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thedrifter
01-11-07, 08:11 AM
Bush's speech brings praise, worry, criticism from North County military families <br />
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By: JOE BECK - Staff Writer <br />
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ESCONDIDO -- The parents of three men in the military who watched President...

thedrifter
01-11-07, 10:48 AM
Families of county's military question new direction

By Zeke Barlow, zbarlow@VenturaCountyStar.com
January 11, 2007

As President Bush unveiled his plan to increase troop levels in Iraq, many Ventura County families who have sons and daughters serving in the war were less than enthusiastic about the potential of longer or multiple tours of duty for their loved ones.

Though everyone said they unequivocally support the troops carrying out the mission, they questioned the wisdom of throwing more resources at a problem many feel is stretching out too long. More troops can be justified only if the plan also accompanies a timetable for withdrawing all of the troops, many said.

"Whatever the surge is, we just hope that there is a clear-cut objective, and we can get our boys home as soon as possible," said Mari Perez-Alvarado, whose son, Jose Alvarado, is a Marine on his second tour in Iraq.

She's worried that not only will Jose's tour will be extended, but that her other son, Carlos Alvarado, who is stationed in Turkey with the Air Force, will also be called to Iraq.

"I don't know if there is a right answer to this" situation, she said. "If you are going to be deploying so many, why wasn't this done in the beginning?"

It's a question Brandon Kiefer also wondered. Kiefer, a Simi Valley resident who served in the Marines, has a younger brother, Casey, a tail gunner with the Marines, stationed in Iraq.

"Why didn't we take care of it from Day One?" he said. "We should have gone in a little harder and done what we needed to do and get out of there."

Andrew Tafoya's son, Jesse, joined the Army two days after he graduated from high school and was passionate about serving his country, he said. Jesse will probably serve another tour in Iraq, but his father hopes he won't have to be in the country indefinitely.

"As far as a deployment of additional troops, I think I'm for it, but only if it is part of a phased plan to remove troops," said Tafoya of Ventura.

Shelley Stephens said her son Christopher Roy joined the Army National Guard so he could help protect California, and that she doesn't want him in Iraq any longer.

"We just need to pull up and leave; don't surge, don't risk hurting any other people" said Stephens of Ventura. "It's a no-win situation, and we should leave. But that's coming from a mom."

Tammy Lindsey's son, Brandyn Andres, just finished his tour in Iraq, where he was a Black Hawk helicopter mechanic. She said her son loves his job, and she expects him to re-enlist in the Army. Still, she doesn't want him going back to Iraq.

"I don't believe that increasing the troops is going to help," said Lindsey of Oxnard. "It breaks my heart that we are leaving so many of our young people over there. They need to come home. Enough is enough."

Bob Triol prays every night that his son comes home safely and soon. Rob Triol joined the Marines two days after he graduated from Camarillo High School and is passionate in his service, his father said.

Triol describes himself as a conservative Republican but said he thinks it's time America finds a way to get out of Iraq in an honorable way.

"I do believe at this point we are fighting a loosing battle," he said.

Steven Ramos communicates with his nephew, Oscar Avila of Oxnard, every few weeks via MySpace.com. Avila joined the Marines for its reputation for being tough and hard, he said.

Ramos said more troops might be what is needed to win in Iraq.

"I think it's a good idea," he said. "I'm all for it."

Bert Alton of Ventura wonders if his son, Brian, will have a longer tour as a Navy corpsman. He said more troops might mean his son might come home earlier or have his deployment extended. Though he thinks the ground war is not going well, he admits his interest in the surge is much more personal that most Americans.

"From a selfish point of view, I want whatever gets him home sooner," said Alton.

Ellie