Soldier leaves dying mother to return to war

http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/070418/soldiers.shtml



Sgt. Tim Robinson said he doesn't begrudge the Army for denying his request to stay at his dying mother's bedside instead of returning to Iraq.



As she watched her son leave for Iraq, Katie Mae Jones could only say goodbye with tears.

Though the 62-year-old tried, she couldn't speak. Were it not for life-support machines at Decatur General Hospital, she wouldn't be able to breathe.

Based on what doctors told them, her family knows her battle with kidney and heart failure is about to end.

"Believe me, Mom, if it was up to me, I'd stay here, Mom," Sgt. Tim Robinson told her shortly before leaving to catch a flight back to Iraq.

The 19-year Army veteran with five months left on his enlistment tried unsuccessfully to get an extension on his two-week leave.

He faxed word back to his unit that his mother was dying, and he asked for another week. His request included a note from his mother's doctor explaining her condition, he said, but his commanding officer denied the extension.

His commanding officer is a prick of the first order.

WTF is wrong with these people.

Please send this to KO.

Add.

:nuke: What difference would a few days make? :mad:

:cry:

granting emergency leave is not an option, it is a right granted every solider, something isn't being told with this situation .

Whatever happened to compassionate leave? That is surely a barometer on how pathetically FUBAR the state of our military is in Iraq.

Not only does he have to ship out, wondering if he will make it through his tour, but he has to do it knowing he'll never see his mother again.

After years of tragedies from this war, I think that's maybe the worst one I've heard yet.

you see something as despicable as this.

So many people in this country have become inhumanly callous to the suffering of others. The right wing can call me a bleeding heart liberal every day of the week if it makes them feel better about themselves. At least I'm not a cold-hearted inhuman asshole.

but then, he probably wouldn't be going to Iraq either.

His daddy would have called one of his political buddies and found him a slot in a unit that had no chance of being deployed.

Like Poppy did for Junior.

You'd think he'd be livid about this.

Everytime I think I can't be more ashamed of this country, another story comes along.

Stay safe Sgt. Robinson. Your Mother knows you love her and would be there if you could.

5 months left on his enlistment?
His CO is an evil bastard.:mad:
I am so fucking sick of hearing about their goddamned family values I could just hurl.

Have I stated today how much at truly loath and hate that motherfucker*?

His head isn't going to be where it needs to be, he is going to be distracted. Distracted soldiers are dead soldiers.:mad:

19 years, though, he's probably hardened himself to the discipline required. Still, Jeebus, he seems very close to her and all it takes is a momentary lapse in concentration.

I'm sure his buddies will keep an extra-vigilant lookout for him.

I feel so sorry for his mom. War is hell on the homefront, too.

.... I can only imagine his feelings ..... and more importantly, the feelings of his mother.

I don't even know at whom to direct the outrage I'm feeling, not just for these two people, but for their entire family.

Not too mention, "family values". The BIG BAD U.S. ARMY couldn't spare this soldier ONE MORE WEEK on his puny two-week leave to stay with his dying mother? His CO is a Major league ASSHOLE!

THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD, Hall of Famer!

At this moment, I have more contempt for that SOB than I do for BillO, if that's possible.