Army tries to get out of commitment

To the editor:

A close friend of mine served in Iraq and recently returned from a year in Afghanistan, a deployment during which he earned three Army Commendation Medals, one for valor. He is now facing a civilian charge for driving under the influence. Before he has even faced his charges in court, the Army began the process of chaptering him out of the Army. It is a process that may be categorized as “other than honorable,” which likely exempts him from receiving his G.I. Bill and other benefits he has earned.

Of course, a DUI is not honorable. Neither is testing positive for cocaine, as other soldiers did before their deployment to Afghanistan. When the military needed bodies to go overseas, they basically overlooked the positive drug tests, or at least they kept soldiers in the Army and sent them to war. Now that they are home, it seems military leaders are looking for the cheapest way out of a commitment. What they’re doing might be legal, but it seems a total disgrace.

This is the first mistake a young man has made in his time of service, yet he is treated as a criminal above all the great things he has done for our country and his fellow soldiers.

We have soldiers who have put their lives on the line for our country, who have saved the lives of their friends, who will continue to have health problems and residual effects from their time in service long after their names are not on the war roster.

Although he has faced two wars, left his loved ones for a year at a time and sacrificed the health of his body in this selfless work for more than three years, this job reference and part of his life will be considered obsolete by future employers. Judge the DUI as you will, but our veterans deserve to be treated better than this.

Ester J. Stirrett

Wasilla