Parents of Iraq Veteran Receive Mistaken Notice from US Gov’t, Not Condolence Letter They Await

[Toucano]

from Obama.

The parents of US Army Reserve Specialist Chancellor Keesling, an Iraq war veteran, received a letter yesterday from the VA asking that their son complete his “Post Deployment Adjustment.” The only problem is, Chance Keesling had killed himself in Iraq nearly five months ago. We speak with Chance’s dad, Gregg Keesling, who’s still waiting for the letter he’s never received: condolences from President Obama. A longstanding US policy denies presidential condolence letters to the families of soldiers who have committed suicide.

I was never aware of such a "longstanding" policy.

It seems heartless and cruel. Happy Veterans Day.

http://www.democracynow.org/2009/11/11/parents_of_iraq_veteran_receive_mistaken

[csziggy]

1. What a vicious policy - as if the stresses of the deployment had nothing to do with the suicide.

The only time I would think a letter of condolence should not be sent would be if a soldier killed some of his fellow service members.

[Demoiselle]

2. This is just awful.

Setting aside the nearly one hundred percent certainty that Keesling's suicide was directly caused by his experiences in the war, it remains that he died while on duty in the American Army in a theater of war. The "longstanding policy" is one hundred percent horshit. I hope and pray that Obama changes it. Who do we write to?

[Toucano]

3. I guess Obama?

I'm not sure. Gates?

Gonna cross post in the video section.

[Toucano]

4. Turns out we accept on YouTube videos. I never noticed that. n-t

[peacetalksforall]

5. I think Obama should call in the human relations guys at the militry and ask them to

change that long standing tradition - now.

When I saw the video of him watching the basketball game of soldiers who had lost limbs, all I could think of is that he would call off the demand for more troops going to Afghanistan and accelerate the move out of Iraq. He is not Geroge Bush or Dick Cheney. We must not let him give into the corporations who are the only ones 'winning' in this war. It is we who have to stand up and speak out. This is not fair to our kids. We cannot feed the hypocrisy of war supporters who happen to value abortion over killing and maiming on behalf of corporationsand stockholders, military brass and everyone else who is making a killing.

[Toucano]

7. A casualty is a casualty.

Every soldier deserves the respect of a condolence letter.

[peacetalksforall]

6. I think Obama should call in the human relations guys at the militry and ask them to

change that long standing tradition - now.

When I saw the video of him watching the basketball game of soldiers who had lost limbs, all I could think of is that he would call off the demand for more troops going to Afghanistan and accelerate the move out of Iraq. He is not Geroge Bush or Dick Cheney. We must not let him give into the corporations who are the only ones 'winning' in this war. It is we who have to stand up and speak out. This is not fair to our kids. We cannot feed the hypocrisy of war supporters who happen to value abortion over killing and maiming on behalf of corporationsand stockholders, military brass and everyone else who is making a killing.

[Statistical]

8. Utterly awful policy. Maybe Obama can be the first to change that?

[Toucano]

9. I imagine so.

At least the parents should have their sacrifice acknowledged.

What a world!