Emails Allege Fort Carson Deploying Injured GIs To War Zones

"We have been having issues reaching deployable strength, and thus have been taking along some borderline soldiers who we would otherwise have left behind for continued treatment"--e-mail alleging injured GIs are being redeployed improperly and prematurely

---

"This soldier should NOT have even left CONUS (the United States). . . . In his current state, he is not full mission capable and in his current condition is a risk to further injury to himself, others and his unit"--physician Maj. Thomas Schymanski

Injured soldiers have no business being sent back into war zones, so here's to hoping the following allegations prove untrue (and given the moonbat/MSM desire to smear the troops, this should get heavy play later today):

Fort Carson sent soldiers who were not medically fit to war zones last month to meet "deployable strength" goals, according to e-mails obtained by The Denver Post.

One e-mail, written Jan. 3 by the surgeon for Fort Carson's 3rd Brigade Combat Team, says: "We have been having issues reaching deployable strength, and thus have been taking along some borderline soldiers who we would otherwise have left behind for continued treatment."
. . .
Fort Carson could not say Wednesday how many soldiers were considered "no-go's" by medical professionals at the SRP site but were ultimately sent overseas.
. . .
Singh said he does not believe medically unfit soldiers have been deployed to Iraq. He said soldiers with medical issues are only sent to theater if there is a light-duty job for them and medical services are available in theater. He said 3,500 of the brigade's 3,700 soldiers were deployed. The others probably stayed home because medical services could not be found for them in theater.

One injured soldier, Master Sergeant Denny Nelson, says he found himself being returned to Iraq despite critical injuries that all but rendered him ineffective:

Capt. Scot Tebo's e-mail was, in part, a reference to Master Sgt. Denny Nelson, a 19-year Army veteran, who was sent overseas last month despite doctors' orders that he not run, jump or carry more than 20 pounds for three months because of a severe foot injury.

Nelson took the medical report to the Soldier Readiness Process, or SRP, site on Fort Carson, where health-care professionals recommended Nelson stay home.

The soldier, who has a Bronze Star and is a member of the Mountain Post's Audie Murphy Chapter, was sent to Kuwait on Dec. 29.
. . .
"This soldier should NOT have even left CONUS (the United States). . . . In his current state, he is not full mission capable and in his current condition is a risk to further injury to himself, others and his unit," said the physician, Maj. Thomas Schymanski.

Nelson, 38, had fractured his leg and destroyed the tendons that hold the bones in his feet together while jumping on his daughter's trampoline.

He arrived back at Fort Carson on Sunday.

"I just want to make sure these soldiers get back safe. I got back, and the only reason I got back safe is because I'm an E-8 (master sergeant). If I was a private or a specialist, I guarantee you, I'd be in Iraq," he said. "If nothing comes out of this other than those soldiers coming back home before one of them gets killed, then I can sleep at night. But God forbid if something happens, and I didn't do anything . . . ."

Major Andrew Olmsted Laid To Rest

"He lived life to the fullest every day. There was never a challenge he did not meet head- on. There was never anything he saw that was too hard for him to take on"--longtime friend Maj. David Willis

A touching video tribute--bring some tissues.

Beyonce Concert To Honor Returning Fort Carson Soldiers

Nice to see a performing artist honor rather than attack our troops:

Pop superstar Beyonce will honor five Fort Carson soldiers for their Iraq service during her concert tonight at the Pepsi Center.

The 25-year-old singer's recognition of the soldiers is part of the Army's Operation Tribute to Freedom program, which honors returning soldiers for their service in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Among the soldiers to be singled out at "The Beyonce Experience" concert before a crowd of more than 19,000 people will be Spc. Maurice Boozer. He served in Iraq with the 59th Quartermaster Company, ensuring units had fuel to keep vital equipment and vehicles running.

Boozer and his unit were credited with pumping more than 10 billion gallons of flammable fuel to combat units — treacherous duty in a war zone fraught with suicide bombers and hidden roadside explosives.