First, the good news…

Dear Traveling Soldier,

Bryce arrived back at his home base in Germany on Tuesday (July 27th). My family is extremely relieved to have both sons out of Iraq.

Finally!!!

It’s just too bad for my many friends in Military Families Speak Out that still have sons over there. I plan to continue my protests at the Federal Courthouse here in town. I’m doing it for my MFSO friends’ sons and daughters.

Also, unfortunately, they have already told Bryce he will probably go back to Iraq in July 2005. So, I’m continuing my protests to get the troops out and keep Bryce from going back.

With both guys out of Iraq (at least temporarily), I am going back to my original sign: “Iraqi oil isn’t worth my sons’ blood.”

I will be in NYC for most (if not all) of the big events [the Republican National Convention protest]. MFSO plans an event on September 2nd (the day Bush accepts the nomination). They (along with Veterans for Peace) plan to have a grouping of 900+ pairs of boots. One for each soldier killed in Iraq. It should be a powerful statement.

Thank you for sending the copies of Traveling Soldier. I was honored that Bryce’s e-mail was on the cover. It was from a soldier heading back into a country that was more hostile than when he first went it. The reader could feel his anxiousness and his doubts about his country’s actions. There are so few of us in the US that have a personal contact with a soldier in Iraq. Sharing his e-mail allowed others to read a real letter from a war-zone.

I have thought all along that the hand-over was a sham. I was even more sure of it when they did it secretly – out of fear. A hand-over based on fear doesn’t sound too encouraging. More soldiers have died in the 30 days after it than in the 30 days before. And with the continued bombings and kidnappings! Right now, I don’t see any improvements.

The local anti-war group here in Richmond had a march/rally on Saturday, July 3rd. Over 1000 people showed up. In order to publicize the rally, the organizers decided to have a press conference on June 30th. The date was picked because of the original date of the hand-over.

The press conference was held in front of the Federal courthouse where I do all of my protesting. (It was my 163rd protest at the courthouse!)

Thanks again for the hard copies of the issue. Continue to get the word out!!

In peace,
Larry Syverson

Dear Traveling Soldier,

Just wanted you to know that we got an email from Jason and he has left Baghdad and is now in Kuwait! He leaves for Germany tomorrow and will be home for a 30 day leave on July 29th!!

I have no words to describe how I feel. I am filled with Joy! Thank you so much for all your support of Jason and us during this most difficult time. We are truly among the lucky and the blessed. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

– Pat Gunn

… now, the bad news

Hello,

My name is Brandie Lampin and I am the wife of a Sgt. Tony Lampin, a mechanic for the 115th Field Hospital, stationed at Fort Polk, La. I have sent every media company that I could find or know and the President, this letter because my husband and other soldiers, that are medically unfit for service, were forced to go back to Iraq for a second tour. One soldier's name that I have been given permission to name is Sgt. Jacqueline Stinnett. All left on the 25th of July bound for Abu Ghraib Prison.

Last month, on the 9th of June, my husband had a follow up appointment with his orthopedic surgeon, Maj. Granger, for his knee that was operated on for a second time due to damage. After several follow ups, the doctor said that my husband's knee has not gotten any better, and that his knee is permanently damaged, and that he recommends that he be medically discharged out of service, and that he is NON DEPLOYABLE. He gave my husband a permanent medical profile stating this, and is also marked that he CANNOT RUN, should only walk at own pace and distance, that he is unable to move with a fighting load at least 2 miles (48 lbs., includes helmet, boots, uniform, LBE, WEAPON, protective mask, pack, etc.), unable to do 3 - 5 second rushes under direct and indirect fire, and that he is UNHEALTHY by medical condition that prevents him from deploying. It also says that he is to not lift or carry a max weight of 30lbs., no prolonged standing for a max. of 20 min., no marching with field gear and no impact activities such as jumping.

My husband has gone through two surgeries on his knee, gone through physical therapy, water therapy, and has taken numerous medications all to no prevail. The current medications he is on right now are Celebrex, Ultracet, and Percocet. Just a little information on the meds. Celebrex, is for his arthritis, and one of the warning labels on it is: avoid prolonged or excessive exposure to direct sunlight. I ask you this, what does Iraq have plenty of? Ultracet, and Percocet are taken for pain, and both have a warning label that says: may cause drowsiness/dizziness, and SHOULD NOT operate machinery. He has not gotten any better after the second surgery, and in fact, it is starting to get worse once again. His doctor even told him that his knee is permanently damaged, and that being sent back to Iraq would only make it more worse.

In my husband's medical records, the last entry that was entered by his doctor reads this: "At this point we will begin a permanent profile. I'd like to switch him over to Arthrotec to see if that treats his osteoarthritic symptoms better. I'd additionally like him to consider having a steroid injection at the lateral portal site if he is not better in another three to six weeks at the lateral portal site. If he continues to persist and we are unable to find a nonsteroidal that can control his osterarthritic symptoms, I would consider offering a Viscus supplementation, Hyalgan injections. He is reticent to have that many injections in his knee and I can understand that but his may help him significantly with his pain. We discussed that at today's visit. Permanent profile was written today recommending him for a medical board as he has attempted to take a walk and bicycle PT test and had been unable to pass either of them and this has now been two years from his initial injury to the knee that he's not a record PT test." This was entered on June 9, 2004 by doctor Shawn P. Granger, MAJ. U.S. Army, Bayne Jones ACH Fort Polk, La.

Now here is where the being forced back to Iraq comes in. After showing this profile to his Battalion Commander, Colonel Richards, he stated that he would override the medical board, and force him to go back to Iraq for a second time with the company. The Colonel promised that he would take care of him and the other soldier and see that nothing will happen to them. Here is the thing, how can the Colonel do this if he himself is not going to Iraq? That he has been reassigned to another duty station sitting behind a nice desk, safe and sound in a hospital in Milwaukee. He said that my husband and the other soldier were badly needed and that there was nothing they could do. I ask this, if, God forbid, something was to happen to them, what would the company do, pack up and go home? Get this, before he was relieved by a Colonel Short, Colonel Richards changed his mind and decided to not take my husband and the other soldier and have their deployable status changed back to non-deployable status. After doing this, the new Colonel said that why bother because he would just change it back and still force them to go. That he wants to hear from their doctor himself saying that they would only get worse if deployed to Iraq. My husband's doctor had been saying this for over a month.

If he was told this, he would not take them. This is where Colonel Short lied to his soldiers. They were forced to go anyway. He also, like Colonel Richards, promises to keep them safe. What is he going to do, keep them by his side at all times? How can he do this if my husband will be on a convoy from Kuwait to Abu Ghraib Prison where they are being sent to set up a hospital for the prisoners/soldiers? A convoy is one of the most dangerous places to be for a soldier, and the prison alone isn't really all that safe. It has been attacked 6 times in the past 3 months. Which includes a mortar attack that hit the quarters that my husband's company was to be placed in. There also, they have to wear their protective gear at all times. Which means my husband will be forced to go against his medical profile of not to carry or lift anything over 30lbs.

During all this, we then began to write our State Senator of Texas, Mrs. Kay Hutchison. We sent all the information that was needed for an investigation into why was my husband not allowed his medical board and forced to go to war. All this was done last month, but yesterday, Aug. 3, I was informed that my husband's Congressional has come back, and was read to me by phone. It basically said that my husband's commander, Colonel Richards, has the say if my husband can be deployed or not. I find it unacceptable. No one should be able to tell a soldier that he can no longer receive treatment and not be able to be medical boarded out of service and then force him to go to war where his life would be at greater risk.

The stories of older soldiers in their 50's and 60's, I hear, are being told to America that they have been called back for duty. Some of these soldiers died in Iraq due to heart failure, heat stroke, and various other medical conditions. If I am not mistaken, did or did not the Army ordered retired personal without medical problems back for duty? Hence the word without. Why doesn't this apply to soldiers who are active? How do you think Americans would react to medically unfit soldiers being sent back to war? Unable to fend/protect themselves and others properly. On medications that makes them sleepy or dizzy. How do you think they would feel if they knew that their tax dollars are being used to send unfit soldiers to war?

When I took my husband to Fort Polk for departure on July 25th, I noticed a female soldier, whose name I do not know, was on crutches. What was wrong with her? She had a broken foot. Was she going? Yes. I have a question for you, how is she going to protect herself if an attack was to occur? Was she to shoot the enemy with her crutches?

The last I heard from my husband was this past Saturday. I asked how things were going so far, and he said not great. The soldier that has a broken foot was forced to walk on it without her crutches. Now, I know that depending on the fracture, you can apply force, but this soldier is in a war. She can't just rush into things. As for him, he told me that his knee was giving him problems and is really hurting him. That he had to take himself off a shooting range in Kuwait because the drugs mixed with the heat was causing him to almost pass out. What will it be like for him in the convoy? I am afraid to think. The convoy is supposed to take 3 to 4 days, because of the heat and they are only allowed to drive for so long. During that time, will my husband be able to stay alert. I can only pray for.

My husband has served in the Army for 12 long years. He has been to the Gulf War, where he first initially hurt his knee during training, gone to Kuwait last year for Operation Iraqi Freedom, and after being forced, is now there again despite being medically unfit for duty. I don't know how long he was there for the Gulf War. He was in Kuwait last year for only 3 months, and during this next tour, they told him to be prepared to be there between 6 months to a year. Can you just imagine what further damage his knee will be in?

I will leave this letter at this. The 115th Field Hospital's motto is Warrior Medic and that they are here to take care of patients. My husband is a patient. How are they taking care of him? By not letting him get the medical attention he needs and sending him back to war. My husband has served proudly for his country, but look how he is getting treated for it. He deserves better than that. Our country owes him its gratitude. America, let my husband, the father of my children, your son, come home.

- Brandie Lampin,
165 Eubanks Rd
Leesville, La. 71446
(337)238-0121
BLampin4036@aol.com
Wife of a medically unfit soldier

Ms. Lampin sent us these updates on her husband's case

Sept. 8, 2004

Mr. President, Mr. Vice President, Senators, Congressmen, Colonel Short, America,

It has now been just over 1 month sense my husband was forced back into Iraq and I am still going strong. Especially sense I have been challenged by an officer, by lies that the Army has told me and the nerve of a Commander telling me that my husband seems to be getting better. The support that I get from so many, and the look in my children's eyes that wonder where their daddy is, also keeps me going strong. Here is a complete update of my husband as of Sept. 8, 2004.

I wrote a letter to my husband's Commander, Colonel Short, and told him that I did not think that what was said in the Congressional sent to Senator Hutchison was right, and that I was not going to stop fighting for my husband's return. In the letter that he sent me dated on Aug. 16, mailed Aug. 21, states this:

Dear Mrs. Lampin, Thank you so much for your letter. Your husband is doing an outstanding job for us. He is the best mechanic that we have. According to CSM Perez, he is extremely motivated and seems to enjoy our mission and his part in it's success. Even his physical problems seem to be improving. We are taking good care of him like I promised. He is a fine soldier. We are proud to have him as I am sure you are and the nation is lucky to have him as a soldier.

Thanks again for your support and concern.
Sincerely,
Col. Short

I am guessing that the Colonel never read my letter, and just had his secretary type something up, that sounded good. Does Short think that I would believe him and not my husband on how his physical problems are? I got news for him, how does he expect me to believe him if he has lied to my husband himself. If he seems to be getting better, then why is he still going to sick call for pain?

After a phone call from Tony on Aug. 28th, before the arrival of the letter, Tony informed me that the Command is well aware of my actions, and was confronted by his Lieutenant, Lt. Stovall, asking him if he knew what I was doing. My husband told him yes, that he is aware of my actions. Lt. Stovall then told my husband that I could do anything that I could, and that it wouldn't matter because he would not have Tony sent back. This made me very angry, and I took it as a challenge and in my opinion, the Lt. challenged the government into making him have Tony sent back. All I can say is "Lt. Stovall, BRING IT ON."

I just recently got back from a trip to my family back in Texas on Sept. 6th. In the mail, was a letter from the Adjutant General (AG), Mr. Dane Goodwin, telling me the biggest load of crap that the Army could ever tell me.

The Army is responding to my correspondence to the local media in La., about my husband's medical issues and his recent deployment and to address my concerns about his safety and present medical condition. In the letter, it is written:

The Battalion Commander, at that time, Colonel Richards, spoke directly with the orthopedic surgeon who was treating Sgt. Lampin. The orthopedic surgeon concluded that, medically, Sgt. Lampin was capable of performing his duties and any additional procedures and/or medical boards could be postponed until the unit returns to Fort Polk. In addition, Colonel Short, Commander, 115th Field Hospital, who took command one week prior to deployment, was in frequent communication with Colonel Richards regarding Sgt. Lampin's medical condition and deployability. Colonel Short did not speak with the orthopedic surgeon prior to deploying; rather he chose to support Colonel Richard's decision unless there was a significant change in Sgt. Lampin's condition in the week prior to deploying.

It goes on saying that my husband's condition has not prevented him from performing his duties, about the combat hear he is wearing is within his profile restrictions, not to lift or carry 30 lbs, and that he is not having to wear it but for approximately one and a half hours. What I didn't want to hear is this:

The combat uniform and force protection policy is designed to increase the survivability of the soldiers in the event of a mortar attack and is considered protective equipment. All soldiers leaving in the immediate Life and Support Area (LSA) who move around the Forward Operating Base are required to wear their combat gear and carry their weapon. However, Sgt. Lampin lives and works inside the LSA and is not required to wear his combat gear approximately one and a half hours. The time is obviously increased when Sgt. Lampin is required to conduct convoy operations, which is very infrequent.

This is what scared me. Are they saying that inside the LSA is safe? If so, how can they say that, because there is no such place in Iraq. What if an attack was to occur, and my husband doesn't have his gear on? What then?

Is this how the Commander is saying that he is taking care of my husband?

Again, I am being lied to so as the command can cover their ASS. What about the part about the doctor saying that my husband can perform his duties. I don't believe this because I talked to my husband's doctor in person, and according to him, and I have it on recording, he told Colonel Richards that he DID NOT advise my husband to be deployed to Iraq, and that he never did speak with Colonel Short to advise him the same thing. If he said what is in the letter, then why did he write NON-DEPLOYABLE on my husband's medical profile? What about Short telling my husband that if he was told by his doctor that he would only get worse he would not take him. Again, LIES. About the part that my husband has been able to perform his duties. Then why id my husband inform me on the 28th of Aug. that he hasn't been able to do anything but sit around and staying off his knee? I think you can guess that on your own. The part about his protective gear weighing within the limits of his profile, that too is a LIE. According to the company that makes the vest, a large vest weights 10 lbs, and the inserts that the Army uses, weights 9.5 lbs each. That is a total of 29 lbs. Now if you add the weight of the extra gear needed including his weapon, the total weight that he is carrying weights well over 30 lbs.

Another part of the letter reads this:

An orthopedic surgeon evaluated Sgt. Lampin on Aug. 19th, for pain he was experiencing in his left knee. The surgeon reported that after evaluating the knee and the existing medical records, he concurred with the treatment plan and medical work-up Sgt. Lampin has received to date, and he does not recommend redeployment. The surgeon offered Sgt. Lampin pain control by steroid injections; however, at this time he rejected this method of treatment.

According to my husband, the surgeon there didn't want to go into his cased, and that it was more administrative than medical. About the injections, my husband hates needles, and was told that the steroid injections would only control the pain a certain about of time, and that there is a series of 5 to 6 shots, and I was warned, by a private doctor, that the steroid itself would only cause more damage in the long run by deteriorating the knee. I ask this, what would you do? It is obvious that my husband is in pain if he is going in to see a doctor. It is obvious that his knee is getting worse.

Another written passage:

Colonel Short, as the commander, has the authority to deploy a soldier depending on the needs of the unit and the US Army. By Army policy, a doctor provides recommendations to the soldier's commander based on his physical restrictions. In the case of Sgt. Lampin, as with all soldiers, the doctor's recommendations are strongly considered. Colonel Richards' decision to deploy Sgt. Lampin was made in conjunction with the doctor's assurance that Sgt. Lampin's medical condition would not limit his deployability.

Again, Tony's doctor said that he advised Richards that Tony should not be deployed, not what the AG said in the letter. I ask this, " Why does a soldier bother going to a doctor for his/her medical needs when a commander has the right to override their needs and send them into war?" This needs to be changed. A doctor's recommendation should be taken seriously, and accepted so that no future injury will occur causing more pain to the soldier who has to live with it for the rest of their life. They are the ones with the pain, not their commander. On any other given military day before this war, a soldier that is to be medical boarded out of service, would be told thank you for your service, and good luck in the civilian world. Instead, my husband is told "Oh well, we don't care, you going to war." Also, Colonel Richards at the time he was in command had changed his mind to not have Tony sent to Iraq, 1 week before turning over his command.

The constant excuse that Colonel Short and Lt. Stovall keeps saying "BECAUSE WE NEED HIM," is not an excuse. They say my husband is their best mechanic. So are they saying that they can't rely on the other mechanics who are there? Also, if he is needed so badly, then why back in Feb. of this year, before his 2ND surgery, was he being assigned to a quartermaster unit? It's because the company did not rate more than one NCO, and that the company already has a Motor Sgt. and Tony being a Sgt./NCO, did not have a specific duty in the company. Knowing this, and the fact that they knew he was eventually going to be medical boarded out they thought that they would just hand him to another company. My husband, having a profile for well over 2 years, also participated in only two of the training exercises that pertained to this deployment. In the last one on the last weekend of June, they practiced convoy attack maneuvers to be better prepared which included practicing 3 - 5 second rushes, this was a live fire exercise. Was my husband able to do this? NO, he wasn't. All he could do is put the vehicle he was driving in a combat position. When confronted by his Sgt.Maj., he was told to just lay down on the ground. Not saying that my husband did not know how to do rushes, but this was a refresher course, and laying on the ground is not training. Being told to lay on the ground is saying, hey you have a profile that says you can't do this, so, and this is my opinion, pretend you are dead. If during training they can accept his profile, then why can't they accept it now and let him have his medical board? I have also found out that my husband was not supposed to be extended an extra 28 days on his EAS by the Stop/Lose program. According to the rules, paragraph 6 section B it states that soldiers eligible for disability retirement, separation for physical disability, or other physical conditions. This includes soldiers who have a permanent 3 or 4 profile (which is what my husband has), the Stop/Lose does not take effect.

With every letter that is written to me by Colonel Short, or the Army itself telling me a load of crap, only makes me fight harder. I know that what I am doing is drawing concern with them, because they are trying to assure me that Tony is safe and not in any pain, and I guess they think that the letters will stop me from my mission. Well, they can think again. They know that what they did was wrong, and they are trying to cover it up by telling me lies that I can see a mile away. They think they are talking to just another spouse, but guess what, I am not just another spouse, I am a former Marine, and people know, that you don't mess with a Marine, especial this one. I was not called Cpl. Chucky for nothing back in my service. I am a fighter for rights, and my husband deserves his right to be medical boarded out of service NOW.

Send my husband and the other medically unfit soldiers home, they deserve their rights that they fight for, that they have earned. Don't crap on them like you did in the past with our Vietnam Vets. Bring them home, bring them all home.

- Brandie Lampin

Sept. 9, 2004

Here is a little more info to go along with my update letter.

My husband called me today giving me a chance to inform him of what all has happened involving me fighting for his return. I told him about he AG letter that I received and read him parts of it that I mentioned in my update letter. According to him, the only thing true about the AG letter was about how long and when and where he has to wear his protective gear. I asked him if he had to wear it at work, and he said "no not all the time, and that in fact no one has to." I replied "NOBODY," and he said "YES." So if a mortar attack or any attack was to occur, I am afraid to think how many would lose their lives. Again, there is no such place in Iraq that is safe. But this command seems to think different because they are trying to cover up a mistake that they made by making it look good if my husband wasn't wearing his gear all the time. Either way, he still has to war it from time to time, and that is still going against his medical profile.

About the medical issues. According to my husband, the orthopedic surgeon there never examined him, only that he read his medical paper work there. That, and he to (Tony) knows what his doctor here said, and that a Maj. and a physical therapist there that he has seen just recently, agrees that Tony should not have been sent to Iraq, and that the Maj. that saw him would have him sent home, but that it wasn't up to him. We then talked about the letter that Colonel Short wrote me, because I sent him a copy of it to see what he thought, and he said "the letter was a bunch of BS."

I asked him how his knee was, and he said that it is still the same, that it hurts, and that it swells from time to time and that they have been giving him ice packs to control the swelling. Then I asked him if he has been taken the shots, and he said "NO," and I told him good, that not to take them because of what they might do. He also informed me that he has written a letter to Congressman Conzalez a Texas rep. and that it was getting typed up so that he can mail it off. Congressman Gonzalez wanted a statement from him so to pursue action to Congress. The only sucky thing about mailing a letter, is that it takes 8 days for it to be delivered.

So it is obvious that Colonel Short and Lt. Stovall are trying to cover their ass, but they have no idea that it is not working. From what it sounds with the letters that I receive and what my husband tells me, it sounds like they are intimidating some of the medical personal there so as to make them look good. It is obvious that they know they were in the wrong about my husband, and they are to stupid to admit it. I keep hearing "accomplish the mission," but how can you accomplish a mission by using medical unfit soldiers?

What about the saying "he signed the dotted line," well, I did to, and if I am not mistaken, we signed that dotted line as a physically fit Soldier/Marine. My husband is no longer medically fit for service, and his doctor is the one who signed the paper saying that he should be medical boarded out of service and that he is non-deployable. My husband tells me to keep fighting, because I am getting heard, and the letters that I write are being read there at the Abu Ghraib. So just a word to you Colonel Short and Lt. Stovall, you are digging a hole that you no longer can get out of, so if you want to keep digging just go ahead, because that would just mean more dirt for me to use to cover it up with you in it.

I would just like to thank all of the supports that have contacted me. The encouraging words keeps me fighting, and I will keep fighting for as long as it takes and more. Thank you all so much, God Bless you, our troops, and God Bless America.

- Brandie Lampin

Sept. 10, 2004

Also, just yesterday, I received an email from a newsletter publisher telling me about another soldier who is only 19 years old, and forced back into Iraq. His name is Pfc. Keaton Wade of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Division, Charlie Company. According to the article that I read from the Chicago Tribune, this young soldier has developed a very serious case of asthma, and was forced to Iraq before being further evaluated in Kuwait to determine how sever his case is. He has written home telling his family of his situation, and that he is afraid for his life because of his medical condition. I ask you, what has our military come to? I hope I will not read that this young soldier died because of an asthma attack that the US Army knew he had.

- Brandie Lampin
(337)238-0121
BLampin4036@aol.com

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