit! We are spread so thin and are working so hard these knocks on our morale are devastating.

Yes, we are physically able to finish our mission but mentally and spiritually we are dying. If retention for the Army National Guard is anything of importance we need to have faith in our government and our leaders. Right now where we are at we can't see anyone taking a stand for the soldiers (as it isn't just us being treated this way but many, many soldiers).

This isn't a simple board game of Axis and Allies this is a game people are playing with real people, people with families, not robots, you have college students out here missing over a year of college to sit and get yanked around without explanation. It has been told to the officers I have spoken to that 3rd PERSCOM refers to moving soldiers as "drug deals". You do this for me and I'll make sure your soldiers go home etc.

Yes, without a doubt I am proud to serve my country. I understand I'm not able to ETS while I am here, that is fine. I am here to serve out of obligation and duty. What I'm wondering is if there are any checks and balances for those who are making decisions here? Everyone keeps saying it is up in the air, including the personnel responsible for deciding who is going where. It feels as if every decision is off the cuff. In this situation there should be plans in place and decisions made before the rubber hits the road. I know there was a conference in Atlanta but nothing has been heard of from that. We are slowly becoming frantic. I hear people saying they are going to begin hurting themselves or others if they can't go home. The helplessness our soldiers are feeling is indescribable, it is past the point of suck it up drive on. We just want somewhere to drive on to.

Thank you for allowing me to bend your ear.

SGT Leanne Duffy

A BUZZFLASH GUEST COMMENTARY