From The Associated Press, 10/5/03:
http://famulus.msnbc.com/famulusgen/ap10-05-081854.asp?t=apnew&vts=10520030844
Army Reserve members, whose home leave was on, off and on again, not
on return flight
LINTHICUM, Md. --
The saga of an Army Reserve battalion trying to return from the Middle
East on leave took another twist Sunday, when family members learned
their loved ones could not return to the United States because there
was no room on the homebound flight.
None of the 220 soldiers who arrived Sunday in Baltimore was from the
368th Combat Engineer Battalion, based in New Hampshire, said Maj.
Allen Hing, an Army spokesman.
The development, and the lack of official information about when they
might see their loved ones, left already frustrated family members
even more anxious.
''I don't know who or what to believe anymore,'' said John Madden.
Madden, of Manchester, had been waiting for a call from the airport
from his son, Sean, early Sunday.
He said he had heard nothing by midmorning.
Family members of the 60 reservists had been told they were coming
home from Kuwait on leave and had arranged flights for them, but then
found out in calls and e-mails last week that the leaves had been
suspended.
Then, on Friday, the military said that the reservists would be coming
home after all and that the incident was ''a major miscommunication.''
On Sunday, Army officials gave conflicting reasons for the new delay.
Master Sgt. John Henning said he received an e-mail from Kuwait that
indicated nine soldiers flew out Saturday bound for Baltimore and
another 50 were supposed to fly out Sunday.
It was not clear whether these soldiers were waiting to board a
homebound flight in Frankfurt, Germany, or remained in Kuwait.
Maj. Amy Huther, of the 94th Regional Readiness Command in Ayer,
Mass., said seats went first to soldiers given emergency leave, due to
illness or death in the family.
Hing said priority on homebound flights would go to combat troops.
As seats become available, the soldiers granted leave from the
battalion will fly home, likely within the next few days, Huther said.
Laura Browning, whose husband, Randy, is serving with the battalion,
said she had received no information.
''I have no idea what's going on,'' she said.
''I don't know if, for security reasons, they're not telling us.''
_____________________________________________________
This really stinks to high heaven.
Harry
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/campaign2000/news/One_year_gap_in_Bush_s_Guard_duty+.shtml
One-year gap in Bush's National Guard duty.
.
|
