Hub Rep in Iraq: Troops Angry At Extended Tours
Heather Schultz and Colneth Smiley Jr.
Lynch, who is leading a congressional trip monitoring the surge strategy in Baghdad, said the news was particularly “gut-wrenching” for men and women who expected to leave soon. “All of the hope had been built up.”
Several soldiers had asked Lynch to speak to their families, to help smooth things over.
“This war is being paid for in blood by noble and brave young individuals,” said Patrick Vadaro, father of 1st Lt. Patrick Louis Vadaro, 25, who served before in Beiji, Iraq, and is getting ready to return.
“He served 12 months . . . and came home on Sept. 11, 2005. Now he’s getting ready to be deployed again,” said the elder Vadaro, of Norwood.
“The thought of him being over there for 12 months, nevermind 15, is just too much. It’s time to start reducing our troops over there,” he said. “As a parent, I worry about my son’s safety as I do all the military men. Every time I hear of one killed, it takes a piece of me away. These troops come back with a lot of emotional baggage. There’s a lot being asked of these young people. My son is a very educated young man, but as a soldier he will do what is asked of him, and I am proud of him for that.”
Lynch said the surge strategy, which has Army platoons placed in Iraqi neighborhoods, already increases the stress on combat soldiers.
“I think we all agree that the work being done by our men and women in uniform is absolutely heroic,” Lynch said.