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TechnoratiArmy Sends Infant to Protective Services, Mom to Afghanistan
VENTURA, California - U.S. Army Specialist Alexis Hutchinson, a single mother, is being threatened with a military court-martial if she does not agree to deploy to Afghanistan, despite having been told she would be granted extra time to find someone to care for her 11-month-old son while she is overseas.
Hutchinson, of Oakland, California, is currently being confined at Hunter Army Airfield near Savannah, Georgia, after being arrested. Her son was placed into a county foster care system.
Hutchinson has been threatened with a court martial if she does not agree to deploy to Afghanistan on Sunday, Nov. 15. She has been attempting to find someone to take care of her child, Kamani, while she is deployed overseas, but to no avail.
According to the family care plan of the U.S. Army, Hutchinson was allowed to fly to California and leave her son with her mother, Angelique Hughes of Oakland.
However, after a week of caring for the child, Hughes realised she was unable to care for Kamani along with her other duties of caring for a daughter with special needs, her ailing mother, and an ailing sister.
In late October, Angelique Hughes told Hutchinson and her commander that she would be unable to care for Kamani after all. The Army then gave Hutchinson an extension of time to allow her to find someone else to care for Kamani. Meanwhile, Hughes brought Kamani back to Georgia to be with his mother.
However, only a few days before Hutchinson's original deployment date, she was told by the Army she would not get the time extension after all, and would have to deploy, despite not having found anyone to care for her child.
Faced with this choice, Hutchinson chose not to show up for her plane to Afghanistan. The military arrested her and placed her child in the county foster care system.
Currently, Hutchinson is scheduled to fly to Afghanistan on Sunday for a special court martial, where she then faces up to one year in jail.
Hutchinson's civilian lawyer, Rai Sue Sussman, told IPS, "The core issue is that they are asking her to make an inhumane choice. She did not have a complete family care plan, meaning she did not find someone to provide long-term care for her child. She's required to have a complete family care plan, and was told she'd have an extension, but then they changed it on her."
Asked why she believes the military revoked Hutchinson's extension, Sussman responded, "I think they didn't believe her that she was unable to find someone to care for her infant. They think she's just trying to get out of her deployment. But she's just trying to find someone she can trust to take care of her baby."
Hutchinson's mother has flown to Georgia to retrieve the baby, but is overwhelmed and does not feel able to provide long-term care for the child.
According to Sussman, the soldier needs more time to find someone to care for her infant, but does not as yet have friends or family able to do so.
Sussman says Hutchinson told her, "It is outrageous that they would deploy a single mother without a complete and current family care plan. I would like to find someone I trust who can take care of my son, but I cannot force my family to do this. They are dealing with their own health issues."
Sussman told IPS that the Army's JAG attorney, Captain Ed Whitford, "told me they thought her chain of command thought she was trying to get out of her deployment by using her child as an excuse." '
Major Gallagher, of Hutchinson's unit, also told Sussman that he did not believe it was a real family crisis, and that Hutchinson's "mother should have been able to take care of the baby".
In addition, according to Sussman, a First Sergeant Gephart "told me he thought she [Hutchinson] was pulling her family care plan stuff to get out of her deployment".
"To me it sounds completely bogus," Sussman told IPS, "I think what they are actually going to do is have her spend her year deployment in Afghanistan, then court martial her back here upon her return. This would do irreparable harm to her child. I think they are doing this to punish her, because they think she is lying."
Sussman explained that she believes the best possible outcome is for the Army to either give Hutchinson the extension they had said she would receive so that she can find someone to care for her infant, or barring this, to simply discharge her so she can take care of her child.
Nevertheless, Hutchinson is simply asking for the time extension to complete her family care plan, and not to be discharged.
"I'm outraged by this," Sussman told IPS, "I've never gone to the media with a military client, but this situation is just completely over the top."
96 Comments so far
Show AllUnfortunately, it is all too easy for people to become parents without thinking through the committment involved. A working reproductive system kicks in long before maturity in some people. We need a lot less talk of Jesus and a lot more birth control.
That being said, as part of the human family we should be giving parents opportunities to work at non-lethal jobs. If we want parents to work we could help them more with child care. Most industrialized countries have systems for caring for children of working parents. It is a given.
Kids are frequently taken away from parents because the parents leave the children in improper situations while they work. Sometimes the child care center is a car. Sometimes it is with an immature or violent boyfriend.
So this woman felt her best chance for a career is the military. Sad sad sad in so many ways. Let her stay on the base with her child. Place the child in a day care center. Anything else is inhuman.
Joe
can't believe she ain't over thar' already, fightin' fer hamid and his loya jirga, which right now is probably sitting around a big camp fire, bongs full of opium and pockets full of cash from chinese copper bribes. more kickbacks thar' than on a retarded mule farm in west virginny. she needs to get a young, agressive, and clear-headed lawyer to fight the military over this one. just can't believe the country we're living in!
Hooo-yah...send more christians over to kill more muslems and die in the process. Make the jews more rich off the whole event.
Everybody switch chairs again eventually.
Pass the popcorn please...
The Christians are too busy deciding the fate of the rest of us to be bothered with the war they're always so quick to defend. They aren't lining up to protect this baby's right to have his mother's care and love during his most important years, are they. Nope, he's been born, so he's on his own.
I have an issue because I am supposedly the father of Kamani Alexander Hutchinson... I asked Alexis numerous times if I could watch Kamani while she was deployed, but because shes upset about the way our past relationship went she has denied me every time. I have asked her over and over for her address so I might be able to send somethings for Kamani and the only thing she replys is to leave her alone and Kamani is only her child. Yet she asks why I am not more involved. But she has kept me at a distance since her pregnancy. If I am the father it upsets me knowing that she has made this big deal about things with the ending results of threats being made Kamani is going in CPS. Why when she has not tapped into ALL of her resources. I have tried my best over and over to connect with her and be there for Kamani but she constantly keeps me at a distance because she is sour because of differences in our previous relationship. She was givin the option to get out of the army from the time she was pregnant to right after the birth of Kamani and we spoke a couple of times if she should do it or not. She decided not to and yet did not want do as the Military suggests to get another care giver for Kamani. I am not a bad parent, I don't drink, don't do drugs, don't physically abuse kids or women. It's only because she has a grudge against me about the way things went down in our relationship as to why she won't allow me to be a part of Kamani's life. None of this would have happened if she would of tapped into ALL of her resources. Not had a cold heart towards me and allowed me a chance to connect with Kamani when I asked.
An internet comments stream is not the place to take up such an issue. Nobody knows who you really are and what the issues are. If you are truly the father, you should go to a court and find out how to petition for your rights. Best wishes to you.
Joe
I was in the military for 24 years. Even folks with no dependents hear this and have it drilled into their heads constantly...HAVE DEPENDENT CARE WORKED OUT AT ALL TIMES BECAUSE YOU MIGHT BE DEPLOYED! She was pregnant for 9 months, had the child and was deployed. She had puhleenty of time to work this out, dry run the plan and make sure it would work or make other arrangements. If any cognizant person in the military does less than this, they're negligent and deserve the consequences. Besides the ugly precedence leniency would set, we all have to be responsible for our actions in this world...and this didn't exactly sneak up on her. If these kind of thoughts make your heart bleed, you're just a sympathetic dimwit and you're thinking with your emotions and not your head...I hope that works out for you...
Sir, yes sir!!!! Please direct me to where I can serve the master the best sir!!!!!
the navy tossed me out for smokin a joint , they dont like pot and the military will ruin this girl's career , when will i get my benefits back for smokin a stupid joint , they dont care if you kill 600,000 arabs but dont smoke a joint , so i say to the military fukk you
The joint is innocent and should be respected.
How about sending the guy who recruited her. Probably single big strong fiercely patriotic and give her his job. Surely there's something she could do in her own area military base and go home to her child at night. Isn't there daycare on military bases as there is in other businesses.
Why is it that the "pilot" who mans the drones can just walk into his office look at the war chart push a button that will send this killing machine to kill innumerable men women and yes, children on a suspicion that there are bad guys right there! on the spec of a map hundreds of miles away. Click! then go out to brunch with his family. That took about 10 seconds.
But send this woman to kick in doors , kill other women and yes children, OMG! As Thom Hartmann says in his book of same title we're SCREWED!
In the spirit of honoring contracts one makes, whether unconscionable or not, we can now expect the entire Congress; and, all others who have sworn an oath, to live up to the exact terms of that oath --- to the same degree that those persons expect this female soldier to live up to hers. Not one iota more, not one less.
We are all citizens and those who actually serve the Republic are the finest. It is not an easy thing to protect good and bad alike.
The parasites in Washington should give thanks to their devil god that the People have not yet become fully aware of the avaricious nature of these politicians which live safely in the shadow of better men and women.
In the spirit of honoring contracts one makes, whether unconscionable or not, we can now expect the entire Congress; and, all others who have sworn an oath, to live up to the exact terms of that oath --- to the same degree that those persons expect this female soldier to live up to hers. Not one iota more, not one less.
We are all citizens and those who actually serve the Republic are the finest. It is not an easy thing to protect good and bad alike.
The parasites in Washington should give thanks to their devil god that the People have not yet become fully aware of the avaricious nature of these politicians which live safely in the shadow of better men and women.
I think the humans who commented on this thread ought to apologize to the vicious hard-liners.
We caused them to waste time commenting here to set us straight with their pitiless brand of Tough Love, and kept them from their mission to go to Af-Pak and Git Some!
· Yr Obd't Servant
Blame the victim....works like a dream for the pro family advocates! The solution is dreadfully simple friends...keep the Mother in the US and have ALL the other troops now in Afghanistan and Iraq come home to join HER! She gets to raise her child and so do all other parents over there! When many of these children with one or more 'absent' parents 'go off the rails' in years to come (or tomorrow) the rest of us will have to pick up the pieces regardless of our 'support' for war, troops or whatever. The psychological legacy of this debacle will evolve badly over years....both for the soldiers and what remains of their families when they get back. Now...lets also talk about the legacy left for Afghan and Iraqi families...what of THEIR values?
She volunteered to join the Army.
She chose to have a baby with no other support structure in her life.
And now she believes that someone else should have to do her job and deploy in her place because of the choices she made?
All true, but frankly, the kid deserves better than foster care, even if the Mom is irresponsible. Not really fair to the kid to ruin Mommy's future. Sure she made poor choices, but the military also lied to her and encouraged those poor choices if I'm reading the situations right. When your in the military, to a large degree, the military is your support structure. If suddenly it decides to screw you over, aside from drastic insubordination that destroys your future, not much you can do.
I'm with you.
Joe
EXACTLY
Thousands of people are in the same boat. A single father I work with had to give his daughter to his parents while he deployed to Afghanistan. The fact that this woman was in the Army and didn't have a complete family care plan in the first place is the issue. We are reminded over and over and over to make sure you have primary, secondary and tertiary plans for everything in your life in case you have to deploy. The story isn't complete anyway, She had the nine months while pregnant and another 11 months of the kids life to come up with something just incase her mom couldn't do it. Where is the Father? If there is no father, she knew the risks and because she's in the Army, she should have thought twice about having that kid, knowing she could deploy at anytime and for a year. No Sympathy
That's the bottom line nosympathy... There are proper ways to handle things, to plan out as you said, this woman had nearly 2 years to figure it out. And you're right, there is more to the story than this POS extreme left-wing, liberal propaganda site portrays.
Just an immature series of decisions... should the gov't give her a bailout too?
Do right wingers think she should have had an abortion? As far as joining the army in the first place, maybe there was no economic alternative. Should she have gone on welfare? Remember "Saving Private Ryan"? Although the movie is fictional, soldiers used to get hardship discharges. Can you imagine anyone getting sent home from war these days to run the family farm? She did have a baby care plan and it fell through. What "poor choices" did the baby make that it should be punished for?
No single parent, especially with a small baby should be sent into a war zone.
So because this story is told from the perspective of the mother it makes it a "POS extreme left-wing, liberal propaganda site"? Wow. I'm considered fairly conservative by those who know me and I have all the sympathy in the world for this woman. Do I blame the Army? You're damn straight I do! Did they really expect scenarios like this not to come up? Ever? I did 6 years in the Navy and I remember when females were allowed on combat ships for the first time. It was quite amusing to see the confusion among the admiralty when women started coming back from 6 month deployments pregnant.
But then again, you're probably a Rush Limbaugh conservative who never served a day in uniform but has a well-thought out excuse at the ready in case somebody like me confronts you about it.
Once again you're entitled to your opinion, so the confrontation is on your part. And quite to the contrary, served beginning in 1996 and still do, so I see and understand more than you think. I won't have to hide behind my keyboard and supposed self-rightious 'I did 6 years in the Navy' point of view. How hypocritical.
She was wrong, she abandoned her base and her unit and went AWOL. That is crystal clear, that is wrong, and there is no justification for it... ESPECIALLY in this case.
So you think a mother should be forced to abandon her baby, and you are indifferent to the suffering and damage that the baby (and mother) will endure.
Okay. Since you are in the military, your attitude is no surprise. If people in the military were capable of compassion, they would not be able to, for example, torture captives, massacre men, women, and children, distribute cluster bombs for children to find, or destroy the environment for generations to come (see the commondreams story today about the birth defects in Faluja, or google birth defects in Vietnam).
We are often told that the military is a "brotherhood," etc., etc. I understand that you don't care about the suffering of the "enemy," or even of bad soldiers like this woman who wouldn't abandon her baby, but what about your "brothers" who have been so damaged by their military experiences that they make up one-third of the homeless adult population in the U.S.? Just wondering if you care about them, either? How many of them do you suppose lost their families, and then their mental health, because of the military's cruel anti-family policies?
Ah, first it was, I have never served, now it so obvious that I do.
This is about an individual making poor decisions from the very start and root of it all -
1. Joined Army (nothing wrong with it, but a career choice nonetheless)
2. Chose to have baby, without considering what kind of consequences that would have on both of them should she be deployed
3. Failed to come up with family care plan in 20 months
4. Received deployment orders, and subsequently runs away - DESERTION
I don't know how clear and plain it is. Very few want to be responsible, and ultimately, ACCOUNTABLE for their poor decisions and that is one of the precise problems with society in this country. All of the problems that have stemmed from the decision to join the Army could have been avoided, even if it meant not joining the services at all. It's just not for some people, and they're entitled to make that choice - that's the beauty of freedom.
In the meantime, continue to take what you have for granted. Maybe some should take a sit over there or in Afghanistan in their culture, see and absorb just how bad it could be.
I think taking care of your child, YOUR CHILD, super-cedes a deployment to a lost cause country! Apparently, fighting Uncle Sam's illegal wars the world over takes precedent over everything, up to and including motherhood.
What's next? Suing the family of fallen troops because they won't provide a replacement for KIA/MIA?!?!?
Nothing self-righteous or hypocritical on my part; I just call em like I see em. You on the other hand are one of the many kool-aid drinkers I encountered during my time in and am so very thankful not to have to be around any more. It was true in 01' and I see it hasn't changed: anybody with half-an-ounce of common sense got out leaving mostly the poor brain-washed zombies to re-up.
Just remember my man that Karma is a bitch: what goes around comes around. Oh yeah, on behalf of all those poor men and women having to serve under you: you suck!
I'll be here crouching behind my keyboard like a good little boy until you choose to grace us all with your benevolence once again. ;-)
Can we charge the army with child abuse? Oh, wait, they already get away with MURDER and TORTURE, so why not child abuse?
A couple of days ago, first-"black"-president Obama was in Alaska promising the "troops" everything under the sun, amazingly including "public support at home".
"Currently, Hutchinson [21 years old and "black"] is scheduled to fly to Afghanistan on Sunday [TOMORROW!] for a special court martial, where she then faces up to one year in jail."
-----
Action Alert: Contact Congresswoman Barbara Lee to urge her to "Request that the Army not deploy Alexis Hutchinson to Afghanistan so that she can care for her son."
From the 9th District (Oakland/Berkeley, CA) phone: 510-763-0370 (fax: 510-763-6538). Or nationwide at: 202- 225-2661 (fax: 202-225-9817).
-----
Note that the mailbox for Rep. Lee's "nationwide" telephone is full, which might be a good sign.
Make this NOT happen.//
wc652 November 13th, 2009 8:50 pm
Is this another feature from The Onion?
______________________________
Good question! See:
Army Holds Annual 'Bring Your Daughter To War' Day (1:13)
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/army_holds_annual_bring_your
· Yr Obd't Servant
Obd't Servant,
The question we ask ourselves upon reading this, Can we really be this depraved as to separate a baby from his mother so that she can go fight in our senseless war in the Middle East?
All together, "Yes, We Can!!"
You wonder if God in heaven hears the cries of this motherless baby boy.
Folks, the facts have been stated by a local official, and they are indeed factual. This article is nothing but propaganda, consider the website itself. It is nowhere in the local news nor is it on national news networks because it is not credible. That's why it seems so preposterous. I challenge Dahr Jamail's (AUTHOR) sources of information. The Army simply does not function in this manner. Consider the source before drinking the kool-aid.
vortex,
As long as you're connected to the internet, you might try using Google to look things up for yourself.
vortex331 says, "The Army simply does not function in this manner. Consider the source before drinking the kool-aid."
Okay, here are some sources (the ABC news affiliate in Oakland, and The Oakland Tribune), with photos, video, and even a statement from an Army spokesperson:
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section
=news/local/east_bay&id=7118010
http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/
localnews/ci_13785127
And here's the text from the ABC news story online:
OAKLAND, CA (KGO) -- The U.S. Army is dealing with an emotional and complicated case involving an Oakland woman. She's a single mother, scheduled to be deployed to Afghanistan, even though she has no one to care for her 11-month-old baby.
The woman is a 21-years-old single mom, who was almost on her way to Afghanistan. However, she is not the only one. A report released last month says 30,000 single mothers have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11.
For now 11-month-old Kamani Hutchinson is being cared for by his grandmother, Angelique Hughes of Oakland. A few days ago she flew to Savannah, Georgia after learning the Army had put Kamani in Child Protective Services.
"I was on the plane the next day," said Hughes.
Her daughter, Army specialist Alexis Hutchinson is stationed at Hunter Army Airfield at Fort Stewart in Georgia.
When Hutchinson was to be deployed to Afghanistan, she brought Kamani to live with grandma, but after a week, it was too much for Hughes.
She already cares for an ailing mother, a special-needs daughter and a sister who is scheduled to go into the hospital.
"So it's like I have to...I'm spreading myself thin and I deal with kids all day long, so I have not a break in between anywhere," said Hughes.
Hughes also does day care in her home.
Her daughter, a 21-year-old single mom couldn't find anyone else to care for Kamani and failed to show up for her plane to Afghanistan.
Rai Sue Sussman is an attorney who helps military men and women in similar situations. She says Hutchinson, with a friend by her side, turned herself in.
"The military police arrested her and wouldn't let her friend take her child and so they took him away and put him in Child Protective Services," said Sussman.
Hutchinson now faces a number of charges. Sussman listed them as: "AWOL, missing movement, desertion, failing to have a family care plane and disobeying an officer."
An Army representative spoke to ABC7 about the case.
"Because her case could present hardship, to not only to her child but her family, the command is working with her and her legal council to resolve this situation," said Kevin M. Larson with the U.S. Army.
In the meantime she will not be deployed.
"He's been taken away from his mother. By the time he actually sees his mother, he'll probably be 2-year- old. Will she even know who she is at that point in time? It's ridiculous," said Hughes.
According to the Army spokesperson, right now Hutchinson is not under arrest, but is confined to Hunter Army Airfield until this matter is resolved.
The military gives new moms four months to remain stateside before they are deployed to a war zone. Also, in the army, the divorce rate of female soldiers was three times higher last year than among male soldiers.
The statistics can be found at the link below.
LINK: Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America: Report on Army single mothers
The woman had well over a year to develop several family plans to care for her child. She well knew & understood the likelihood of deployment when she joined the service. Her mother runs a day care in her home. Simple solution: remove one of her daycare clients so she can care for her grandchild! She can hire a sitter herself to provide respite when she needs some down-time, paid for by Uncle Sam. The enlisted woman gets paid while on deployment, also gets childcare benefits. She can pay these to her mother just as easily as she can pay the childcare worker that has been taking care of her child while she performs her duties stateside. Children of servicemen & women are often without one or both parents while they are on deployment. They do not forget their parents while they are gone if the caregiver does their part. Yes, it takes work, but raising a child takes work. While it is not easy to be separated from your child, you know that it is something that will happen when you join the service, whether you are a parent at that time or not. She is a deserter and needs to pay the consequences of her actions. She had plenty of time to make arrangements. Her mother has plenty of time to spend with other peoples' children, but can't make time to spend with her own grandchild? That's pathetic!
Quite the different tone don't you think? Not the 'child in county protective custody' story that was presented.
What do you think the foster care system is? It's protective custody for children. And whether the baby is in "county protective custody" (which is what the article says--he was in the county foster care system) or not, is not even the issue.
The issue is that the baby is being separated from his mother.
The issue is the needless damage to this baby caused by separating him from his mother.
Try reading up a little on child psychology and development, and you'll be able to understand what's at stake here.
And does it matter that the baby's family is black and low-income? Absolutely. "African Americans have been overrepresented in the U.S. military, especially the Army, since the start of the All-Volunteer Force in 1973. They have been dramatically overrepresented among women in the military."
http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p_mla
_apa_research_citation/1/0/3/6/8/p103683_index.html
And why is this? Because the military is the employer of last resort for the people in this country who are desperate. Which means that this young woman most likely would not be in the Army at all if she had had a chance at a good education and civilian employment. But however she came to join the Army, the important thing right now is supporting her in giving her baby the best possible chance of normal emotional and psychological development. Which means giving her a job stateside, so she can stay with her baby.
Not court-martialing her or sending her to war, as the Army has planned.
Actually, if you read the story, you'll see that the child was put in county protective custody by the Army, and his grandmother had to fly from Oakland to Georgia to get him, because the Army wouldn't let the baby's own mother take care of him. The grandmother already has her hands full, and can't care for this baby. And why should she? Doesn't this baby deserve his mother's care? Or is it only white, middle class babies who deserve the emotional stability of being with their own mothers?
I don't see a different "tone." I see a mother and baby who are being torn apart, and I see a baby whose emotional and psychological development are at high risk. I see a country where fetuses are cherished, but actual living babies are treated like cats or dogs, dumped on overtaxed caregivers so that their mothers can be sent to facilitate the killing of other mothers and babies.
There is no text that says 'county' protective custody. Secondly, and somehow I figured an ignoramus would say something along these lines, but WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT RACE?
The woman broke the law, period, and she was brought back to resolve the situation. She signed on the dotted line, she didn't stick to her commitment, and it will be handled appropriately according to the Constitution of the United States. It's not as bad as this site made it out to be.
I think I speak for everyone with even an ounce of compassion on here when I say, "you're a freakin moron Vortex331"! What bit of difference does it make if it's local, county or state child protective services? They still took the kid away from the parent for no good reason!
Maybe so... You are entitled to your opinion. Protective custody is a relative term, county is what most would consider worst case, but the Army has Family Readiness Groups to handle this sort of thing, and that could be deemed as 'protective custody' as well.
She broke the law, contrary to 'for no good reason', and that's the bottom line here. Everyone wants a free pass when they make poor decisions, instead of making mature decisions in the first place.
I suppose if you want to avoid the consequences of your actions instead of sticking to your responsibilities as every mature adult should, go to Mexico...
Agreed, she was given plenty of time to come up with multiple plans. Her only plan hinged on her Mother who was already overburdened with kids and sick people. She was lazy and had at least 20 months to come up with more than one plan. That is almost 2 years. She broke the law and deserves everything she gets.
Beware the karma boomerang Mr. "No Sympathy"..............
Maybe I'm missing something. For the life of me, I cannot understand why any sane person would join the military, considering the cruel and aggressive way not only the troops are treated, but how they are used to intimidate the world!
What if nobody showed up for the next go round of imperialism?
MOVED
Regarding Kevin Larson's comments listed further below (Chief, Public Communications, Fort Stewart/3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs Office) I for one am very glad to see that the Army's PR people are responding already, that her command has delayed her departure and is willing to "work with" Spc. Hutchinson's legal counsel.
I live in Australia and heard about this situation here! Then saw it on Common Dreams. As soon as I could I sent the following straight to the White House's website - comments section:
-------
(I can't find a working feedback site on the Defense section of your website, so I am going to trust whoever sees this special message first to pass this on to the office of your Chief of Staff or a very high level Army officer. When you read the two articles at the links below, highlighting an urgent situation you will understand why.)
Headline: " US Army Sends Infant to Protective Services, Mom to Afghanistan!"
http://www.couragetoresist.org/x/content/view/789/1/
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/13-7
I find it simply incredible that the US Military would treat one of your single mom soldiers this way. I sincerely hope you do something about this yet this weekend before she is deployed to Afghanistan. I am a professional chaplain currently living in Canberra, Australia and am heard about this travesty clear over here! Australia's military has policy that would forbid such a procedure, and would NEVER do this! Nor should any civilized country.
Thank you in advance for paying attention,
Chaplain Clair Hochstetler
---
We should follow the updates on this situation at www.couragetoresist.org and hope for a good outcome to the situation. However, President Obama and his advisors need to pay serious attention to the real heart of the matter, well-underscored here (under the subtitle of "Hope") http://www.couragetoresist.org/x/content/view/787/1/
Clair
This is how our government "supports the troops." Last I heard, any female soldiers who needed abortion services or contraception also had to handle that themselves - the government didn't pay for any of it. One rep stated that women were welcome to use the medical services in-country, or when leave time came up they could pay for a commercial ticket home (assuming the military hadn't bombed out the airport or suspended tourism) and pay out-of-pocket for those services there. There used to be at least MATS flights available.
Remember that this is the Empire that came up with the oxymoron "humanitarian bombing." These are the generals and other officers who were more concerned about their careers than about the mend and women serving, or about the legality of the use of the military for corporate conquest or anything else. They're leftovers after the men and women of conscience quit in protest. And not a one of them is about to give a rat's ass about some squalling infant out of poor family, much less go to any extra trouble for it.
And they care even less about civilians; remember that if martial law is ever declared.
Ian
I recall from the days of the Vietnam War -- destroying the village to save the village. The first time I heard that statement, I was horrified! And, I was old enough to know what it meant -- murdering women, children, and yes, men, too. If anyone remained alive, the survivors, usually farmers, had no fields, and no home.
More and more euphemisms, and less and less humanity!
"And they care even less about civilians; remember that if martial law is ever declared." Ian McLeod
I heed your warning!
I think the child should be able to stay in the White House until the mother comes back from her tour of duty in Afghanistan.
Somebody in the Pentagon doesn't have their thinking cap on. Wait till they realize that they can start harvesting babies for the military like in that Kurt Russell movie "Soldier." They can take them right out of their mothers' wombs and start giving them military training and indoctrination before they cut the umbilical cord. They'll have the perfect army of robbotic humanoids to fight their wars for oil...and, well, according to that other article, pretty soon, the tar sands. So, when the US invades Canada for the new oil fields, they can send these baby soldiers in for the kill. No more recruiting, no more schmoozing, no more lies, just take 'em out, brainwash 'em and send 'em to war!
Is the reason that the mainstream media has not covered this story because there is not enough violence in it?
Are there criteria for not being censored by CD?
If we play nice, no hitting, no personal attacks, we're cool. No perception or opinion is not welcome by the gods, but be-ware The Family; we a o-pinionated lot and not shy.
Inciting riots, calling for mayhem, encouraging violence, insurrection......might get a post deleted.....or taking heavy shots at the writer; I'm guessing CD likes the one's they select.....
Let's just say that in my experience, that's for CD to know and you to find out... not.
· Yr Obd't Servant
As I suspected. Happened a couple of times with this topic last night.
The Child should be seized from the parent and raised from the age of 5 to become a fighting man or woman in the tradition of the Spartans.
Perhaps a cadre of children of Military familes can be raised by the State?
You can call them "The Youth Core of the Glorius Republic"!
Is this another feature from The Onion?
While I really enjoyed their expose of "Lou Dobbs," the immigrant-bashing TV talking head who turned out to be an undocumented immigrant himself--with 17 kids!--this story is even more ridiculous!!
This can't be real, can it?
Talk about the Theater of the Absurd.
DJNoll
Considering the fact that the U.S. Army is occupying not one but two countries for absolutely no justifiable reason whatsoever, you can rest assured that I will continue to trash the Army whenever the opportunity presents itself. You are correct, this is my choice and I will continue to exercise that right even and especially during the reign of the militant, imperialist and murderous Barack Obama.
You missed something. They're occupying three countries: add the U.S.
Ian
Ian, Hi, Egypt, Saudi Arabia? We have 100% control of both. The Sheikdoms? South Korea, Puerto Rico, The U.S.V.I.? The US has a grip on the Phillipines, CIA repressing the people like when Aquino's feet hit the tarmac.
I'd define occupation as control; then ask, to what degree do we control Afghanistan! 50% appx.....we're doing much better in Egypt. THAT is occupation.
Basing rights? 150 countries. CONTROL of Presidency/King Police, Army? I'd guess 25. No? I ate w/ a man living in Mexico a few yrs ago; he confirmed that the Fox-Vicente Mexican presidential election was stolen during bush w/ 100% cia assistance. (This man left the country because george was elected btw, returned 6 months ago.)
So there is # 1. Did not have to go far, the border, to find it.
chow
I live in Mexico and can assure you that the probability of Fox having stolen the election trough wich he came into power aided by the cia is virtually zero, that was probably the only fair election in all of Mexico´s history, it marked the first defeat of the PRI party (state party) since its inception.
Other than that I can agree with you that the usa does control our servile, ignorant, politicians/thiefs.
You know in all of these postings, I have not heard any of you offer to step up and take care of this child for its mother, if she truly wants to be deployed and complete her commitment honorably. I do not live in Georgia, but you can rest assure that I will contacting Ms. Sussman and offering my home for this child while her mother is deployed. This is how you help our military families - you put yourself on the line. Does anyone who posts here live in Georgia to help this woman? If her mother has the child, I will drive down to Oakland if necessary if that will help. Can anyone else make the same offer or would you all rather trash the Army and accomplish nothing? Your choice, I guess.
I do not live in Georgia, but you can rest assure that I will contacting Ms. Sussman and offering my home for this child while her mother is deployed.
----------------
Well, good then. If you've already done the deed, then, why are you preaching? I guess you haven't noticed that you ain't gonna git much sympathy round these parts with your love of the military and your [pseudo]patriotism and such. All of us here pee on that stuff! Those military families are putting themselves on the line because they want to. While they're at it, they are also killing the children of other families, and the mothers and fathers of other children that have absolutely nothing to do with the corporations that command those military families back in their Kingdom of Greed. So, how about you really do something commendable and offer to help one of the orphans in Gaza or Iraq or Afghanistan. Until you do, then shut up and go salute the flag!
I'm picking "trash the Army and accomplish nothing".
Thanks for including that option!
· Yr Obd't Servant
OS, that was quite levity. It lifted me up. Just broke bread w/ a true peace advocate, informed, who thinks Obama has not had enough time? I was considering suicide until the laugh, guess i'll get high instead.
thanx I say. curses hissed the cat.
The point is to keep mother and baby together, not to send the baby off to well-intentioned strangers. I don't see that undermining this baby's development by separating him from his mother is a way to "help military families."
It's fine to step up and keep a dog or a cat for someone. A child deserves the security and confidence that comes from being with his mother, and helping him to develop trust and love is more important to our national security than anything his mother could ever accomplish in our pointless destruction of Afganistan.
I the government,the hell with the people.all we are, are slaves and tax revenue. how could one take a mother from her 11 month old child, then put that child in foster care, for any reason, we all know what the odds are for foster home children,to do well.this does not sound like the greatest country in the world to me.it sounds more like a tyrannical government.do you think she will still love and want to fight for this country after this, you can't push people around and think all is well. we all have our own thoughts of what this country should be,but i think we all agree that the people should come first,not the government.
I the government,the hell with the people.all we are, are slaves and tax revenue. how could one take a mother from her 11 month old child, then put that child in foster care, for any reason, we all know what the odds are for foster home children,to do well.this does not sound like the greatest country in the world to me.it sounds more like a tyrannical government.do you think she will still love and want to fight for this country after this, you can't push people around and think all is well. we all have our own thoughts of what this country should be,but i think we all agree that the people should come first,not the government.
Notice that all of the decision makers - officers and judges - are male.
Delivery should happen under fire. As soon as men carry a child to full-term; until then, sadly, all men must surrender to the nearest woman or child.
There is no way that an 11 month old can be properly cared for by anyone but its mother. The first four years of life are critical to child development and the mother is the prime source for ensuring normal development. This is well documented by specialists in the psychology of child development. Single fathers do not perform as well as single mothers.
If the army decides to deploy Ms. Hutchinson then the welfare of her son will be best met by deploying with her.
The child needs someone to love him and take good care of him. A mother's love is usually a given (accept in rare cases), but any loving, willing person can raise a child.
The real issue is that this mom, who loves her little boy and wants to fulfill the job of parenting, should be able to do it. Sending her to Afghanistan and her child to protective custody is evil.
Take a baby, soon to be toddler, to Afghanistan, BRILLIANT!
You are correct, other than the mother a very close and capable grandparent or aunt/and or fatherly uncle, proves only secondary at best. The key consistent presence of the mother is so vital and leaving for prolonged periods of time is dysfunctional.
Bring PEACE to Afghanistan first by leaving Afghanistan to the local populace and bringing our troops home... how's that for a solution, light and love to little Kamani today.
Specialist Alexis Hutchinson is a Soldier stationed at Hunter Army Airfield. She is not under any confinement but has been ordered to remain on the installation while the command addresses her alleged misconduct. Just days prior to her scheduled deployment, Specialist Hutchinson's commander received information that indicated that Specialist Hutchinson had engaged in misconduct. Due to the fact that Specialist Hutchinson has a small child, her deployment was delayed so that the command could ensure Specialist Hutchinson's child was cared-for and so that she could meet with legal counsel. In the meantime, Specialist Hutchinson's command had been assured that her mother is caring for her young son.
Currently, thousands of Soldiers at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield are deploying overseas. However, because of her circumstances, Specialist Hutchinson's commander is reexamining whether or not she will be able to deploy. Because her case could present a hardship to not only her child but also her extended family, Specialist Hutchinson's command has delayed her departure and will continue to work with her legal counsel.
Kevin Larson
Chief, Public Communications
Fort Stewart/3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs Office
Thank goodness this story is getting some publicity, thus forcing the professional liars (communications people) who work for the military to do some fast PR work. Any "misconduct" is on the army's side for forcing a mother to leave her baby.
What kind of people send a mother away from her infant? And what was the point of putting the baby in foster care, when his mother is the one he needs? Foster care, besides being a very poor substitute for a mother's care, is just another cost taxpayers have to pay while the "Defense" Dept sucks up our tax dollars and wastes them creating more enemies for the U.S. It is no wonder we have no jobs in this country. Military spending creates less jobs than anything else, and destroys lives in the bargain, as we can see not only from the homeless vets begging on the streets, but from stories like this, as well.
Imagine how traumatized this baby must be, first sent to his grandmother, who is already caring for a daughter with disabilities as well as two other people, then home to mom, and then to foster care. Of course, maybe the army is just trying to make sure this baby grows up damaged enough to end up in prison, an industry which works hand-in-glove with the "defense" industry's private contractors.
And, no, I don't thank any of you for your "service."
Why don't you bastards just deploy the entire US population to Afghanistan . We can create a democracy there and the world will be saved!
You know, that is brilliant. We could all be sent to Iraq and Afghanistan, and show them first hand how democracy works. And, since all the Progressive Democrats are judged to be "socialists" by the right wing, I believe that the TRUE keepers of democracy should be the first to deploy. Send the teabaggers, "true patriots", and other assorted conservative types, and how about sending some of the AIPAC folks and their "Christian" mouthpieces too, and they can put an end to that horrible religion over there! How better to show their "RIGHT STUFF" than to first hand set up an infant democracy, or the Theocracy they secretly want. I'm for it!!
Mr. Larson states that "Specialist Hutchinson's commander is reexamining whether or not she will be able to deploy." He also talks about the hardship that her deployment could cause her child. Unfortunately Mr. Larsen does not state whether the soldier's commander has ever taken to reexamine the hardship that the occupation has taken on Afghan mothers when their children are ripped to shreds by America's ubiquitous bombs. Perhaps Mr. Larsen and the commander at Fort Stewart should recall and take to heart the words of former Green Beret Donald Duncan who observed of the 18 months that he had spent in Vietnam in the 1960s:
"I was doing it right but I wasn't doing right."
But for the military to engage in any significant introspection would mean that it would have to admit, as Donald Duncan did regarding his activity in Vietnam, that what it is doing in the Middle East is unconscionable, wrong and unforgiving. And that prospect, as Mr. Larsen would probably attest, is most unlikely to happen.
And you wonder why we are indiscriminately killing people in other countries?
"We've got a piece of cannon fodder here we can deploy. She's got an infant? Throw it in the slammer and get her over to Afghanistan. If the kid grows up to be an antisocial criminal, we'll draft him and send him into our next war."
As I've written many times, this government has no empathy, no compassion. All we are to it are taxpayers and cannon fodder. It begrudges every penny of our taxes that must go to help the people.
I read an article recently that enlistments are up way beyond quota. The reason is that there are no jobs. (Could this be the plan?) The people, especially the young are losing hope. The army offers a job. Kill and conquer foreigners for the glory of the Homeland. If you live through it, you might be rewarded with a bonus...maybe. If you get hit, you are pretty much on your own if there is not enough left of you to throw back in the lines.
“... it is the totality of empire to breed repeated war. For the conquered must be periodically reconquered, and the conquerors must keep the arts and habits of camp and battlefield; and at any moment the kaleidoscope of change may throw up a new empire to challenge the old. In such a situation wars must be invented if they do not arise of their own accord; each generation must be inured to the rigors of campaigns, and taught by practice this sweet decorum of dying for one’s country.”
Will Durant
The Story of Civilization,
Volume 1, page 355
Action Alert: Contact Congresswoman Barbara Lee to urge her to "Request that the Army not deploy Alexis Hutchinson to Afghanistan so that she can care for her son."
From the 9th District (Oakland/Berkeley, CA) phone: 510-763-0370 (fax: 510-763-6538).
Or nationwide at: 202- 225-2661 (fax: 202-225-9817).
Donate to Alexis' legal and family support fund at:
http://couragetoresist.org/alexis
For updates about this situation:
http://couragetoresist.org/x/content/view/789/1/
Since when does the military deploy a single parent, male or female to a war zone? This is more than outrageous!!! What happens to this child if its mother is K.I.A.? One could possibly rationalize being angry with the mother because of the fact that she signed up for the military knowing that she could be deployed. But the child and the soldier's mother are the losers here and they have no say so either way. This stinks no matter how one chooses to look at it. The mother could simply remain on active duty here stateside, be a mother, and no harm done anywhere. Oh, but this is the military and nooooo way for logic to prevail here.
The soldier's civilian lawyer has said that "The core issue is that they are asking her to make an inhumane choice." The lawyer should have went further by pointing out that that choice is for the mother to either take care of her child in the United States or take part in an occupation which is dropping 500 lb. and 2000 lb. bombs on Afghan children and preventing her from taking care of her child. The issue does not only involve an inhumane choice. It also centers around the issue of humanity, that is whether mothers should be involved in an occupation that is ripping apart Afghan mothers from their children.
If the attorney, Rai Sue Sussman, actually thought this through, she would realize that this is how she should frame this issue. Her defense of her client should be centered around the fact that the army should not be deploying that mother unnecessarily halfway around the world in order to be part of a force that is dropping bombs on innocent mothers and children. Again, construct her case around the war. Lt. Watada did [or at least he would have if he would have taken the stand during his trial but the judge unexpectedly declared a mistrial even over the objections of the defense apparently because the judge was in mortal fear that Watada would raise the issue of the legality of the Iraq war] and the army's high court eventually ruled that the army had essentially had no case if it decided that it wanted to retry Watada. The army never refiled charges against Watada and he is now a free man.
Ms. Sussman-challenge the army and challenge the government's raison d'etre for occupying Afghanistan. It would be quite surprising if either the army or the administration can give a coherent reason why the United States is occupying Afghanistan.
Don't sign on the recuiting line,
If you cant do the time.
Dont they make baby carriers in khalki?
don't sign up for the crime . . .
Mrs. Hughes gave it a try and was overwhelmed. The Army seems to want the baby to grow up to be a criminal by putting it into state custody with no loving home. The Commander in Chief or Gates should intervene and give Hutchinson more time to find someone she can trust. The baby is under a year old, for God's sake. Why not put off her deployment into a war that is pointless until the baby is at least 3 years old? Give the child a chance.
The solution is obvious: neuter all recruits.
They're not signing on to create life but to destroy it.
Where is the Commander in Chief? This is more than outrageous.
Where IS the commander-in chief, indeed!
Sign on for the love train!!
Kamani is 11 mos! surely we can train him on x box to run drone coverage for his mom?