"Family hopes slain soldier's sisters can avoid more Iraq duty"

[jean]

http://www.startribune.com/stories/1762/4716676.html


From left, sisters Rachel, 24, Charity, 19, mother Lori, and Charity's twin Michelle share a hug in December 2003 at their New Berlin, Wi. home. Michelle was killed in an ambush late last week and was the 16th Wisconsin soldier killed in Iraq.



NEW BERLIN, Wis. -- John and Lori Witmer already lost one daughter to the war in Iraq - they don't want to lose a second, or a third.The Witmers have made a public appeal for the Army to reassign their daughters Rachel and Charity from their posts in Iraq following the death of their sister Michelle, who was killed in an ambush late last week.

John Witmer has made an appeal to military leaders to allow his other two daughters to stay in Wisconsin following Michelle's funeral on Wednesday. Relatives also sought help from U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., and U.S. Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., R-Wis., who both pledged to help the sisters if they seek transfers. Michelle's 24-year-old sister, Rachel, serves in the same military police unit, while Charity, Michelle's twin sister, was sent to Iraq late last year as a medic with Company B of the Wisconsin Guard's 118th Medical Battalion. The Witmers also have two sons.

Army spokesman Lt. Col. Kevin Curry said Defense Department policy states that if a soldier dies while serving in a hostile area, other soldiers of the same family are exempt on request from serving in a hostile area. That request must come from the soldiers themselves.

[Earth_First]

1. I saw this story on the local evening news...

heartwrenching...

[jbfam4]

2. This story was on the Today show

and repeated several times on MSNBC. My prayers and thoughts are with this family and all those who have loved ones involved in this immoral war of choice........Bush's war.

[rfkrocks]

3. the sin of our president

he laughs about those weapons of mass destruction-this loss of this one life is no laughing matter let alone the untold suffering we the us gave to the world-why did she join the service? was it after 9/11 to defend her country?a noble cause but then her blood spilled for a war of choice not related to that? she is just out of her teen years eternally young now but unable to share the things we appreciate over here-lost for good-no more "wars of choice" how horrible it is-war entered into so lightly and now some poor mom and sisters have to deal with this-announcement to all fundie Christians-our Lord said blessed are the peacemakers and not the warmongers-Bush does not deserve the sacrifice of one of these lives-when will we ever learn:cry:

[Cleita]

4. I wonder if that family voted for Bush in 2000. n/t

[ComerPerro]

5. Best of luck to them

Bush is a sick motherfucker.

I hope families all over the US can see their sons and daughters return home safely and soon.

[jean]

6. Yahoo today - "Slain Soldier's Kin Want Sibling GIs Home"

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/sister_soldiers

"I can't live another year like I've lived this one," John Witmer told The Associated Press. "The sacrifice that this family's made can never be understood by someone who hasn't gone through it... It's a burden I can't bear. My family can't bear it."

Witmer Family: http://home.wi.rr.com/jwitmer/index.htm



Michelle (left to right), Rachel and Charity Witmer have their picture taken in Iraq (news - web sites) in this undated file photo. Michelle, one of the three Wisconsin sisters serving in Iraq, was killed Friday, April 9, 2004, and the family is appealing to military leaders to prevent the two surviving sisters from being sent back after her funeral. (AP Photo/HO)

picture added on edit