COUNTERING MILITARY RECRUITMENT
Articles: Leaving Military: Stop-Loss
Third Time's the Harm
Dave Newbart, The Chicago Sun Times
December 28, 2006
Steven Henderson served his country during two tours of duty as an
Army sergeant in Afghanistan - repeatedly coming under enemy fire and
seeing fellow soldiers maimed and U.S. helicopters gunned down.
The Chicago native is back home now after being honorably discharged
20 months ago. He's married and working toward a college degree - but the
Army has called upon him again.
A letter he received two weeks before Christmas orders him to report
to Fort Benning, Ga., by Jan. 14. Under the order, he is required to fight
in Iraq for a period "not to exceed 545 days."
But this time, Henderson says he will not serve his country.
"It would take a miracle for me to put on a uniform again and to carry
a weapon in Iraq," he said. "I have no intentions of going to Iraq."
Henderson, 34, mailed off an appeal to the military Wednesday in hopes
he can get out of the obligation. He already completed four years of active
duty, including 17 months in operations all over Afghanistan. He received
several commendations and even appears in Not a Good Day to Die, a book
about Operation Anaconda, a U.S.-led assault in eastern Afghanistan in
2002. The book recounts an operation where Henderson and another soldier
survived heavy enemy fire. "That was the longest 18 hours of my life," he
recalled.
Henderson married a woman from Ecuador, and she is awaiting a visa to
come to the United States with a child from a previous relationship.
He's also currently studying business at Northern Illinois University
and hopes to eventually go to law school.
"I find it appalling that two days prior to my final exams, two years
after any formal training, and with two tours of combat duty served, the
U.S. military would even consider reactivating myself or any soldier," he
said. "To ask that of any veteran is crazy."
Could Lose Benefits
But it's allowed under the contract all enlistees sign. Soldiers can
be called into active duty anytime within eight years of signing up, said
Bryan Hilferty, an Army personnel spokesman at the Pentagon.
Since the involuntary mobilizations started in the summer of 2004,
about 11,000 soldiers have been called back into duty, more than in any
previous war, Hilferty said. But 4,600 have been granted delays or hardship
exemptions, and only 6,000 have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.
Hilferty said only 200 veterans haven't reported. Although penalties
can include jail time, typically soldiers lose their honorable discharge
status, which could threaten their Army benefits and have implications for
future employment.
At her Olympia Fields home Wednesday, Henderson's mother, Kathleen
White, teared up when thinking that her only son could end up back in
harm's way.
His stepfather, Herbert White, who relies on his stepson for help
around the house as he awaits a liver transplant, said he was worried about
his son going abroad for potentially the third time. "How many chances does
he have before something really bad happens? I'm afraid this will be the
third strike."
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