Five Citizen-Soldiers with 875th Re-enlist for an additional six years of duty while in Iraq

http://www.kait8.com/Global/story.asp?S=6503273&nav=0jsh

May 11, 2007 01:46 PM CDT

CAMP STRIKER, IRAQ - Three northeast Arkansas-based citizen-soldiers with the 875th Engineering Battalion have signed up for an additional six years of duty with the Army National Guard.

Major General James E. Simmons, deputy commanding general of the Multi-National Corps-Iraq administered the oath to a total of five citizen-soldiers yesterday in a ceremony at Camp Striker. The five soldiers stood in front of one of the battalion's route clearance vehicles and held up their right hands as Simmons administered the oath. Staff Sergeant Aaron Norman, Sergeant Joseph Middleton, and Specialists Michael Tollett, Erin Sulham and Dennis McGinnis each recently re-enlisted. Sulham and Norman are members of the Vermont and Indiana National Guards, respectively, and are deployed with the 875th. The others are all northeast Arkansas-based members of the Arkansas National Guard.

in a rational world this would mean little-but here it means probably two or more 15 month deployments in Iraq...would you sign for 30 months of mortal danger?

Or maybe they know when they come home VA will treat them like shit until they die

odd? Not that soldiers would re-enlist...I can understand mental masturbation...but the article has no by-line..and I would think it was a local story..but it sounds like it's a military press release.

http://www.gxonline.com/gxintelnews?id=43011

Arkansas Soldiers Re-Enlist in Iraq

By SSG Chris A. Durney, 875th Engineer Battalion

Courtesy of Arkansas National Guard

5/11/07, Camp Striker, Iraq— MG James E. Simmons, deputy commanding general, Multi-National Corps - Iraq, administered the oath to reenlisting Soldiers at Camp Striker, May 10.

The five Soldiers, with the 875th's Headquarters and Headquarters Company, stood in front of one of the battalion's route clearance vehicles and held up their right hands as MG Simmons administered the oath. SSG Aaron W. Norman, SGT Joseph O. Middleton, and SPCs Michael B. Tollett, Erin J. Sulham, and Dennis R. McGinnis each recently re-enlisted in the Army National Guard for six more years.

SPC Sulham and SSG Norman are members of the Vermont and Indiana Army National Guard, respectively, and are deployed with the 875th. The others are all members of the Arkansas Army National Guard.

MG Simmons, a graduate of Newport High School and Arkansas State University, was at Camp Striker to visit with the staff and Soldiers of the 875th, and commend them for their critical role in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

press releases from the National Guard...without even sourcing it? I still have that pre 9-11 thinking I guess.