Should a Soldier with 2 Purple Hearts from 2 previous tours in Iraq be ordered to serve a third tour?

Sgt. Ismael Solorio, 21, of San Luis, Ariz., died Monday during his third Iraq deployment,Solorio, a high school honor student, passed up college scholarships to join the Army, his sister said. With his parents' permission, he enlisted at age 17.


On his 1st tour in Iraq, a snipers bullet shattered his jaw and took out all his teeth.


On his second tour, a roadside bomb left him with shrapnel wounds.


He was awarded 2 Purple Hearts.


During his last visit home in January, he married his High School sweetheart and mother of his 1 year old daughter.


"My husband was diagnosed with PTSD, extreme depression, and still he was sent back," his newlywed wife said of his third tour.





A Fort Carson spokesman said all soldiers must pass a screening before being deployed. "They go through an entire process that checks everything. It's medical, it's mental health, it's the whole gamut," said the post's Karen Linne.

Should a Soldier with 2 Purple Hearts from 2 previous tours in Iraq be ordered to serve a third tour?
They should go back to the point system they had in World War 2. Purple hearts and time in theater and combat accumulated points. Once a certain amount of points were reached you were sent home. Maybe not practical in today's army but worth trying.


I think the Army is trying to avoid sending a preponderance of green soldiers in combat and sending skilled and veteran soldiers home. This was one of the tragedies of the Vietnam war as in an attempt to be fair inexperienced troops were rushed into combat and the survivors once they became skilled were sent home and replaced by green troops.


One thing I differ on is I do not believe PTSD is a real medical aliment. I think it is a post-Vietnam era invention for alleged vets to get on disability and never need to hold a job again for the rest of their lives at tax payer (including wounded veteran's) expense.
Reply:It was up to him! He didn't have to go if he didn't want to. I'm sorry for the loss of a great man. God bless him! ex-USMC
Reply:First, I want to say thank you to that soldier and his family for their service to the country.





Secondly, he volunteered to serve and barring a medical or psychological problem that disables him he will have to serve until his contract has been met.





We will never know how many innocent people will live long and happy lives due to his sacrifice.





God bless
Reply:If he wanted to go - I say yes. My brother did 3 tours in Viet Nam. BUT if he didn't want to go ( and by the way his wife talks, it doesn't seem he wanted to do 3 tours) it shows the military is still being treated as second class citizens. Then this story is nauseating.


I can't believe he was still in the military with a shattered jaw. There was a guy in Viet Nam that had his entire jaw blown off by a rocket attack. He was sent home. (He ended up living in his mother's basement, drinking his meals. After about 10 years, medicine had advanced to the poiny where a doctor told him he could fashion a new jaw for him out of one of his ribs. It would at least allow him to chew solid food. The military told him they wouldn't pay for the operation - they considered it a 'cosmetic' procedure.)
Reply:That's the life a soldier. It sucks, but that's what they do. The best you can do is wish the soldier luck and pray they make it home safe.





People shouldn't join the military or any other job that is extremely risky if they don't want to deal with the risk. He should have signed up for the Navy that way he could have it easy while still serving his country.
Reply:I agree with some of these other folks. I am a service member and married to a Marine. This could have been the choice of the soldier. He most definitely could have gotten out with a medical discharge and VA compensation.


While this loss is very sad...it should make you feel more pride to be American. These good men and women are giving their all for your freedoms, and trying to allow the Iraqi people the same types of freedoms.


I just hate to see these types of stories twisted as Anti-War propaganda. Its a shame.....you know he was probably very proud of who he was and all he gave his country!
Reply:No! Arrrgh by no means should that Soldier have been sent to Iraq for a third time. It's a disgrace!





bush is breaking the backs of the Army and Marine Corps.





It's criminal and bush should be punished!





IMPEACH bush NOW!!!
Reply:I feel bad for the Families that have lost soldiers. But that soldier made a choice to stay in the military. Plus there is an extensive screening of all soldiers before they deploy. That screening covers psychical and mental assessments. But you have to remember that the military is a volunteer and no one has been drafted to fight in OIF or OEF.





Support and Bless our troops
Reply:Sent into harm's way by those who have never served. Pathetic leadership.





God bless Sgt. Solorio.
Reply:He problety wanted to go back. Most of them do.





Its very sad either way.

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