Perspective: Angered by news of extended duty

Members of the Minnesota National Guard in Iraq hold up a humorous sign in reply to a November gaffe by John Kerry which was widely portrayed as an insult to troops' intelligence.

PRINCETON, MINNESOTA The telephone call from Iraq to the home of Linda Anderson of Princeton at 2:30 a.m. last Thursday left her “angry, emotionally hurt and scared,” in her words.

The call was from her husband First Sergeant Randy Hatch, with Bravo Company of the First Brigade Combat Team of the 34th Infantry Division.

He called to say he had just heard that the National Guard outfit he was part of in Iraq were having their stay extended, possibly by as much as four months. That meant instead of coming home this coming March, as they had been promised, it could be delayed until as late as the summer.

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