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Delayed troop return frustrates families Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.news-journal.com/news/content/news/ap_story.html/National/AP.V5681.AP-Soldiers-Spous.html http://www.news-journal.com/news/content/news/ap_story.html/National/AP.V5681.AP-Soldiers-Spous.html Delayed Troop Return Frustrates Families By RUSS BYNUM Associated Press Writer HINESVILLE, Ga. (AP)--Kristina Simmons returned the new summer clothes she bought at Wal-Mart for her soldier husband, spending the cash instead on more deodorant, foot powder and Kool-Aid for a care package to mail him in Iraq. Simmons wouldn't have bothered last week, when the Army said her husband's unit in the 3rd Infantry Division should be home by Aug. 1. But she and other Fort Stewart spouses learned Sunday from the division's commanding general that the troops would stay in Iraq, their return date uncertain. A new statement by the U.S. military command Tuesday saying it hopes to have the entire 3rd Infantry home by September added more confusion than comfort. ``I don't believe it,'' said Simmons, a former soldier who asked that her husband's name be withheld. ``I want to. But I'm not going to keep putting myself in that vulnerable position, to accommodate something that's most likely not true.'' Since President Bush declared the heavy fighting over in Iraq May 1, the wait for 3rd Infantry troops' return in this Georgia military town has been a topsy-turvy ride of high hopes followed by plunging spirits. Many families of the division's 16,500 troops, who led the assault on Baghdad with their tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles, were told to prepare for June homecomings that never happened. Chances for August looked better when several thousand troops, namely the division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team based at Fort Benning in Columbus, began arriving this month. Hopes rose after Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told senators last week the entire 3rd Infantry would return by Sept. 1. But on Sunday division commander Maj. Gen. Buford C. Blount III said via e-mail he would be unable to pull out his 2nd and 1st Brigade teams from Fort Stewart, each with about 4,500 soldiers, by Aug. 1 and Sept. 1 as he had hoped. Tabitha Giles, another scout's wife, said she's twice hung a welcome-home banner for her husband from their front porch, only to take it down again. Harder still, she's twice told her two daughters, ages 10 and 6, that their father's not coming home as expected. Now Giles, an insurance agent, is urging Fort Stewart spouses to write their congressmen to pressure them to bring the rest of the 3rd Infantry home as soon as possible. ``My husband is over there and has been over there since the war began,'' said Giles, who declined to name her husband but said he deployed in November. ``He has never left Iraq, he fights daily. I am worried--am I going to get my husband back? It's not `when,' it's `am I?''' Hope for the best and expect the worst--that's been Megan Morseth's motto since her husband's deployment in January. She said she still believes Blount is working hard to get his soldiers home, but has no more faith in prospective return dates. ``I'm so grateful that he made it through the war,'' said Morseth, whose husband is 1st Lt. Justin Morseth of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment. ``There are people who would rather be in my shoes, waiting for their husbands to come home, instead of laying them to rest. That keeps me going every day.'' AP-NY-07-16-03 0827EDT Copyright 2003, The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP Online news report may not be published, broadcast or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

soldiers-mental-toll 15 000 more troops iraq { May 16 2003 } 1700 soliders have deserted in iraq { December 5 2003 } 20 000 more troops 6 louisiana national guard soldiers mourned { January 11 2005 } 63 percent voters call for immediate troop withdrawal Abandoned pets problem while troops gone { April 12 2005 } America will stay in iraq says bush Army accepting more recruits with felonies { April 22 2008 } Army allows criminals for recruitment Army captain sues government about iraq assignment Army covers up soldier dissenters assassination Army keeping soldiers on duty { June 2 2004 } Army misses recruitment by 42 percent { May 16 2005 } Army not meeting recruiting goals { February 21 2005 } Army orders mother of 7 to duty { November 9 2003 } Army plans to keep troop level through 2006 { January 25 2005 } Army raises enlistment age for reservists { March 21 2005 } Army recalling thousands who left service Army recruiter threatens warrant on recruitee { May 11 2005 } Army reserve becoming broken force says general { January 6 2005 } Army reserve fears troop exodus Army sergeant refused iraq duty charged with desertion Army spread thin caling on same units Army stop loss prevents soliders from leaving army { January 28 2006 } Army trying to keep troops from leaving { January 5 2004 } Army will ease standards for recruits { October 1 2004 } Awol desserters crisis hits armed forces Black army recruits down 41perc since 2000 { March 6 2005 } British troops may stay 10 years Delayed troop return frustrates families Draft discussed by senator on hill Female soldiers eyed for combat Fewer army recruits lined up { July 22 2004 } Franks US stay for years { July 10 2003 } Ged no longer required for recruitment { September 20 2005 } General war has not ended { May 30 2003 } GI bill cant cover soldiers community college { April 29 2008 } Gis want home { August 10 2003 } Iraq combat veterans committing increased homicides { January 13 2008 } Kennedy calls for troops withdrawal Low morale plagues us troops in iraq Marine suicide by cop rather than return to iraq Marines come up short on recruits { February 3 2005 } Marines to reactive thousands reserves { July 2006 } Military opposes draft bill introduced by democrat Mississippi guardsmen denied leave for katrina { September 11 2005 } National guard 10 year record lows on recruiting { July 25 2005 } National guard recruiting slips National guard shipped { June 26 2002 } National guard treated like prisoners { November 25 2004 } New generation of homeless vets emerges { December 2008 } Pentagon delays us troops trip home Pentagon extends tour of duty for 6500 soldiers { October 30 2004 } Reservist commits suicide over city job { March 19 2004 } Reservists may face longer tours of duty { January 7 2005 } Reservists reservations { September 26 2002 } Returned iraq veteran soldier fires at police officer { July 23 2007 } Returning soldiers traumatized by occupation Scores denies leave time to displaced katrina families { September 11 2005 } Seattle high school attempts banning recruiters { May 18 2005 } Seventh day adventist marine jailed { January 5 2005 } Sick wounded us troops wait months barracks Soldier paid to get shot to avoid iraq { August 15 2007 } Soldier sues US military over extended service Soldier who married iraqi to be discharged { December 1 2003 } Soldiers are threatened with iraq duty Soldiers contest stop loss policy in court { December 6 2004 } Soldiers marry iraqi women Soldiers returning hard time to adjust { September 12 2003 } Soldiers sued over forced extension of service { October 20 2004 } Soldiers trying not to report States helpding guardsman because fed wont { January 19 2005 } Strained army extends tours to 15 months { April 12 2007 } Thousands of soldiers older than 50 deployed { October 17 2004 } Top democrats call for iraq pullout Tour of duty extended reserve forces Troop r and r budget wont cover costs Troops buy their own body armor { September 30 2005 } Troops have tough questions for rumsfeld { December 8 2004 } Troops questioned rumsfeld on long deployments { December 8 2004 } Troops return after 2 years { January 4 2004 } Troops to stay assignment seven years Unconfirmed mutiny in iraq Us forces extended tours duty US soldier suicide rate highest for 26 years { August 16 2007 } Us troops question presence in iraq { October 17 2003 } War veterans neglected abused at top medical facility { February 18 2007 } Worst recruiting years for army in decades { September 30 2005 } Files Listed: 88

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