Jessica Lynch honorably discharged from Army

[Sharon (Premo)]

CHARLESTON, West Virginia (AP) -- Jessica Lynch, the former prisoner of war who became a national hero when special forces rescued her from an Iraqi hospital, has been honorably discharged from the U.S. Army, her lawyer said Wednesday.

"As of the now, she is not a member of the military anymore," Stephen Goodwin of Charleston said.

The medical discharge clears the way for Lynch to pursue possible book or movie deals about her ordeal, Goodwin said. Though she has not spoken publicly about her time in Iraq, Lynch has said through a spokesman that she plans to tell her story in a book to be published by the end of the year.

"Like any citizen, she is now free to enter into a contract," Goodwin said.

Lynch, 20, suffered multiple broken bones and other injuries when her 507th Maintenance Company was ambushed in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah on March 23.

Her rescue on April 1 made a celebrity out of Lynch, who joined the Army to get an education and become a kindergarten teacher.

She returned home last month to a hero's welcome after a long stay at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in the nation's capital. She revisited the hospital for the first time last week for a checkup, and was granted the discharge during that trip.

Lynch will continue physical therapy at Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital in Parkersburg. She can walk with crutches, but is still recovering.

She hopes to improve enough to travel to Colorado in November to celebrate Thanksgiving with her fiance, Army Sgt. Ruben Contreras Jr., and his family.

Goodwin said Lynch had not signed a book deal with anyone as of Wednesday, although Pulitzer Prize-winning author and former New York Times reporter Rick Bragg has been a guest at the Lynch home to do research. The Times has reported Bragg will be paid $1 million to tell Lynch's story.

NBC plans a TV movie starring Laura Regan that has been developed without Lynch's authorization, while CBS abandoned its plans for a Lynch movie.

Goodwin said he wasn't sure if Lynch is receiving medical disability. Calls to the U.S. Army were not immediately returned Wednesday.

OUTSTANDING!!!! This just goes to show how strong willed women can be. I spent only a little time in the USMC, but I can assure you that some of the badest Marines out there are Women. Although Jessica was not a Marine, she is still a soldier, and a true American Hero. Like Martin would say "You Go Girl"!!!!

I think everyone in the Country would agree with me in saying 'Jessica (and all of the other members of the Armed Forces, serving in other parts of the world, or guarding our Homefront) THANK YOU'!!!!!!

[Jollymon]

My dad is stationed in New Jersey right now, been there since Februrary supporting the war in Iraq - getting ready to be deployed to Iraq soon---our prayers go out to all of the soldiers and their families and friends!!

[huntr1]

I think this is total If they had maintained their weapons and knew how to read a map, they would not have gotten lost and then captured. None of her injuries are debilitating. She should have done all her time in, and gotten a standard honorable discharge. None of this special crap, and govt. handouts.

[vraiblonde]

Originally posted by huntr1
I think this is total

I'll take up your cause, Hunter. Why was she discharged? Because of medical disability? I thought she just had a broken arm or something.

[otter (Premo)]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
Why was she discharged? Because of medical disability? I thought she just had a broken arm or something.

clipped from a news article dated yesterday...."Lynch will continue physical therapy at Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital in Parkersburg. She can walk with crutches, but is still recovering."

Doesn't seem unreasonable to discharge her if she is still on crutches and having therapy 4 months after being rescued. I'm not sure if this is special treatment or not, I would tend to believe a guy in the same position would be discharged too.

[Vince]

Having spent a little time in the military myself I do know that they won't discharge you if you are still in rehabilitation, unless it's a medical discharge. And the discharge would read medical, not honorable. Just a difference in wording. Nothing bad about a medical discharge, except 99.9% of the time they won't discharge you if you're still not healed up.

[Ken King (Premo)]

Vince,

They changed that some time ago and it will read Honorable. It will be coded for the medical discharge, down in the re-enlistment eligibility code area. It is possible that she only entered under a two or three year contract and that is over. Unknown to me, nor do I care.

This story was hyped way too much for me. They get lost, hadn't maintained their arms properly, didn't have a functioning radio or GPS, didn't receive a throrough brief and know the plan, and then call her a hero. She is no more of a hero then any of the thousands of troops that served over there and are still serving over there.

[Vince]

Originally posted by Ken King
Vince,

They changed that some time ago and it will read Honorable. It will be coded for the medical discharge, down in the re-enlistment eligibility code area. It is possible that she only entered under a two or three year contract and that is over. Unknown to me, nor do I care.

This story was hyped way too much for me. They get lost, hadn't maintained their arms properly, didn't have a functioning radio or GPS, didn't receive a throrough brief and know the plan, and then call her a hero. She is no more of a hero then any of the thousands of troops that served over there and are still serving over there.

Guess I've been retired too long. But I do agree with you about the publicity on this woman. Overdone just due to the fact she is a woman in a combat situation.

[crabcake]

Originally posted by Ken King
They get lost, hadn't maintained their arms properly, didn't have a functioning radio or GSD

making a case for Catt, I see.