Army Reservist Has Sued To Stop Fifth Deployment

[babylonsister]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20070713/reservist-5th-deployment/

Reservist Tries to Stop 5th Deployment


BRIAN SKOLOFF | July 13, 2007 08:28 PM EST | AP


WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Army Reserve Sgt. Erik Botta has been sent to Iraq three times and to Afghanistan once. He thinks that's enough.

Botta wants a court to block the military's plan to deploy him for a fifth time Sunday, most likely to Iraq. He isn't against the war _ but he thinks he can serve his country better now by working for a defense contractor and pursuing his education.

"This has nothing to do with protest of the war ... I have nothing but respect for the people on the ground," Botta said Friday, one day after he filed his petition in U.S. District Court in West Palm Beach. "But I feel I do need a fair decision and a fair review."

Botta, 26, of Port St. Lucie, contends in his petition that the Army's refusal to exempt him from deployment "constitutes unlawful custody." Botta argues the Army did not consider the length and nature of his previous tours "to assure a sharing of exposure to the hazards of combat."

He was granted an initial exemption last year, allowing him to pursue an electrical engineering degree at Palm Beach Community College and work as a senior technician on Blackhawk and Seahawk helicopters at Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. But now his exemption has been denied.


Botta said he was shocked when he received notice of his latest deployment orders.

"My heart sank through the floor," he said. "I've sacrificed all my time into this new life I have now."

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[DS1]

1. I had an interesting moment regarding this today

I was outside in my little New England town, near the local convenience store, a small chain called Richdale, and they have a portable radio outside playing classic rock and the news. The news was all about the war, troop progress, and politicians going on and on about how we should be in this to win it. Then the music came back on it an it was Gimmie Shelter by The Rolling Stones.

I suddenly felt like I was back in 1969. I wondered if Iraq was Bush trying to absolve his cowardice by sending more people his age (back then) off to fight in a country that didn't want us there.

edit to change relive to absolve, a much more appropriate word IMO