Just a Small Piece of Americana

[Targa Dude]

Wednesday April 2, 2003; 7:01 p.m. EST
Rescued POW Jessica Lynch Wins Scholarship

Rescued POW Jessica Lynch, who reportedly joined the military to help finance a college education with an eye towards become a teacher, has been offered a scholarship by West Virginia University.

University President David Hardesty told West Virginia's WCHS-TV that he and other school officials had been reading about how Lynch joined the Army in order to help further her education. Hardesty said that W-V-U wants to add to any assistance Lynch may receive from the military in financing that goal.

The university made a scholarship offer through a family friend, the TV station said. W-V-U mementos and a note, tied with a yellow ribbon, were also sent to PFC Lynch's Palestine, W.Va. home.

Lynch was recovering in a hospital Wednesday in Germany and was apparently unaware of the offer. Her injuries after ten days held captive by Iraqi authorities are said to include two broken legs, a broken arm and a gunshot wound.

Isn't the United States of America Greatest!

Jorge (Targa Dude)

[CamB]

Isn't the United States of America Greatest!

Well yeah, that is pretty cool..... publicity for the University.

Will this offer be extended by the University in question to all the US soldiers in Iraq (or still in the US?) who have joined the army to help pay for studies? I'd think it was a lot greater if the offer was annonymous or came in three months.

Was nice to see someone come home safely in this morning's new though!

[emcon5]

I don't know about that one, but some state universities did this after the first Gulf war. University of Illinois did this for all residents who were gulf vets. One of my best friends from high school got a free 4 year degree this way (the bastard ).

Tom

[Targa Dude]

I see you don't get it.. It don't matter if anyone gets a scholarship..
what matters is This young women put her life on the line for her country The United States of America, Now her long life dream of being a teacher will be comming true. Why?? Because she's an American.
I would love to be one of her students The fact that she will be teaching some of our students what being a proud american is all about and what it means to fight for Democracy and Freedom, She will be able to express with all sincerity what it means to have put your life on the line so that other people on this earth can have that right as well.

Thats what it means...

Jorge (Targa Dude)

[turbo6bar]

I enjoy seeing this. As I watched news clips earlier, I wondered if the families of those killed in the line of duty will get compensation. I recall one soldier served in Bosnia, the Gulf War, and lost his life in this war, leaving behind a wife and child. Does anyone know if the US government provides compensation for the immediate family?

Cameron, military personnel get discounts and some can enroll for free classes. They definitely get good treatment. In fact, I would argue that some are in the military for the education only. Then, when a war starts, they scream bloody murder, "When I joined the Army, I never thought I'd have to fight in a war." Most personnel, though, deserve the perks, because they sacrifice a lot, and some make the ultimate sacrifice. I am very thankful for them, and I fully support any measures to improve their lives.

Jürgen

[CamB]

I don't mean to slur the military in any way, and I agree (for a change!) with what Jorge says about Jessica Lynch and what she can bring to teaching.

However, the cynic in me wonders if the same offer would have been made by the university if not for the publicity that comes out of the offer.

[turbo6bar]

Well, I'm happy to see it happen, so I've quelled my cynical thoughts. Just be happy for the gal.

[emcon5]

Originally posted by turbo6bar
Does anyone know if the US government provides compensation for the immediate family?

There is an automatic servicemans group life insurance. From memory, the value is not very high, but more coverage is available. I seem to remember that there was other survivor benefits as well, but I didn't have dependants at the time, so I didn't pay much attention.

In fact, I would argue that some are in the military for the education only. Then, when a war starts, they scream bloody murder, "When I joined the Army, I never thought I'd have to fight in a war."

I haven't heard of any of this happening this time around, but this was always something that really irritated me in 1990/91. Some tool whining "I joined the Army for school money, not to fight a war!" It really makes me wonder, what army did they think they were joining? The Salvation Army? Did they not notice the pictures of the tanks and guys with guns in the recruiters office?

I think it should be pretty common knowledge by this point that when you join the ARMED FORCES that the possibility exists that you may die a violent death. If someone is too stupid to realize that, they probably should be locked up somewhere for their own safety.

Another thing that chafes my hide, born-again "consciencous objectors." I don't mean people who are against war under any circumstances, that is a moral decision that is up to the individual, and if you believe that way, that is your right and I respect that. However, what I do have a problem with is a guy who has been in the military for a few years, and has his school money locked up, is milking the benefits for all they are worth, only to decide he is against war the moment the possiblilty arises that he may actually have to go fight.

Reality check: When you enlist in the military, there is a ton of paperwork that is filled out. One of those documents has a list of yes/no statements that you must mark and initial. One of those statements is along the lines of "I have no beliefs that would preclude me taking up arms for the government." If you do have such a belief, that is fine, but you can't be in the military. It is an all-volunteer force. It is not like people are being drafted. You go sign up, you get the benefits of the military, but you get everything that goes with it, crappy pay, separation from family, and the off chance you could get killed.

Or worse, a 3 year assignment to Adak.

Tom

[Aurel]

I am also very happy for her. But this whole thing made me think that if a little less money was dedicated to the military and a little more to grants for high education, she would not have had to enlist in the first place. It is a perverted system when people need to enlist in the military in order to get an education.

Aurel

[rcecale]

Originally posted by Aurel
...It is a perverted system when people need to enlist in the military in order to get an education.

Aurel

Aurel,

There you go again, spouting off about stuff you just know NOTHING about! There are several ways to get sponsorship for education in this country. Joining the Military is merely one of these methods.

Paying for college is just one of the benefits of joining the Military. It is almost the same thing as a company in the private sector paying for college. Many companies in this great country of ours offer the same benefit.

The reasons I say it is "almost" the same are these:

1.) The Military will pay for 75% of your college education while you are on active duty. The only requirement is that you must maintain a "C" average. EVERYBODY is eligible for this program

2.) You are not limited to taking courses that are applicable to your job. For instance, when I was doing computer support in Lake Tahoe, the casino I worked for offered to pay for further education. It was stipulated, however, that any courses I took had to be IT related. In the military, you can study whatever you want.

3.) There is also the GI Bill, which pays for college after you leave the Military at the end of your enlistment. This also is available to EVERYBODY who serves. Tell me one company that offers THAT kind of benefit.

Aurel, nobody 'needs' to enlist in the Military to get an education. I'm sure PFC Lynch had other opportunities available to her, such as working her way through college, etc. Maybe, just maybe, she also felt the desire to serve her country as well. I don't know her so I can't say that with any certainty. But it's a bet I would be willing to make.

Randy

[rcecale]

Originally posted by emcon5
Or worse, a 3 year assignment to Adak.

Tom

HEY!!!! I spent 3 years in Adak, one week!

Randy

[island911]

Why is it that the non-US inputs to this thread go out of their way to be "turds in the punch bowl" ?

Remind me of an old girlfriend, that couldn't stand-it if I was happy about something. She would immediately try find something (anything)to take me down a notch or two.
Twisted!

Oh yeah, that was back when I was putting my self through school, with work and loans.

[rcecale]

Was she a french girl?

Randy

[emcon5]

Damn, looks like she is a scrapper:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=578&e=2&cid=578&u=/nm/20030403/ts_nm/iraq_rescue_lynch_dc

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Rescued U.S. soldier Jessica Lynch shot several Iraqi soldiers prior to her capture, firing her weapon until she ran out of ammunition, The Washington Post reported on Thursday, citing U.S. officials.

The 19-year-old private first class continued firing at the Iraqis even after she sustained multiple gunshot wounds and watched several other soldiers in her unit die around her, one official told the newspaper.

Tom

[island911]

yeah Tom, I imagine such a sweet caring girl sqeezing off the rounds, aimed at Saddams regime.

I think she's exemplifies the US on dealing with Saddams regime. How's it go ? . .. .

Do not under estimate the wrath of a patient country.

[tabs]

Aurel I havn't heard you say one thing positive about the USA.....it's all negative....if you have such negative feelings why don't you move back to where you have more positive feelings about the country you are living in.....

[dd74]

This girl is all heart and guts. She posesses more juice than any 19-year-old I've ever met. To keep firing at those bastards even after she's been shot several time gives me new and more respect for the military than I previously had.

She getting a scholarship should not raise the ire of anyone. Look at what she's been through. Look at what she's LIVED THROUGH. Besides, the university that gave her the schloarship acted on its own - the government was not involved in the decision.

I think anyone and everyone should be proud of this girl - no matter their nationality. She is a hero, hands down!

[beepbeep]

Hey tabs, go invade France (on a elephant), they might give you one of those too!

[944S Boyeee]

tabs - Aurel doesn't have to go anywhere. America is the land o' the free - freedom includes being able to hate your country (or at least being able to NOT jump up and down over the decisions made by the Leaders of your country).

I'm so happy for that young lady that she gets to live and the fact that she will be shaping the minds of youngsters - good for her!

You know.......if you took the $5,000,000,000,000,000,000........etc spent on this war and put it into University grants for Military folk (and others also), the US could pay for a lot of education and the people receiving these grants wouldn't have to have two broken legs and a gunshot wound to get it.

944S Boyeee

[SidVicious]

Three cheers for Jessica Lynch!

Three more for the studs that went in and got her out!

A scholarship is little payback for that Purple Heart, IMO.

Now, where are the four they paraded on Al Jazeera? I'm growing increasingly concerned. If they hadn't fed PFC Lynch for 8 days, they weren't going to. What have they done with the others? Rhetorical question. I know the answer. I'm mad because I hear lip service from everyone about supporting the troops, but where's the outrage at the treatment of our kids that've fallen into their hands? Liberals and conservatives alike should be demanding fair and just treatment of our POW's. I don't hear it.

Maybe I'm just deaf.