Newsweek's on-line edition
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/... has an article by Eleanor Clift titled "As the Tide Turns." In it she outlines how Andrew Duck (MD-06) is representative of the "tide" that's washing incumbent Republicans out of office.
She outlines his 20 year service in the Army and his encounters with the Bush "bureaucrats."
Andrew was in the Third Army, assigned as an intelligence liaison officer to the First Marine Expeditionary Force.
He was there when U.S. Political leaders disbanded the Iraqi Army, putting tens of thousands of military-trained men on the streets with no money and no way to feed their family. Army brass didn't like the decision, but immediately set out to build a new Iraqi Army. According to Duck, they had three battalions signed up and ready for training when word came from Washington to stop; they hadn't awarded the contract yet. "They were more concerned about which company was going to make money from the contract than getting an army," he says.
Andrew's time in Iraq was filled with frustrating encounters with "the brass," as he tried to protect his men.
Back in the United States, Duck clashed with the Army Supply Planning Board when he pressed for more armored Humvees for U.S. soldiers in Iraq. Told they were operating at full production, Duck said they should build another production line. Roadside bombs were just starting to be a problem, and soldiers were riding around with nothing but canvas on the side, he said. "Captain, we're not here to discuss that," he was told. Duck went home that night and told his wife he couldn't do his job anymore. He retired in January 2004. Now he hopes to do that job as a member of Congress, and he just may get the chance. (Emphasis added)
Hey, Kossaks, show Andrew some $$$$$ love: http://duckforcongress.org