Jessica Lynch was just given an Honorable Discharge from the service last week. I was under the impression she still had time to serve before this happened. Was she given an early discharge because of her capture? Were the others?
On another note I think its quite odd that she said she was going to take time off to write a book about her capture. From everything I read she coulnd’t remember a thing. So how can you write a book?
When I first heard that she was honorably discharged the news anchor commented that she was now free to pursue movie/book deals. I don’t know for sure, but I imagine that being a government employee or being in the military might have prevented her from doing that. The solution was to just go ahead and discharge her.
She was discharged because of her injuries. Apparently, the Army doesn’t want you if you’ve shattered both your legs.
Right–she wasn’t going to be doing much for them from her wheelchair.
Its called a medical discharge.
She can write a book about what she does remember. She can write a book about going to Iraq. She can write a book about her recovery. She can write a book about her instant celeb status.
It is standard practice for the military to discharge people who are injured and can no longer perform their duties.
The book is being ghostwritten by someone who will reap half the million bucks that’s being paid for it. It will hit the shelves in six weeks, which should give you an idea as to the thought and craft involved in this thing. Look for it in the $1.99 bin by Christmas.
Will Jessica get some kind of pension from the service? For how long?
If she is given Disability for her injuries sustained while on Active Duty, I think that is for life. I don’t know if she qualifies for Disability, though.
She would have to be assessed by the Department of Veterans Affairs to determine the extent of her disabilities. She would be eligible for priority medical care at VA hospitals, and it sounds like she will be eligible for VA disability compensation as well.
The ghost writer will be Rick Bragg, the former New York Times reporter:
http://money.cnn.com/2003/09/02/news/companies/lynch.reut/
I expect there will be a lot of fluff about her background and little of substance about her actual POW experience, since she can’t remember much of it anyway.
Just a random interjection…but I’m in the movie that they’re filming in Dallas about Jessica Lynch. She hadn’t sold her rights yet, but the lawyer that told US forces where to find her had.
At any rate, I play an evil Iraqi Fedayeen guard type guy…
D.