Home for Christmas before Afghanistan???

These soldiers are coming from pretty high unemployment number counties in South Carolina. Why they’re training in Wisconsin only the military can give that answer, what with all the bases in North Carolina and South Carolina you’d think they’s have had regional training spots closer to home. This is also probably hitting other units in other parts of the country as well.

Christmas homecoming in jeopardy for Fort Mill soldiers

More than $35,000 must be raised to get guardsmen home before leaving for Afghanistan

But if wives and mothers like them can’t raise at least $35,000, their men might not get home for Christmas before leaving for Afghanistan.

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Guardsmen have dealt with similar situations in past deployments.

Under federal military guidelines, neither the S.C. National Guard nor the Army can pay for transportation for the soldiers on leave, said Lt. Col. Pete Brooks, spokesman for the guard. The government can pay for leave after deployment – such as travel home from the war zone – but not before the soldiers are actually deployed overseas.

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The Fort Mill unit as a whole went to Iraq in 2003-04 and many went to Afghanistan in 2007-08. Many in the unit are readying for their second or even third deployment in the past six years to an Afghanistan war zone that is the most dangerous it has ever been.

Bonnie Hoagland, with a husband and two sons in the unit, said the system needs to be changed to allow the federal government to cover travel costs after the soldiers leave home before deployment.

“I don’t know any families right now – at this time of year, in this economy – who have that kind of money to come home,” Hoagland said.

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Want to Help?

To donate to the Fort Mill National Guard unit’s return home for Christmas, contact:

Wanda Bennett with the Family Readiness Group at 803-519-6292

The Rock Hill National Guard Armory, Family Readiness Group, 126 Airport Road, Rock Hill, S.C., 29730.

The National Guard Association of South Carolina, 132 Pickens St., Columbia, S.C. 29205; 803-254-8456 or National Guard Association of South Carolina…>>>>>

In searching for the news video of the above story, couldn’t find it yet at the local station I caught it on, I found another from early last month about North Carolina’s Operation Home Front

Operation Homefront helps military families during holidays

The article link gives you what’s said in the video if you can view that.

Word is like many groups that seek donations for a whole host of issues many helping the Soldiers, Families and Veterans are hurting as well. These shouldn’t be having any problems, but it comes down to the citizens of this country and will cheer on these Wars then Occupations of Choice but if called upon to Sacrifice Themselves they go all ‘teabag’ meme’s with waving “Don’t Tread On Me” flags and packin loaded guns in large gatherings with children around!!

If the Military called for funding all these, outside of the Bloated Defense Budgets that no one complains about, these same types and like minded would be screamin foul just like they will in false outrage that soldiers and families of need to resort to asking for donations to have time with their families before going off to the long running occupation of others!!

You may want to find out if your state or locale have similar programs and if they too are struggling with funding.