Mom: Army duty leaves kids without care

Davidson, N.C. —- When Lisa Pagan reports for duty today, four long years after she was honorably discharged from the Army, she’ll arrive with more than her old uniform. She’s bringing her kids, too.

“I have to bring them with me,” she said. “I don’t have a choice.”

Pagan is among thousands of former service members who have left active duty since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, only to receive orders to return to service. They’re not in training, and they’re not getting a Defense Department salary. But when they first enlist, all soldiers must sign a contract that obligates them to serve for eight years. During that time, if they are not on active duty, they are on reserve status and subject to recall at any time.

Soldiers may appeal, and some have won permission to remain in civilian life. Pagan filed several appeals, arguing that because her husband travels for business, no one else can take care of her kids. All were rejected, leaving Pagan with what she says is a choice between deploying to Iraq and abandoning her family, or refusing her orders and potentially facing prosecution.

Then she hit on the idea of showing up today at Georgia’s Fort Benning with her children in tow.

“I either report and bring the children with me or don’t report and face dishonorable discharge and possibly being arrested,” Pagan said. “I guess I’ll just have to make my case while I’m there.”

Master Sgt. Keith O’Donnell, an Army spokesman in St. Louis, said the commander at Fort Benning will decide how to handle the situation.

“The Army tries to look at the whole picture and they definitely don’t want to do anything that jeopardizes the family or jeopardizes the children,” O’Donnell said. “At the same time, these are individuals who made obligations and commitments to the country.”

Pagan, who grew up near Camden, N.J., was working in a department store when she enlisted in September 2002. She learned how to drive a truck, and met Travis while stationed in Hawaii. She had her first child while in uniform, and they left the service in 2005.

The family settled in the college town of Davidson, where Travis landed a job as a salesman. Pagan became a stay-at-home mom to their son Eric and second child, a daughter named Elizabeth.

The orders to return to active duty arrived in December 2007.

She told the Army there was no one to take care of her children: Her husband spent most of his time on the road, and they believe quitting his job is a sure path to bankruptcy and foreclosure. Her parents live in New Jersey and her husband’s parents live in Texas. Neither are able to help out. The Army wasn’t persuaded.

Pagan hired attorney Mark Waple, who filed another appeal, which included a letter from Travis Pagan’s employer that said bluntly: “In order for Travis to remain an employee, he will be required to travel.” In December 2008, her appeal was again rejected.