Soldier skips flight to Afghanistan because there is no care for her child.

[CCTAU]

Read through this and give your thoughts. Having a son in teh Army and knowing how the Army has operated in the past, I know what my thoughts are. But I would like to hear a few more stories first.

Soldier mom refuses deployment to care for baby

By RUSS BYNUM, AP Military Writer Russ Bynum, Ap Military Writer – Mon Nov 16, 9:32 pm ET

SAVANNAH, Ga. – An Army cook and single mom may face criminal charges after she skipped her deployment flight to Afghanistan because, she said, no one was available to care for her infant son while she was overseas.

Spc. Alexis Hutchinson, 21, claims she had no choice but to refuse deployment orders because the only family she had to care for her 10-month-old son — her mother — was overwhelmed by the task, already caring for three other relatives with health problems.

Her civilian attorney, Rai Sue Sussman, said Monday that one of Hutchinson's superiors told her she would have to deploy anyway and place the child in foster care.

"For her it was like, 'I couldn't abandon my child,'" Sussman said. "She was really afraid of what would happen, that if she showed up they would send her to Afghanistan anyway and put her son with child protective services."

Hutchinson, who is from Oakland, Calif., remained confined Monday to the boundaries of Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, 10 days after military police arrested her for skipping her unit's flight. No charges have been filed, but a spokesman for the Army post said commanders were investigating.

Kevin Larson, a spokesman for Hunter Army Airfield, said he didn't know what Hutchinson was told by her commanders, but he said the Army would not deploy a single parent who had nobody to care for his or her child.

"I don't know what transpired and the investigation will get to the bottom of it," Larson said. "If she would have come to the deployment terminal with her child, there's no question she would not have been deployed."

Hutchinson's son, Kamani, was placed into custody overnight with a daycare provider on the Army post after she was arrested and jailed briefly, Larson said. Hutchinson's mother picked up the child a week ago and took him back to her home in California.

Hutchinson, who's assigned to the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, joined the Army in 2007 and had no previous deployments, Sussman said. She said Hutchinson is no longer in a relationship with the father.

The Army requires all single-parent soldiers to submit a care plan for dependent children before they can deploy to a combat zone.

Hutchinson had such a plan — her mother, Angelique Hughes, had agreed to care for the boy. Hughes said Monday she kept the boy for about two weeks in October before deciding she couldn't keep him for a full year.

Hughes said she's already having to care for her ailing mother and sister, as well as a daughter with special needs. She also runs a daycare center at her home, keeping about 14 children during the day.

"This is an infant, and they require 24-hour care," Hughes said. "It was very, very stressful, just too much for me to deal with."

Hughes said she returned Kamani to his mother in Georgia a few days before her scheduled deployment Nov. 5.

She said they told her daughter's commanders they needed more time to find another family member or close friend to help Hughes care for the boy, but Hutchinson was ordered to deploy on schedule.

Larson, the Army post spokesman, said officials planned to keep Hutchinson in Georgia as investigators gathered facts about the case.

"Spc. Hutchinson's deployment is halted," Larson said. "There will be no deployment while this situation is ongoing."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/ap_on_re_us/us_soldier_mom_deployment

[AWK]

She enlisted, made the commitment, knew she could be deployed, and chose to have children. 

Now she has to live up to her obligations, sorry, life in the military isn't caring and kind.

[dallaswareagle]

She enlisted, made the commitment, knew she could be deployed, and chose to have children. 
            ^^^^^^^This                                     ^^^^^^That

Now she has to live up to her obligations, sorry, life in the military isn't caring and kind.

[AUsweetheart]

She enlisted, made the commitment, knew she could be deployed, and chose to have children. 

Now she has to live up to her obligations, sorry, life in the military isn't caring and kind.

Ok I agree with this too...but the part about having to put the kid in FOSTER CARE.....I mean, come on....would you do it?

[dallaswareagle]

Ok I agree with this too...but the part about having to put the kid in FOSTER CARE.....I mean, come on....would you do it?

Prolly not, but then again I would not have put myself (or kid if I had any) in a position to have to make that decision. I know this kind of soldier, willing to take all the perks, I wonder how many time she went and used that free medical care, got some kind of help from some on post free service. I bet she took every paycheck they gave her ( and still is). But no worries, the military will puss out. They will discharge her.

[CCTAU]

So some of you guys are saying she should have just hopped on the plane and let her kid go into the system? And some of you seem to think she was playing the Army and got caught?

Read carefully the story again and let me know if you think the Army would not have sent her if she showed up with a kid in her arms.

[dallaswareagle]

So some of you guys are saying she should have just hopped on the plane and let her kid go into the system? And some of you seem to think she was playing the Army and got caught?

Read carefully the story again and let me know if you think the Army would not have sent her if she showed up with a kid in her arms.

Spc. Alexis Hutchinson, 21, claims she had no choice but to refuse deployment orders because the only family she had to care for her 10-month-old son — her mother — was overwhelmed by the task, already caring for three other relatives with health problems.

I have seen people use any and every excuse to get out out of deployments. Those of us that did go, had to pick up the slack. I have no pity for her. I wonder if the other soldiers-who will have to cover her duty- will?

[AUTiger1]

I have a few thoughts. 

#1.  I would have words with my mother.  She can keep and take care of 14 kids, not her own, running a day care in her home, but she can't keep her own grandchild......I know, she said it was too stressful.  Sorry, but you take care of your own first.

#2.  So her mother was the only person she knew that could keep the kid?

#3.  Agree with AWK, sorry, she signed and she knew there was a chance that she could be deployed.  That's life, sometimes the ball doesn't allways bounce your way.  You know, obligations, responsibility and stuff.

#4.  If it were me in that situation and I were a single parent, knowing full well that I could be deployed not only would I have it set up for my child to stay with someone I trusted, I would also have a back up plan or two in order to make sure that my child had somewhere to stay. 

[Saniflush]

Throw the book at the bitch.  If it had truly come down to those circumstances you request a hardship discharge.  This is all smoke and mirrors because she didn't do the right thing.

[CCTAU]

OK. She had a plan. It fell through at the last minute. A backup plan? How many people EVER have a backup plan?

I think the hardship thing would be the best deal, but she was trying up to the last minute to find someone. I know some folks go to elaborate lengths. But this does not seem to be one of them.

My question still remains. Assuming this person did all they could and it fell apart like she says, do you think the Army would have made her get on that plane if she had shown up with her child in her arms?

And if so, would they have been right to do so?

[AUTiger1]

OK. She had a plan. It fell through at the last minute. A backup plan? How many people EVER have a backup plan?

I think the hardship thing would be the best deal, but she was trying up to the last minute to find someone. I know some folks go to elaborate lengths. But this does not seem to be one of them.

My question still remains. Assuming this person did all they could and it fell apart like she says, do you think the Army would have made her get on that plane if she had shown up with her child in her arms?

And if so, would they have been right to do so?

Yes a backup plan.  You make sure your own is taken care of.  Right now, if I were in the Army and were a single parent, I would ask my parents, I would also have asked my brother or someone else in case something happend and my parents couldn't do it. 

No, the Army wouldn't have made her get on the plane if she had show up with the child in her arms.  I think the article stated that. 

[Saniflush]

OK. She had a plan. It fell through at the last minute. A backup plan? How many people EVER have a backup plan?

I think the hardship thing would be the best deal, but she was trying up to the last minute to find someone. I know some folks go to elaborate lengths. But this does not seem to be one of them.

My question still remains. Assuming this person did all they could and it fell apart like she says, do you think the Army would have made her get on that plane if she had shown up with her child in her arms?

And if so, would they have been right to do so?

See this is the problem I have.  I find it hard to believe that she exhausted all her resources trying to get this rectified one way or the other.  Now it comes down to personal responsibility.  At the end of the day it should hurt to do stupid shit. 

Not my problem she does stupid shit.  Consequences or actually lack of consequences is one thing that has this country in the state that it is.

[CCTAU]

Yes a backup plan.  You make sure your own is taken care of.  Right now, if I were in the Army and were a single parent, I would ask my parents, I would also have asked my brother or someone else in case something happend and my parents couldn't do it. 

No, the Army wouldn't have made her get on the plane if she had show up with the child in her arms.  I think the article stated that. 

So you are stating that because someone in an article after the fact stated that they would not have done that, then it is true, they would not have done it?

You think folks enlisted in the Army are like you and me? You think they always have the family and support structure that we have?


I don't like the fact that there are single parents (moms) in the Army. Maybe the situation could have been handled better, but an Army cook is not at the top of the knowledge pole.

And don't think for a second that the Army would not have called child services and then put her on the plane anyway. The Army does whatever the hell it wants to do. As a soldier, you are the official property of the Army. You don't have rights, you have requests.

Do we really think that the paperwork for a hardship would have gone through before she was to deploy? How many of you in the Army have ever had ANY paperwork go through quickly?

Do we really know if her superiors were notified and what they said? Many Sgts do what they want and threaten to bust your rank if you go above them. Did this happen here?

At this point in time, the Army needs to get their money's worth out of this woman. If that means working her extra here in the states,then so be it. If it means busting her rank down, then that too. But I damn sure don't think they need to let her out. But I also feel they need to work together in this.

[AUTiger1]

So you are stating that because someone in an article after the fact stated that they would not have done that, then it is true, they would not have done it?  --- I am not stating that as fact, you said to re-read the article and I just re-stated what the article stated.

You think folks enlisted in the Army are like you and me? You think they always have the family and support structure that we have? --- I know a lot of folks that are enlisted that have plenty of family support. My best friend from HS is in right now, we planned on going in at the same time, It just so happend that I didn't medically cleared.  He was no different than me, same background.  You can't paint with that broad of a brush.  There are lots of folks in the milliraty that come from solid backgrounds and are normal everyday people.  Your right, not all of them do, but that's not the Army's fault if they do or don't.


I don't like the fact that there are single parents (moms) in the Army. Maybe the situation could have been handled better, but an Army cook is not at the top of the knowledge pole.   --- Agree, but the fact is they do allow it and she is in there, like it or not.  Don't care if she is an Army cook or not, she should know any and all policies and procedures that could pertain to her.  It's like where I work.  Nowhere near the top of the totem pole but I am expected to spout off policies and procedures and know where to locate the proper paper work if I need to during an audit.  She should have know what proper steps she needed to take, if she didn't, then she is at fault, not someone else.

And don't think for a second that the Army would not have called child services and then put her on the plane anyway. The Army does whatever the hell it wants to do. As a soldier, you are the official property of the Army. You don't have rights, you have requests.  If they did that, then that is tough.  I stated earlier that she knew what she was getting into and that it is her responsibility to get her shit squared away.  No one else. I can't answer that question honestly.  I was never in the Army.

Do we really think that the paperwork for a hardship would have gone through before she was to deploy? How many of you in the Army have ever had ANY paperwork go through quickly? Once again, wasn't in the Army so I couldn't tell you how fast they don't or do process paperwork.

Do we really know if her superiors were notified and what they said? Many Sgts do what they want and threaten to bust your rank if you go above them. Did this happen here?  Don't know, but the skeptic in me, says it didn't happen or her lawyer would have already stated or hinted at such in order to paint the Army as the bad guy and her client as an innocent single parent.

At this point in time, the Army needs to get their money's worth out of this woman. If that means working her extra here in the states,then so be it. If it means busting her rank down, then that too. But I damn sure don't think they need to let her out. But I also feel they need to work together in this. I can agree with that, but I also feel like she needs to be punished if the Army is in the clear here.

Replies above in Red. 

[CCTAU]

Interesting responses, all. I too feel like she knew the score. But I also know that things change and from what we know, she did not handle it properly.

But I also know that there are some stupid shits in the Army (as there are everywhere) who should not be in charge of other human beings...but they are. That being said, we have no idea of the inner working of this issue. The fact that this chick got a lawyer tells me that she had plans that were not ever going to allow her to deploy. As soon as she is out on her ass cooking at a waffle king on the interstate with no benefits, she will understand what it was that the Army provided her and her child with. Of course that is if she decides to work. She probably has seen the ONE's new programs and figures it's time for her new car and house with no money down and no payments...EVER.

[AUTiger1]

See this is the problem I have.  I find it hard to believe that she exhausted all her resources trying to get this rectified one way or the other.  Now it comes down to personal responsibility.  At the end of the day it should hurt to do stupid poop. 

Not my problem she does stupid poop.  Consequences or actually lack of consequences is one thing that has this country in the state that it is.

^^THIS^^

How in the hell I didn't see this I don't know.  Couldn't have said it better myself. 

[Come Honor Face]

Eh, we trust soldiers with a lot of different things when they enlist. That could be multi million dollar equipment or secret shit.  You figure that she would be responsible enough to keep her legs closed or atleast use protection.  We had the same type of "sponges" in our unit.  The only difference is that everytime their situation changed, they would update their family care plan so when it came time to deployment, no one really complained and some even made it out here.

She knew what she was doing.  She was playng and got burned.  They'll work her ass at a rear det somewhere and she'll still enjoy the benefits and she'll know and spread her knowledge to others that if you get knocked you get to stay home.

Useless.