Over at Securing America, Wes Clark has just requested that we call our Senators now to ask them to support the Webb-Hagel Readiness Amendment.
Peter Granato, Iraq War Veteran and Veterans Outreach Coordinator, VoteVets.org says:
Our nation's troops need your help, right now!
This week, the Senate will consider an amendment offered by military veterans Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE) that puts on paper one of the greatest things we can do to support the troops and the military -- guaranteeing them proper time on the homefront, to improve our readiness.
Call your Senator at 202-224-3121 and tell them to support the Webb-Hagel Readiness Amendment.
Granato's message points out why this is not only the fair thing to do, it's also good military policy.
Their amendment simply says that active duty troops should have as much time home as they had on deployment, and that National Guard and Reserve troops should have three years at home after their one-year deployment. Besides being a just and fair thing to do for those who are making tremendous sacrifices for all of us, it is just good military policy.
The war in Iraq is breaking our fine Army and Marine Corps. You've heard the stories about deployments being extended again and again, and troops coming home only to turn around and head right back. It has led to our troops being depleted and exhausted. Not only that, but it has seriously damaged our ability to defend this nation. Many units are simply not combat ready, and God forbid an attack by a rogue nation necessitates opening up a new war front, our forces would be unable to respond. Further, extended and frequent deployments of our National Guard has left us much more vulnerable at home.
VoteVets, Wes Clark, and General John Batiste are going to be on Capitol Hill tomorrow, "...to speak out in strong support of this bill." But they need us to back up their efforts:
Call your Senator's office at 202-224-3121 and tell them to support the Webb-Hagel Readiness Amendment. If you served in OIF or OEF, be sure to note that to the staffer you speak with.
And since there are many great Kossacks who will certainly call their Senators if they are asked, here's a shameless pitch to please help them to find out by recommending this diary or starting another better one of your own. Thanks very much for all the help.
URGENT UPDATE: Kossack Clark04 has a diary which says that Mitch McConnell is filibustering this amendment! What an outrage and slap in the face to our troops! Let's get the 60 votes necessary for cloture!
GOOD NEWS UPDATE: MOAA (Military Officers Association of America) supports Webb-Hagel Amendment! Call your conservative Senators again and tell them so!