Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Preston

Subject: Re-enlistment denied Dustin ****

March 22, 2005

Dear Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Preston

I write in reference to my son Dustin . In order to outline all I need to discuss with you, I must go back in time to Sept. 11, 2001. As you know, on this day our country suffered a tragedy beyond comprehension. On Sept. 13, 2001, eager to serve his country, my son Dustin enlisted in the United States Army, specifying Special Forces. Because he had prior surgeries on both knees he had to get a waiver in order to enlist in the Army. Waiver in hand, he was accepted for enlistment in the United States Army and entered Basic training at Ft Benning, GA Nov.1, 2001.

Dustin completed Basic training and went on to Branch training. In week 12 of his training, Dustin misstepped into a rut during a road march and was sent to the infirmary with a swollen knee. It is to be noted the infirmary did not perform any X-rays or diagnostic tests, they merely looked at his medical records and sent him home without examination of any kind, advising him to take an EPTS (Existed Prior To Service) Discharge.

Dustin was told if he took an EPTS Discharge it would be better for him if he ever wanted to re-enlist. If he took an ELS Discharge (An Entry Level Separation (ELS) with an uncharacterized discharge may be granted to a service member who has less than 180 days of active service and whose record warrants an Honorable or General discharge) he was told it would be looked on as unfavorable for re-enlisting. He took the advice given by the Medical Officer and accepted the EPTS Discharge.

Trusting the word of a Medical Officer at Fort Benning was his first mistake: After accepting an EPTS Discharge, Dustin attempted to get his discharge changed to Honorable (in the hopes it would also change his re-entry code.) His goal through the entire process was to get back in the Army. This appeal was denied.

His re-entry code stayed the same - R-3. With this code he can, theoretically,. get back into the Armed Forces; We have been told it takes some hard work but it can be done. In fact, the Army Review Board stated Dustin can get back into the service with an R-3 Code. They also stated he did nothing wrong and they admired him for his determination to serve his country. They encouraged him to wait a period of time and try again. The Review Board encouraged him to get his knees healthy and get proper documentation that his knees would hold up to the rigors of training.

Dustin did just that, obtaining a statement from his orthopedic physician to the effect both knees are healthy, solid, and up to the rigors of Army training.

In April, 2004 we started the process of working with a recruiter to accomplish Dustin’s re-enlisting. This was his second mistake: unfortunately, Dustin had the misfortune of having to work through a recruiter who sat on his paperwork for 10 months and neither reported nor accomplished anything.

Dustin acquired and submitted all the requested and necessary documentation from his civilian Orthopedic Surgeon, stating his knees were sound, then went through the process at MEPS of being examined by an Army Orthopedic Surgeon. Both the Army and the civilian physicians are in agreement.

Dustin acquired letters of reference from The Fox Lake Police Dept, the Fox Lake Fire Chief, The Former Mayor of Fox Lake, a Village trustee, and the Assistant Chief of the Fire Dept. These were all very positive references. He was also required to get references from his current employer and a teacher from the high school he attended. These were again very positive references.

Through the entire process we were told by the Army Recruiter “He is good to go†and other remarks of encouragement. “He will get another waiver and he is golden, no problem,†etc.

However, the recruiter working with Dustin had run into problems with the Army and Dustin was given a different recruiter with whom to work. This new Recruiter worked much faster and to my knowledge did his job, as far as getting the paper work in order and off to Regimental Headquarters. He was much more honest, and stated that in his opinion it looked very good for Dustin’s chances to re-enlist.

Dustin was even advised not to renew his Serviceman Life Insurance Policy because he would be getting back in. He didn’t renew and now he has lost the chance to renew his life insurance. This was on the advice of the first recruiter.

We were talking with the new Recruiter on a Monday and he was still very positive, and by Tuesday evening the new recruiter called to tell Dustin his re-enlistment has been denied.

This came as a complete shock to Dustin and to me. His recruiter stated that the paperwork went through fine until it got to the top, where it was turned down by The Surgeon General. It had gone through the Army Orthopedic physician who gave his approval, but when the files and documentation got to someone in the Surgeon General’s office handling re-enlistments, they said the injury would more than likely re-occur. I wasn’t aware the Surgeon General would make these decisions without completing a thorough physical examination to refute the statements of a U.S. Army Orthopedic Surgeon, my son’s own Orthopedic Surgeon, and the Army Review Board..

When I asked if there was any other avenue we could pursue I was told :â€Not really, unless you want to go to the Army Review Board again and try to get his discharge changed to non-medical.†I know that is not going to happen. Dustin was also told if he could prove that he was in sports for the past year it would have been favorable. I don’t understand what sports have to do with his situation. I would think a qualified surgeon’s word and that of an Army Physician would hold more water than someone saying they had played football with my son.

This young man has put his life on hold with the belief he would be able to serve his country. Only to be dashed by the Surgeon General? I would challenge you to find another who is more patriotic and loves this country more than my son. My father served in WWII and the Korean War, and his uncles served in Vietnam. It is family tradition to serve and protect our country.

My youngest son just graduated college in May 2004 with a teaching degree in History. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in June, 2005, is currently stationed at Ft. Campbell and will be deploying to Iraq in May. He enlisted for the same reasons my son Dustin enlisted … to serve and protect. He is as disappointed, perhaps more so than I, in the decision of the U.S. Army Surgeon General not to let his brother re-enlist. It has been their dream to serve together as brothers in the name of Freedom.

A fact that bothers me is that U.S. Army troops are currently being “stop-lossed†and are doing second and third deployments to the Middle East. In light of the Surgeon General’s refusal to permit Dustin to re-enlist, this makes no sense to us.. Our country is seeking 30,000 new troops, yet young men are being turned away. I do not understand this. I do not understand why and how this happened, and seek your help in arriving at a suitable answer. I will gladly provide documentation from Dustin’s surgeon that says he is fit to serve; I will even get additional medical opinions documented, if necessary.

All my son wants is the chance to serve and protect our freedom and our country, and as his mother I have no choice but to support him in his noble effort. I cannot accept this as a final decision. Not without an explanation of why this decision was made.

To quote from a recent Associated Press release:

WASHINGTON - The Army expects to miss its recruiting goals this month and next and is working on a revised sales pitch appealing to the patriotism of parents, Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey said Wednesday. "I'm clearly not going to give up," Harvey said. "At this stage we still have six months to go" before the recruiting year ends Sept. 30. "I've challenged our human resource people to get as innovative as they can. And even as we speak we've got a number of new ideas."

One of those new approaches is designed to persuade more parents to steer their children to the Army.

"We're going to appeal to patriotism," he said.

That might be done through a new advertising campaign, he said. He also is encouraging more members of Congress as well as senior Army leaders and Army boosters to spend time in local communities touting the benefits of military service.â€

I have taught my children to live and to believe their highest purpose is to serve and protect their country. There is no need to make further appeal to our patriotism.

I appeal to you for a second chance for my son

Thank you for your time. I hope to hear from you. I enclose a letter I wrote to The Army Review Board, along with the letter from his physician. I will also at any time acquire and forward whatever documentation you may need to follow up with this matter.

Most sincerely and most hopefully,

CC President George W. Bush

CC Vice President Richard Cheney

CC Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld

CC Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey

CC Congresswoman Melissa Bean

I only had a few minutes this morning, so I didn't get a chance to thoroughly read all you posted, but wanted to say that we are all with you and of course hope that everything works out a-okay. It's amazing how things turn out.

It will be hard to have both sons so far away, but God will watch over them. You must be very proud. I know you are.

More later my dear. Must get ready for work. My customers are most happy when the coffee is brewing and the doors are open on time. Funny how that works...

I am happy your boys have what they want. Trust in our Lord and every thing will work out

papa Art

Same here. I am very glad they get to do what they feel they should do. In a way I envy them; I am but a arm-chair-amateur-historian with little army experience, but if I was younger......

Best of luck, best wishes and God's protection to them. I hope they both come through safely.

Dustys article

Our local news did an article about Dusty. I gotta get a copy to Tony so he can show it to Babe, Dusty makes mention of him

Here ya go

Long wait to re-enlist ends for local soldier

While watching his brother Taylor prepare for assignment in Iraq, Dustin Schmit had to wait.

Due to an injury and some bureaucatic red tape, Dustin waited for months before he was allowed to re-enlist in the Army. Dustin is glad to have another chance, reports his Mom Cindy Schmit, who wrote a letter to President Bush on Dustin’s behalf.

“I write in reference to my son, Dustin,†she wrote. “In order to outline all I need to discuss with you, I must go back in time to Sept. 11, 2001. As you know, on this day our country suffered a tragedy beyond comprehension. On Sept. 13, eager to serve his country, my son Dustin enlisted in the United States Army, specifying the Special Forces. Because he had knee surgeries on both knees he had to get a waiver in order to enlist in the Army.

“Waiver in hand, he was accepted for enlistment in the Army and entered basic training at Fort Benning, Ga. on Nov. 1, 2001. He suffered an injury and was discharged,†the maternal Schmidt wrote.

Dustin spent the last three years trying to re-enlist.

“I have taught my children to live and to believe their highest purpose is to serve and protect their country. There is no need to make further appeal to our patriotism,†Schmit’s letter said.

“He’s pretty excited. He’ll be going to Fort Campbell, the same place Taylor is based at. He’ll be in the 101st Airborne,†said Cindy Schmit of Dustin.

“I can’t imagine any harder test of a persons strength than what my parents are getting ready to do. I remember more than two years ago when I first left, and the look on my mother’s face. Please know, like Babe Heffron, a veteran from “The Band of Brothers†said the real heroes are the mothers who send their sons off to fight,†Dustin Schmit said.

Suitable for framing! How wonderful that after all this time and effort, his deeds are noticed. Bravo!

I can see a beaming mom right now. Okay stop Cindy, it's blinding!!!

Who me??? hahahahahha thanks Marion I never did like to be called dim., so I guess I am blinding when need be .. Hugs at ya Cindy

Here is a piece the priest from our church did about the boys & Memorial Day I was so honored...

What a beautiful write-up on both of your sons. Ah another keepsake for a very proud mother. Did you know they were going to do that or was it a complete surprise?

Marion I didnt know they were going to do this. Our priest called me and asked if I had any photos of the boys in their uniforms and if so could I email them to him, and he asked if i could tell him a little of what they were currently doing. He said he wanted to try and put something together about the troops from our community for Memorial Day I thought he was doing something to read at the mass and would bementioning all the troops during mass. When we walked into church he greeted us and handed my husband the bulliten (cant spell that one) and Donny says thanks I will read it during mass making a joke...he opens it and I looked over and see their photos and prettty much was in tears the entire mass. I couldnt even read it then i waited until we got home. So long story short yes i was completley taken aback. It made me so proud, and so sad at the same time cuz I miss them so much. Its just so bittersweet some days.. Thank you for the kind words for my boys Hugs at ya Cindy

As you know I was off to Georgia to see Dusty for hos first pass and it was priceless from start to finish He had some really good well deserved sleep today and I just sat and watched him snoring and for me there is nothing sweeter than sitting back and seeing one of the boys sleeping very sound , and safe. We had such a great time together. And as silly as it may sound , the chance to watch his sleeping time is so precious to me. I breathe much easier when I can sit back and see him safe at sleep. I would give anything to see the other baby boy snoozing. Its one of those things you take for granted until you dont have the opportunity anymore.

Oh I have to tell you it was such Schmit day.. Taylor was able to call from over there and talk to Dusty & I. It was such a treasured time for them. There were lots of laughs & lots of tears on both ends of the line. They make me so very proud. Mostly because they have such a great love for each other and it shows when we have one of these rare gifts like we had with them being able to be together for a moment. I have to say it was difficult for me and this has been an emotional roller coaster this weekend.First seeing Dusty in his uniform with that wonderful I did it Mom look, to picking up the phone and hearing Tay on the other end, and seeing the look on Dustys face when he realized who it was on the other end, to the guys telling me what an inspiration & a guy you can count on, "Uncle Dusty" is for them how when some dont seem to be able to carry on they will look up and see Dusty lugging 2 rucksaks & 4 rifles ...to Dusty running out in the hallway telling all hey my baby brother just called from Iraq!!! and again seeing the pride in family.. You can hear it and see it. What a gift I have been given. He had told me he did very well in land navigation & I have to say it came in so hndy when I had us so lost at Benning that I and his buddy were almost in tears in the fear they would be late getting back from pass...but from the middle of the deep woods of Ft Benning he managed to keep his head on straight and got us back in time. . I came back from dropping Dusty off after his pass feeling so much pride I thought I would burst, to feeling more lost han I have ever felt . I walked into the hotel lobby full of teenage girls from a softball team and their families who were in GA for a tournament having the time of their lives and I wondered if they knew how much sacrifice goes on each day so they can be in such celebration over softball and such. and I realized they were probably like a lot of America, they dont realize because they dont have to . I do because I have to. All said I am very lonley for days gone by, and so full of pride knowing it will be better one day & it will balance out, and I will be somewhere having the time of my life, with those baby boys of mine in tow...

I am back from seeing Dusty. It was just what my heart needed to see him. He has actually gained weight, and has a great amount of pride in the hard work they have been going. He has gone through a lot ot get to this point. He was having a little trpuvle with the sit ups so he worked on them every night extra and it worked out but in the meantime he wore a nice hole at the bottom of his tailbone. Then they had a bivouc and rolling around int he woods for a few days & crawling under barbedwire he managed to get wuite a few little cuts & such. Well they werent attendedto and the day they did their final pt test the sore on his butt broke open and started bleeding then he looks and has a red streak running up his arm . He showed his DS and he told him to stop being a *** and fnish his test so another DS comes over when he sees blood running out from under him looks at his arm and the streak and told him get to sick call NOW! He said I have to finsih thei PT test and he said you do it after go now. So he did and all the little cuts he had and the hole in his rear had become so infected he has blood poisining.But they called it systemic something. They told him if he had waited it would have been fatal.. So he spent the next 2 days going to sick call to make sure the antibiotics were working. I would like to give the DS who made him got to sick call a big smooch and the DS that called him a ** a kick in his rear to be mild with the language. He said he knew something was wrong because they has a simle road march and he all of a sudden felt real funny (it was 107 degrees) so he thought it was theheat but he said Mom I always stay hydrated and do all you need to do not to have heat injury, and he said the next thing he knew he was n the ground and they were tearing his shirt off and dumping gallons of ice water down his drawers!!! He said his body temp was 102, That should have been a signal for the DS but he seeems ot be one hard nose instructors , Its a ahme because they actually had a young recruit die from heat stroke the week before. You would think they would be a little more careful.

He is fine now the antibiotics are working fine. He has done really well. He is the 2nd Grenadier, and he did expert in the grenade launcher gun. I would be in trouble for not remembering what the weapon is really called but I dont ..It was so nice to hear very nice things about him from his peers. They call him Uncle Dusty because he is 26 and one of the older guys in the platoon. They all look up to him and he looks after them. Their squad leader told me that I should be very proud of him that he is the guy they can all go to when they need help. He said "I cant tell you how many times I have looked back and see him during a road march carrying 2 ruck sacks and 4 rifles. He said Dusty will leave no one behind , he will carry their load if they are struggling with a road march . He said thats what he does he just refuses to leave someone behind" Oh my it made my heart so full of joy.We also had a wonderful surprise for Dusty I let his brother know when we would be on his leave and he called from Iraq. So the brothers got to talk for quite a while. It was wonderful and such a gift that I will never forget. The look on his face when I said oh you have a call and handed him the phone... it was indeed priceless. There were some tears, and a lot of your company are a bunch of sissies and my weapon is better than yours but in the end it was be careful brother I will be there soon.. It was a very mixed emotions time for all of us. We also had to let the cat out of the bag as far as Taylors actual missions over there. I knew but was keepong a lot to myself and Dusty knew but the rest fo my fmily was a little in the dark. To lessen their worry. But a newsletter came out and it was pretty specific about things. So I had to be honest with the folks here at home. He is a crew gunner on the humvee they use and they dont stay in the airport like he said I wont go into a lot of detail but its much more than he wanted people at home to know. He was actually very upset with the newsletter. He said I know I wasnt the only one who wasnt telling their family everything and they just made it a lot harder for the ones who werent. I knew a long time ago even before the newsletter, but I kept it to myself & my Dad, because there have been days I have been so frightened I needed a confidant that I could go to. My Dad has been such a blessing through this. So all in all this has been a wonderful time for me getting to talk to both of the boys and seeing such pride in both of them for the other. I know I did my job as a mother raising them to love one another and take pride in what they do and in each other. Well now I have written a novel about my sons so I will move on I dont want to be the relative that brings home movies and everyone scatters when they see you coming

Oh, Cindy, common sense told me that anyone serving in Iraq was not on a picnic but hearing that Taylor is stationed at that damn airport and driving that damn airport road makes my hair stand on end. Okay, so I'll just cross my toes as well as all my fingers and say an extra prayer for him. As a mother, you have every right to be proud of your boys - they have really turned out to be good men. We share in your joy of them because they represent the finest of our country in these very trying times. Take heart and know that all of us on this board are pulling for you and for them.

Marilyn