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04/19/2004 Archived Entry: "This is just sad."
This is just sad.
I think this sends the wrong signal to our troops and the wrong signal to our enemies.
The family of Tucson Army Sgt. Aaron Garcia didn't need a congressional report to tell them how messed up the military mail system is.The proof is piled up on their dining room table.
The Northwest Side family is outraged that four care packages they recently sent to Iraq were all returned to them as undeliverable this week.
It's the same week that the General Accounting Office, the investigative arm of Congress, released a 38-page report that revealed a raft of problems with mail delivery in Iraq including poor planning, inadequate staff training and bureaucratic inertia that has left problems unresolved for years.
Many of the problems the GAO found were also identified by the military after the 1991 Gulf War but were never fixed, the report said.
Garcia's brother, Henry Garcia, finds the situation "kind of shocking."
Sgt. Aaron Garcia, 22, who is serving with an artillery unit in northern Iraq, has been overseas since the end of January.
The packages his family sent contained allergy medication the soldier asked for, along with snacks and entertainment items.
The sergeant recently sent an e-mail home saying no one in his unit was getting mail because their wartime address was mistakenly deleted from military postal records.
Henry Garcia, 18, said he's worried his brother's morale will be hurt by the lack of mail.
These guys are in Iraq with no end in sight. Is it too much to expect that they get their goddam mail?
Replies: 14 people speak up
Bush will, of course, blame this on the Clinton Administration.
Posted by Demeur @ 04/19/2004 03:27 PM NY
Another in the long line of atrocities.
Posted by Allison @ 04/19/2004 03:32 PM NY
Isn't Halliburton in charge of mail delivery services in Iraq?
Posted by Stephen Kriz @ 04/19/2004 04:00 PM NY
Meaning no disrespect to the GAO, since the matter of systemic problems needs work too, but my guess is that the current problems with mail delivery has a LOT more to do with the fact that the KBR convoys haven't been running since Apr. 9 (admitted by Haliburton flack late last week, who added that *80* of said convoys that DID try to get through were attacked.)
When the supply lines for food and ammo are cut up as badly as ours currently are, the mail goes way down the priority list.
Posted by Xan @ 04/19/2004 04:47 PM NY
Just a quick link, It didnt start here so get off of Bush's back. Or better yet, What is Kerry going to do ? ?
http://www.suntimes.com/output/novak/cst-edt-novak12.html
Posted by Robin Hacker @ 04/19/2004 07:10 PM NY
Hey Hacker, Go fuck yourself. These guys are risking their lives. They don't need your dumb ass tit for tat at every turn.
Posted by Aristopahnes @ 04/19/2004 07:50 PM NY
I'll second that, Ari.
What, is everything okay with you as long as it's happening on Bush's watch?
And I'll note that tons of mail was burned in 1991. Who was president then?
You got it - another patrician wimp who didn't give a rat's ass for the troops he sent into harm's way.
And you're damn straight Kerry will 'do' something. After all, he actually served in the military instead of climbing inside a freakin' bottle and getting his ass tossed from the Guard for being 'unreliable.'
Posted by editor @ 04/19/2004 08:22 PM NY
I guess they didnt risk lives in Korea either. At 800,000 lbs of mail per day to Iraq, I dont believe they even stand a chance to keep up.
This has nothing to do with troop support. It does show that the problem has been around for a long time. Not just Bushes watch .
Posted by Robin Hacker @ 04/19/2004 09:25 PM NY
Okay, guys, let's make nice with Hacker. I must confess I didn't read his link to Robert Novak, who I despise with every fiber of my being. Nevertheless, Hacker's tone was civil and we should respond with a measure of civility.
After all, we Lefties are not the vindictive, petty, mean-spirited midgets that populate the Bush administration.
Posted by Metropolitan99 @ 04/19/2004 09:49 PM NY
Okay, guys, let's make nice with Hacker. I must confess I didn't read his link to Robert Novak, who I despise with every fiber of my being. Nevertheless, Hacker's tone was civil and we should respond with a measure of civility.
After all, we Lefties are not the vindictive, petty, mean-spirited midgets that populate the Bush administration.
Posted by Metropolitan99 @ 04/19/2004 09:51 PM NY
My apologies for the double-post, it was Klin-ton's fault.
Posted by Metropolitan99 @ 04/19/2004 10:00 PM NY
There are several links, left, right. middle , it wasnt just his story. I just posted his to stir the pot ;-)
Posted by Robin Hacker @ 04/19/2004 10:28 PM NY
Ensign Roberts: What do you mean there's no goddamn movie tonight?
Posted by Peanut @ 04/19/2004 10:47 PM NY
Er, Peanut,
I believe Mr. Roberts was a lieutenant. It was Mr. Pulver who was an ensign. Palm tree, anyone?
Posted by Metropolitan99 @ 04/19/2004 11:17 PM NY
