Maureen Bell said she'd never forget the dejection in her husband's voice when he called her to say his tour of duty in Iraq had been extended four months.
"He was trying to be strong, but his morale was down," she said.
Sgt. Vernon Bell, 31, a Lawrence native, was already on the plane for home last week when the aircraft suddenly turned around, taking him and fellow soldiers in the 172nd Stryker Brigade back to war.
"He said, 'Babe, I've got bad news,'" Maureen Bell said of the phone call she received from her husband Thursday morning. "I said I already knew."
A week ago, President Bush announced more U.S. troops already in Iraq would be sent to Baghdad because of increased sectarian killings. That meant many soldiers had their tours of duty extended. On Thursday, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld approved an extension of the Stryker Brigade's deployment.
After a year in Iraq, the Stryker Brigade had been scheduled to return to its home base at Fort Wainwright near Fairbanks, Alaska.
Maureen Bell, who stayed in Fairbanks while her husband went to war, was unhappy with how the Army broke the news to families eagerly awaiting the return of their loved ones. It wasn't until about midnight Wednesday that they received official word, she said. That was after it had been in the newspapers and after rumors had spread throughout the base.
"We were told at the last minute, at the 12th hour," she said. "When all this goes through, we can't contact our husbands because they (the military) black out the lines."
Vernon Bell is with a support unit in the brigade. He has been in the Army 14 years and with the brigade three years. The brigade uses the new Stryker wheeled armored fighting vehicle. U.S. commanders have said the Stryker is more suited for urban warfare than the tracked Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
Maureen Bell had taken off two weeks from work so she could be with her husband when he returned. But the hardest part, she said, was breaking the news to their two daughters, ages 10 and 5, and their son, 8, that their father wasn't coming home yet.
"It was especially hard on our oldest, because she is Daddy's girl," Maureen Bell said. "She blames herself because she thought she did everything he asked her to do: to be my right hand, take care of me and to clean her room. To have my daughter cry in my arms - it really hurts."
Comments
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mike_blur (Mike Blur) says…
That's cold blooded. Put a guy on a plane back to the world, get the families all hopped up for their return, and then do a U-turn in the skies. That's about as low as the military can get. But, it's pretty typical.
Shardwurm (anonymous) says…
Rumsfeld is a complete buffoon. I support our President because he IS our President but one of his biggest mistakes was maintaining that twit as SECDEF.
allmine (anonymous) says…
well mike I agree with you on this one. To be on the plane heading home and boom nope guys we are turning around, no that was not even close to being right should have let them come home.
mommaeffortx2 (anonymous) says…
that sucks and should not even had happenned. maybe if they had not even left yet still had a couple weeks left but not after your on the plane home.
mommaeffortx2 (anonymous) says…
just read that need more coffee sorry all.
OldEnuf2BYurDad (anonymous) says…
If the Iraq/Hezzbollah situation doesn't calm down, we are going to be calling up more reserves soon. This situation is getting bad. I pray for Condi Rice, because if some diplomatic solution cannot be reached, this could turn into a WWIII over there. Messed up.
Of course, a diplomatic solution is unlikely considering we don't negotiate with terrorists.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…
"Of course, a diplomatic solution is unlikely considering we don't negotiate with terrorists."
Yea, unfortunately, the way we deal with terroists is to say, "We'll see your terrorist strike, and we'll raise you by a terror campaign (against primarily non-terrorist civilians) a thousand times more destructive and deadly."
Jamesaust (anonymous) says…
'Yea, unfortunately, the way we deal with terroists is to say, "We'll see your terrorist strike, and we'll raise you by a terror campaign (against primarily non-terrorist civilians) a thousand times more destructive and deadly."'
Yes, you see -- if terrorists were more efficient (deadly), then all would be MORAL in Bozo's world.
For our nihilist friend, its not the substance of the killing that creates immorality - merely the imbalance of it. Perhaps someday soon (oh happy day!) terrorists will manage to destroy a major city with a nuclear bomb and, for Boz, order, justice and equality will be restored to our world.
(Personally, I could do without Vegas but after the rude treatment I received in Houston I'm reconsidering that.)
mommaeffortx2 (anonymous) says…
no not vegas noooooooooooo
drewdun (anonymous) says…
This is heartbreaking. For what reason our are troops being sacrificed in that hellhole? Why are these families being torn apart? So Bush and the GOP can save face? This is criminal.
scott3460 (anonymous) says…
"This is heartbreaking. For what reason our are troops being sacrificed in that hellhole? Why are these families being torn apart? So Bush and the GOP can save face? This is criminal."
Well, you are right about the criminal part. Nice to see that the reality is sinking in with yet another citizen. Welcome to the 70% majority view. As for the reasons, saving face, I think, has very little to do with it. Mostly the same age old reasons: greed and unchecked power, unchallenged theft/tranfer of our tax dollars in no-bid war profiteering, etc. Earlier generations faced the same sins, but had the good sense to see it for the treachery that it is and put a stop to it. The jury is still out on whether this generation has the moral fortitude to rein in its out of control government.
planetwax (anonymous) says…
Just go see the movie, "Why We Fight", for some good insights to what drives this war and many of the others since WWII. It doesn't have as much to do with terrorists, nazis, or commies, as one might think. That is all really just a muse to keep the masses calm. scott3460 has the right idea. Just follow the money.