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  The Nation's #1 Independent Veterans Web Site Click here to make VA Watchdog dot Org your homepage VA NEWS FLASH from Larry Scott at VA Watchdog dot Org -- 06-21-2008 |
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The Nation's #1 Independent Veterans Web Site Click here to make VA Watchdog dot Org your homepage VA NEWS FLASH from Larry Scott at VA Watchdog dot Org -- 06-21-2008 |
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BACK TO WAR -- "Now, all of a sudden, some new surgeon comes in, says 'Hey, you're deployable again.'...That's kind of stupid."
Story here...
http://www.coalingarecord.com/articles/ Story below:
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Military
Update: Disabled soldier returning to war, facing ‘stop loss’
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Though Haun expected to be separated or retired
on disability, Army doctors have cleared him for transfer back to his
infantry unit, Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd
Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division. Rather than appearing before a
medical evaluation board, Haun will rejoin 3rd Brigade which is to
redeploy this fall to Iraq after only a year back home. Also, because
Haun's 39-month enlistment doesn't end until January, Haun will have to
stay in Iraq under a "stop loss" order. His active service time will be
involuntarily extended by at least nine months.
Haun doesn't sound angry or bitter describing his predicament. But he
doesn't understanding why the Army wants to keep him. He tells anyone who
asks that he would prefer to leave service in January. Yet when he was
told of his transfer back to the 2-27, Haun asked that he not be
restricted to "pushing paper" in Iraq with the company's headquarters
element. So his first sergeant agreed he could return to his platoon, Haun
said.
How will he perform there? Haun isn't sure.
"I can't do push ups because I can't bend my hand that way. I can't climb
rope. I can't do pull ups. I don't have any strength in my hand," Haun
said. "I can't really carry anything that's heavy with my left hand
because there's always the possibility of popping some screw loose."
His father, Earl Haun of Crestview, Fla., suggested there's a screw loose
already -- with any Army policy that allows redeployment of soldiers
obviously not fit for duty. His son is just one of many, Earl Haun said,
and it's time somebody called the Army on it.
A Government Accountability Office report in May cited inconsistencies in
Defense Department instructions on pre-deployment health assessments.
"During our site visits to three installations," said the GAO, "we found
that health care providers were unaware that a medical record review was
required, and medical records were not always reviewed by providers
conducting the pre-deployment health assessment."
Earl Haun said something sure is wrong.
"He got blown out of a Humvee about 25 feet in the air, his commander told
me. He crushed his arm. He's only got 30 or 40 percent use of it. And his
first surgeon told him he was done," said Earl, an Air Force veteran who
repaired aircraft during the Vietnam era. "Now, all of a sudden, some new
surgeon comes in, says 'Hey, you're deployable again.' ... That's kind of
stupid. They're sending a kid back over there who's half a man," at least
half an infantryman, Earl said.
Joey Haun doesn't blame his company's leaders for his pending
redeployment. They didn't expect he'd be cleared for duty. The last doctor
who saw him, Haun said, "understands I can't do push ups and climb rope
and stuff. But other than that he said I was deployable."
Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.), Earl Haun's congressman, has asked the Army to
review the decision to return Haun to full duty, given his disabilities.
Miller said he understand that Haun can't pass the Army's Physical Fitness
Test.
"I am extremely concerned that this wounded warrior is mentally and
physically unable to deploy," Miller wrote, adding that Haun's physical
limitations and post-traumatic stress could even put other soldiers at
risk.
Haun said he doesn't regret enlisting to fight in Iraq. But most
Americans, he said, don't understand how hard assignments there can be.
Haun was involved in another IED attack three weeks before he was injured.
His platoon experienced at least 10 to 15 IED attacks plus other assaults
from insurgents using rocket-propelled grenades and mortars.
Haun said he lost one very close friend. Another buddy was wounded
severely in the attack that disabled Haun. During his short stay in
Germany last year, and in treatment at Tripler Army Medical Center,
Hawaii, Haun said he saw injuries far worse than his. The wounded have
Haun thinking about a career in physical therapy when he does leave
service. But their wounds and his also have made him more anxious now
about returning to Iraq.
"The first time we deployed I was actually looking forward to it because
that's what I joined for. I was going to go there and fight and serve my
country ... I never believed something would happen to me or to any of my
friends. I thought we were untouchable ... Now there are so many more
things I've seen. Now I realize it can happen at the blink of an eye. So
I'm a lot more nervous about going over again," Haun said.
A spokesman for Miller said the congressman hasn't heard back from the
Army on Haun's future.
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posted by Larry
Scott
Founder and Editor
VA Watchdog dot Org
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