Letter to Acting Secretary of the Army Les Brownlee

July 8, 2004

The Honorable Les Brownlee
Acting Secretary
Department of the Army
Room 3E700
The Pentagon, 20310

Dear Mr. Secretary:

I write to you in response to the letter I received from Lt. General James Helmly regarding my concerns about the 439th Quartermaster Company. I appreciate his response, which was extremely helpful in many respects. There is, however, one issue that I believe requires your immediate personal attention.

The 439th has been in-theater since May 2003, first serving in Iraq, and now serving Kuwait It is my understanding that the Air Force unit that replaced the 439th in Iraq in March already has returned to the United States. The 439th is now the second-longest serving unit deployed to the Iraq theater. This company has served honorably, and its members are justifiably proud of the role they have played in Iraq. But it is now time for these brave men and women to come home. In his letter, General Helmly stated that "the length of the extensions coincide with the needs of the Army." This argument is understandable, but is not applicable to current circumstances. The 439th is a fueling company. During its time in Iraq, the unit refueled more than 200,000 military vehicles without incident. However, members of the 439th are currently performing guard duty, inventory and other tasks well beyond the company's primary responsibilities.

Members and their families expect that service in the Reserve Component will at times require sacrifice of personal time, comfort and safety. I assure you that these families understand that the risk of deployment comes with the job. However, the financial and emotional strain on these families has become severe and will only get worse if the deployment continues after their current orders expire next month. The war in Iraq has placed great strain on our armed services, and I know that many units have been away from home for substantially longer than any of us would like. However, 16 months in-theater - including two extensions of deployment - is enough. Therefore, I request that you contact Central Command to ensure that this unit is permitted to return home when its orders expire next month.

My concerns about the extended deployment of Guard and Reserve forces go beyond the 439th. I fear that such continued heavy reliance on Reserve and National Guard in the Iraq theater will create serious difficulty in recruiting and retention in this and other Reserve and National Guard forces in the future. I firmly believe that the Army ought to have additional funds to increase the size of the Army so that we may diminish the role of the Reserve Component and National Guard forces, and I will continue to support efforts to increase the size of the military this year. I would welcome your thoughts on this matter as well.

Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter I look forward to your reply before the Congress adjourns for the Summer Work Period on July 23.

Sincerely,

ROSA L. DELAURO
Member of Congress