US Seeks To Imprison Single Mother

[CurveLight]

I had a soldier, a mother of a 5-year old, who refused deployment ordes, although she had the proper paperwork for her own mother to watch the child. She was court-martialed, rightfully so, in my opinion. If that is the case here, yes, this mother should be treated the same as any other soldier, then, because she refuses to do her duty. Edit: I agree that she should be discharged without prison time. I also add that she should not receive and GI or VA benefits. She forfeited them.

She did comply with the regulations and even sent her son to California one month prior to the deployment date. Clearly she was not refusing deployment. By the time the Soldier knew it didn't work out it was only a couple of weeks prior to deployment. She informed her COC as soon as she found out. They told her she would have an extension to find a replacement but the day before the deployment date they reneged on the extension and told her she had 24 hours to find a replacement or they were going to put her son in foster care. Either way she was ordered to be on the plane so it makes sense why she was scared to show up but she always maintained contact with her COC. They were assholes for not giving her the extension.

 

[CurveLight]

Hey Curve I asked you before did she inform her SUPERIORS that she was having UNPROTECTED SEX?

Glad I missed the question the first time. My response is to say: that's none of anybody's ******* business.

 

[CurveLight]

1) the kid was 10 months old at the time of deployment.
2) the parent of a small child is obliged to have on file with the military authorities a plan for child care in the even of deployments. This woman did have a plan, but the person who was supposed to take care of the kid backed out at the last minute. Poor planning on her part should not be a problem for other folks.

I think she should have had a better plan for childcare, like she was supposed to.

The army did giver her another option (Foster care) which she refused.

so, would you put your kids in foster care to satisfy your employer's demands?

She is a member of the MILITARY and she signed a CONTRACT as such. It is CLEAR that she was trying to AVOID DEPLOYMENT nothing more nothing LESS! Her MOTHER, the GRAND MOTHER of the child, AGREED to care for her grandson and SUDDENLY she couldn't do so? If you don't find that suspect then you are VERY VERY gullible.

She sent her son away one month prior to deployment. Yep. Sounds like she was working hard to avoid being deployed. It takes a sick individual to accuse this soldier of that shit with absolutely no evidence but arrogant and selfish speculations.

 

[CurveLight]

Normally, I would support a mother in a case like this.
However, Hutchinson made a commitment to defend her country. For her to get pregnant as a single soldier show great irresponsibility. This seems to be an out for many female soldiers. They sign up, receive training and benefits and then when it comes time to deploy...they turn up pregnant.

How dare women get pregnant! Damn. I can't believe how much hatred is being shown for this soldier. There is absolutely no reason to accuse this soldier of trying to get out of deployment. She sent her son to Cally a whole ******* month prior to deployment.

 

[CurveLight]

Time to put the "extension" bullshit to bed. The military says she was given a 30 day extension back in aug/sep. Her unit deployment date was November 5. How can anyone be given an "extension" when the deadline is 100 days away? Let's say your job or school has given you a project that is due April 5th, 2010. On February 7th they say you have a 30 day extension, but the deadline is still April 5th.

It is impossible to be given a 30 day "extension" 100 days before the deadline, without changing the date of the deadline. An extension means "past the deadline." If this soldier was given a 30 day extension she could not possibly have been ordered to deploy no earlier than December 5th, which would have been 30 days after her unit's deployment date.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Curvelight, you are dead wrong on this. Carefully reviewing this situation indicates clearly the soldier was gaming the system to avoid deployment. Court martial her, discharge her, deny all benefits to her, and let the military move on doing its mission without her.

 

[CurveLight]

Curvelight, you are dead wrong on this. Carefully reviewing this situation indicates clearly the soldier was gaming the system to avoid deployment. Court martial her, discharge her, deny all benefits to her, and let the military move on doing its mission without her.

You accuse her of sending her son to Cally as part of a game to avoid deployment. Why? What evidence exists to lay such an accusation on this Soldier? She was in the ROTC for three years prior to joining the Army right out of high-school. What evidence do you have that justifies the accusation she was lying when she asked for more time to find a replacement? She clearly stated she would deploy when a replacement was found but the military refused and then waited more than two months to charge her with crimes. It is disheartening to see this Soldier charged with so many accusations by people who have no evidence and don't know her at all.

 

[JakeStarkey]

She clearly was not going to deploy, curvelight. Personal knowledge of her is immaterial. The evidence clearly indicates she is derelict in following her orders. Alternatives were offered, she refused.

 

[CurveLight]

This link has some info that explains why she was charged. The main reason she was charged is the accusation she used her kid to get out of deployment. They have absolutely no evidence but now it makes sense why they reacted like assholes. The military also approved her FCP which is why she was allowed to leave the Army base and fly her son to Cally. Someone in her COC is being a power tripping asshole. If they had stuck to their word and given her an extension then we could have seen if she was trying to avoid deployment.
The Rag Blog: A Morally Bankrupt Military : Spc. Alexis Hutchinson and Pvt. Paul Rich

Since everyone ignored it before I will highlight once again the case of Lisa Pagan who was called up for deployment, reported to base with her two kids, and even though her husband lived at home, the military never charged her for refusing deployment.

 

[JakeStarkey]

We will see what the Article 5 hearing recommends. I suspect that she is going to be give a discharged under other than honorable conditions, which will affect any benefits to which she would be otherwise entitled.

 

[CurveLight]

She clearly was not going to deploy, curvelight. Personal knowledge of her is immaterial. The evidence clearly indicates she is derelict in following her orders. Alternatives were offered, she refused.

You keep offering that opinion with absolutely no supporting evidence. Why are you not addressing the facts the military approved her FCP, she flew her son to Cally, and when she learned it fell through all she asked for was an extension. You don't need a hundred percent of personal knowledge about her to make these accusations but you sure as hell need more than wild speculation.

 

[JakeStarkey]

I have read as much as you, and I disagree with your interp. I do believe what I posted in #230 above: she will be discharged.

 

[CurveLight]

I have read as much as you, and I disagree with your interp. I do believe what I posted in #230 above: she will be discharged.

I have no idea what you have or have not read. What I do know is you charged her with deployment evasion but failed to supply supporting evidence while also not addressing the facts that show she was not trying to avoid deployment. If she had never done a FCP and not taken her son to Cally and simply waited until the last minute then you could have speculation to work with.

Look at the bigger picture. The military waited two months to charge her. They couldn't give a 30 extension but they could wait 60 days to charge her? Why didn't they use that 60 day period to let her find another caregiver? Obviously keeping her away from her unit for two months didn't cause the end of the world. I don't remember seeing any reports from Afghanistan soldiers are in danger of starvation because the cook Spc Hutchinson was not there. If they had 60 days to wait charging her they also had 60 days to give her an extension.

 

[Cold Fusion38]

I had a soldier, a mother of a 5-year old, who refused deployment ordes, although she had the proper paperwork for her own mother to watch the child. She was court-martialed, rightfully so, in my opinion. If that is the case here, yes, this mother should be treated the same as any other soldier, then, because she refuses to do her duty. Edit: I agree that she should be discharged without prison time. I also add that she should not receive and GI or VA benefits. She forfeited them.

She did comply with the regulations and even sent her son to California one month prior to the deployment date. Clearly she was not refusing deployment. By the time the Soldier knew it didn't work out it was only a couple of weeks prior to deployment. She informed her COC as soon as she found out. They told her she would have an extension to find a replacement but the day before the deployment date they reneged on the extension and told her she had 24 hours to find a replacement or they were going to put her son in foster care. Either way she was ordered to be on the plane so it makes sense why she was scared to show up but she always maintained contact with her COC. They were assholes for not giving her the extension.

I'm sorry Curve she KNEW long before that that her mother was a LYING FLAKE who was either UNWILLING or INCAPABLE of caring for her child. Think if it were you would you make a WRITEN and SIGNED plan with your mother and then have your mother back out? I know MY mother wouldn't and she is over 70 years old. If she did my brother or my sister would take a child of mine. So this "soldier" made a "plan" she KNEW would fall through so she could SHIRK her DUTY and you KNOW IT! Too many coincidenses for it to be anything else.

 

[CurveLight]

I had a soldier, a mother of a 5-year old, who refused deployment ordes, although she had the proper paperwork for her own mother to watch the child. She was court-martialed, rightfully so, in my opinion. If that is the case here, yes, this mother should be treated the same as any other soldier, then, because she refuses to do her duty. Edit: I agree that she should be discharged without prison time. I also add that she should not receive and GI or VA benefits. She forfeited them.

She did comply with the regulations and even sent her son to California one month prior to the deployment date. Clearly she was not refusing deployment. By the time the Soldier knew it didn't work out it was only a couple of weeks prior to deployment. She informed her COC as soon as she found out. They told her she would have an extension to find a replacement but the day before the deployment date they reneged on the extension and told her she had 24 hours to find a replacement or they were going to put her son in foster care. Either way she was ordered to be on the plane so it makes sense why she was scared to show up but she always maintained contact with her COC. They were assholes for not giving her the extension.

I'm sorry Curve she KNEW long before that that her mother was a LYING FLAKE who was either UNWILLING or INCAPABLE of caring for her child. Think if it were you would you make a WRITEN and SIGNED plan with your mother and then have your mother back out? I know MY mother wouldn't and she is over 70 years old. If she did my brother or my sister would take a child of mine. So this "soldier" made a "plan" she KNEW would fall through so she could SHIRK her DUTY and you KNOW IT! Too many coincidenses for it to be anything else.

Obviously some people have made up their minds about this Soldier and have refused to do anything but accuse her of being a coward. Even though there is absolutely no evidence the Soldier lied or planned to try and get out of deployment. So much for "support the troops."

 

[rightwinger]

We will see what the Article 5 hearing recommends. I suspect that she is going to be give a discharged under other than honorable conditions, which will affect any benefits to which she would be otherwise entitled.

I agree with Jake. Cut her loose and withold benefits. She did not earn them. When her country called she let her unit down

 

[CurveLight]

We will see what the Article 5 hearing recommends. I suspect that she is going to be give a discharged under other than honorable conditions, which will affect any benefits to which she would be otherwise entitled.

I agree with Jake. Cut her lose and withold benefits. She did not earn them. When her country called she let her unit down

That's pure bullshit. Her country is letting her down. If they had 60 days to wait for filing charges they had plenty of time to give her an extension to find another caregiver.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Curvelight, you are wrong, but that's OK.

 

[CurveLight]

Curvelight, you are wrong, but that's OK.

Some people keep saying that but looking over the past several posts they are basing that way more on their opinions void of facts versus letting the facts shape the opinion. Is it absolutely impossible she is trying to avoid deployment? No. But there is a lot of evidence she complied and tried to rectify the situation but the military reneged on her twice.

 

[rightwinger]

We will see what the Article 5 hearing recommends. I suspect that she is going to be give a discharged under other than honorable conditions, which will affect any benefits to which she would be otherwise entitled.

I agree with Jake. Cut her lose and withold benefits. She did not earn them. When her country called she let her unit down

That's pure bullshit. Her country is letting her down. If they had 60 days to wait for filing charges they had plenty of time to give her an extension to find another caregiver.

Its a common out for female soldiers. They fight for equal treatment in the armed forces and then get pregnant to get out of deployment. We need a consistent policy in place. Soldiers who get pregnant should be discharged. Not imprisoned but discharged with no benefits