Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

I know this must be bad for Joe Biden, I just don’t know how.

Don’t expect peaches from an apple tree.

The poor and middle-class pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the wealthy pay politicians.

The willow is too close to the house.

Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?

I was promised a recession.

It’s all just conspiracy shit beamed down from the mothership.

This has so much WTF written all over it that it is hard to comprehend.

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

I did not have this on my fuck 2022 bingo card.

Within six months Twitter will be fully self-driving.

Today’s GOP: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

Conservatism: there are some people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.

After roe, women are no longer free.

Ah, the different things are different argument.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

A thin legal pretext to veneer over their personal religious and political desires

Black Jesus loves a paper trail.

When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.

The revolution will be supervised.

They are lying in pursuit of an agenda.

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires republicans to act in good faith.

You are here: Home / Foreign Affairs / Military / Support the Troops

Support the Troops

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While the Keyboard Commandos are still hyperventilating about Beauchamp and lulling themselves to sleep at night with the dual mantras “I served so you can say that” and “Support the troops!,” perhaps we can distract them from the high crimes of Scott Thomas Beauchamp and focus them on this story:

Servicemen and women who made huge sacrifices fighting in the war and now paying yet another price, even after coming home.

One soldier in particular is currently battling against a new “debt of service.”

Brian Rodriguez is a fighter, an honorably discharged soldier who’d been deployed in Iraq.

“I was a combat engineer,” Rodriguez said. “We deal with land mines, explosives.”

He fought for his nation, only to return to his homeland and wage a fresh battle.

Former Army Specialist Rodriguez started getting bills for $700 for lost or damaged government property this summer. Although he was discharged some four years ago, bills recently arrived demanding payment, but giving no details on what or why — nor do they offer a way to dispute the charges.

“For doing my job you’re going to bill me?” Rodriguez said.

And he’s not alone. A 2006 government report found more than 1,000 soldiers being billed a total of $1.5 million. And while fighting overseas put their lives on the line, this battle on paper could cost them their future by ruining their credit. Rodriguez will be reported to credit agencies next month.

Support the troops- stop this nonsense. Although in reality, the Hewitt and Powerline and Malkin links won’t materialize, so no doubt this will go ignored.

(Via the America Hating Left at DKOS)

Reader Interactions

16Comments

  1. 1.

    David Hunt

    I was reading this report and it occurred to me to wonder: are any of the ex-soildiers that are getting hit with this blackmail against their credit ratings officers or were they all enlisted men?

  2. 2.

    28 Percent

    so TYPICAL the brave men and soldiers are HEROES NOT CHILDREN with GOD’S HELP they can pay their own bills. This does not pass the smell test there is no way an army that takes care of its own would do this it stinks to high HEAVEN (I suppose you would not know about Heaven though – heh). They fight to keep you free and then you pick on them for not paying bills you should not be ablet o there oughta be a law.

  3. 3.

    Jake

    Hey folks, good news. We civilians won’t have to pay for this war after all.

    And despite repeated requests, the Army never could tell us what piece of equipment Rodriguez was billed for nor would they get rid of the debt.

    Prediction: The Army will soon make soldiers in Rodriguez’s position and offer they can’t refuse: “We’ll erase this debt if you’ll re-enlist. If not, we’ll smash your credit rating and send it to sleep with the fishes.”

    But before that the 101st Keyboard Brigade will scream for the blood of the Military-hating traitor commie deadbeat. He should be honored to pay for the honor of serving his country.

    Dude, my WTF and Outrage! meters are knackered.

  4. 4.

    mrmobi

    Good post, John, but you left out a revealing part of the article:

    “It makes a terrible point about the nature of military service today,” citizen soldier Tod Ensign said.

    Ensign is a veteran’s advocate. He says this is all part of the military’s push to be run more like a business.

    See, John, this is how everything will ultimately be either privatized or put on a paying basis, even war. And who better to pay for this valuable equipment than the men and women who risk their lives defending us?

    Here’s how they accomplish this particular mission:

    “They’ll just pound him and call him, call his employers, and make his life as miserable as they can until he pays up,” Ensign said.

    Testimony before Congress detailed in a report found that “although unit commanders and finance offices are authorized to write off debts for lost and damaged equipment … they have not always done so.”

    Aside from making my blood boil, this is also astonishing to me. John, you’ve been in the military, do wartime officers really have to “write off debts for lost and damaged equipment?” And if not written off, do these debts automatically accrue to the soldiers?

    Shame on this administration and all its’ supporters. These people can’t do anything right, and don’t care if you know it.

  5. 5.

    ConservativelyLiberal

    Add to that the 22,000+ soldiers who have been booted out for pre-existing mental problems (previously known as PTSD or battlefield injuries). They are getting no VA benefits, and are being billed for their enlistment bonuses and other stuff.

    Support the troops is only a slogan, it has absolutely no meaning to those who the soldiers entrusted their lives to. The military they served in.

    Hey keyboard commandos, where is the outrage? Oh, too busy with Beauchamp because it is more important?

    Asses…

  6. 6.

    mrmobi

    This does not pass the smell test there is no way an army that takes care of its own would do this it stinks to high HEAVEN (I suppose you would not know about Heaven though – heh). They fight to keep you free and then you pick on them for not paying bills you should not be ablet o there oughta be a law.

    Just a few things there, 28.

    First, I find myself pretty much in agreement with you, amazingly enough. I may buy lottery tickets today.

    Second, your medication, time to increase it.

    Third, if there were a law against the military doing this, these cretins would just ignore it. They are above the laws of man, and listen only to a higher power. In short, they are devout criminals.

    Fourth, please stop typing with your feet.

  7. 7.

    Dreggas

    Heh, been there done that.

    When I was seperated I got a bill to repay one drill payment I received even though I was still “in” when the drill occurred.

  8. 8.

    Psycheout

    Serving one’s country honorably does not mean one does not have to pay one’s bills. It figures that a non-story like this, designed to harm troop morale, is peddled at the Daily Kooks site. Shameless. Screw them.

  9. 9.

    Dreggas

    Psycheout Says:

    Serving one’s country honorably does not mean one does not have to pay one’s bills. It figures that a non-story like this, designed to harm troop morale, is peddled at the Daily Kooks site. Shameless. Screw them.

    You ever serve in the military?

  12. 12.

    Dreggas

    Psycheout Says:

    My point, obviously, is that your question is irrelevant. But I think you knew that when you posed it.

    Oh I knew what you meant but why do you hate the troops so much?

  13. 13.

    Scape-Goat Trainee

    Wonder if the Kos Klowns would have mentioned this if a Dem was in the White House?
    Sure they would.

  14. 14.

    John Cole

    Wonder if the Kos Klowns would have mentioned this if a Dem was in the White House?
    Sure they would.

    Well in that case, fuck the troops! Amirite?

    Idiot.

Comments are closed.