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Spc. Alexis Hutchinson, a 21-year-old Army cook, had no choice but to skip deployment to Afghanistan, even if it meant going to jail. The single mother of 10-month-old Kamani did not have anyone in place to care for her son.
Her mother, who was already emotionally and physically spent caring for three relatives, was incapable of caring for her grandson. Since Hutchinson had no other relatives or friends with whom she could leave her young son (the child's father is also out of the picture) she refused military orders to go overseas.
The Oakland, Calif., native was arrested by military police 10 days after she missed her unit's flight. To date, no charges have been filed, and Hutchinson remains confined to the Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Ga., where she may be facing up to a year in jail, pending an investigation.
In a statement released through her lawyer, Hutchinson said:
It is outrageous that they would deploy a single mother without a complete and current family care plan. I would like to find someone I trust who can take care of my son, but I cannot force my family to do this. They are dealing with their own health issues.
When the military mom was arrested on Nov. 6, Kamani was handed over to child welfare services, where he remained for nearly two days until Hutchinson's mother picked him up. According to Army records, Hutchinson joined the army in 2007 and has not been previously deployed overseas.
Army regulations dictate that all single-parent soldiers pre-plan their childcare accommodations for dependent children before they are deployed. According to published reports, in late October, Rai Sue Sussman, Hutchinson's attorney, said that the Army told her client that they would give her more time to find suitable arrangements for her child. Sussman added, "Then earlier this month, they told her she would not get the extended time after all and would have to deploy. The day before she was forced to deploy, they told her you have a choice to make, but your duty is to get on that plane," Sussman said.
In a release, Sussman stresses, "Hutchinson is not a conscientious objector seeking to avoid deployment." Kevin Larson, a spokesman for Hunter Army Airfield, states that Hutchinson's "deployment is halted" and that there will be no deployment while there is an investigation.
Comments: (46)
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By: Kera on 11/22/2009 3:44PM
Alexis Hutchinson may NOT face jail time for choosing to take care of her child. She may face jail time for going AWOL. There's a big difference. Full Comment presented here: http://blackenoughsomeday.blogspot.com/2009/11/im-waiting-for-revelation.html
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By: symphonee on 11/23/2009 6:50PM
I fell sorry for her and that child mainly because she didn't step her game up. She had time to find some one to care for the child and she didn't. Her mother does not have to be the only person named to take care of the child. It could have been any other family member or friend. She signed up before she had the child, she could have gotten birth control for free through tricare or left the military. She decided to stay and she knew what that entailed. It is a hard decision to make. I know because I made it myself but she is a mother first so taking care of her child is her number one priority. In the end defying the orders may get her a year of forced time away from her child so what good did it do to wait to plan.
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By: Missy D on 12/02/2009 12:24PM
I agree with you Paul. She is a soldier first and foremost. If she's been in since 2007, then that means that the Army paid for her baby. As in it was the US Government who paid for her childcare, healthcare, and everything else that is involved with birthing a baby.
I don't think some of you are looking at this from a military standpoint. Y'all are looking at this from a heartwarming standpoint. Yes this child is in an unfortunate situation. He has a pathetic Grandmother (who only ended up picking him up in the first place) and a absentee father. He deserves more than that.
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By: todd on 12/12/2009 8:39PM
Well the answer is simple, she needs to get the hell out of the Army and she should not be allow to ever come back into any branch of the military. Because this means that some other military family has to suffer for her short falls. (i.e. some one who just got off deployment has to go back on deployment). This welfare case is a shame. all she had to do is tell her command that she needed a hardship discharge due to her being a single parent. but she did not because she wants a pay check. In the military this is common place practice, you have females that can not make height and weight requirements; so they get pregnant and do not deploy and get another 6 months to get back in shape but before that time is up they are pregnant once more and the cycle never stops. Also, I understand something’s are a must in dealing with a pregnancy but at some point you must meet all the minimum requirements like all other service member in order to call your self a service member. I would feel less than equal if I took advantage of a system in this way. If she worked at BK and could not make to work she would be fired, I bet you she has not told you how many training evolutions, she has missed, how many times she has been late to work because of inadequate child care, and how much time she was given to get an adequate child care.
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By: Chicken Hammer on 1/13/2010 1:53PM
Alexis Hutchinson is a coward and a criminal. Let her serve out her enlistment in the stockade. She deserves nothing less. Deserters are lowly disgusting trolls at best.
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By: marine02xx on 1/15/2010 9:58PM
Paul,
I'm an active duty Marine w/16 years active duty. Your comments are principled, but your forgot something. Lisa Pagan, a married mother of two, was recalled to active duty to the Army, but REFUSED to deploy because she claimed her HUSBAND traveled too much and could not take care for THEIR two kids. Where's her "patriotism"? Is he a dead beat dad? Is her actions worth commenting on? I'm sure she didn't come into the Army with kids. Regardless of whether she wanted to go, the government called her and she refused? She was never placed in jail and I don't remember anyone suggesting she place her kids in foster care. Such a double standard but you choose to ignore that. I'd like to see your comment; you seem to be quick to provide it...
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