Saipan Rep. and Army Reserve personnel Ray Yumul will be off for an 18-month deployment in Iraq following an order from Washington, D.C. <\/p>\n
Yumul, 32, who is one of the 83 CNMI reservists who went on training in Honolulu last month, returned to the island Tuesday evening.<\/p>\n
Other reservists are also back on island for a short break.<\/p>\n
In an interview at his office at the House of Representatives yesterday, Yumul indicated that there is no turning back from his military duty. <\/p>\n
\u201cI have my deployment orders. I\u2019m being mobilized for 18 months [for Iraq],\u201d said Yumul.<\/p>\n
He said he is \u201cpositive\u201d about his training and the deployment issue in general.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m positive about it. This is a soldier\u2019s call to defend freedom not only for our people but others as well. I feel a sense of national pride,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Asked whether he needs to resign from the chamber, he said, he has yet to consult with concerned individuals including key government leaders as well as former associate justice Edward Manibusan, who is the designated Civilian Aid(e) to the Secretary of the Army in the CNMI.<\/p>\n
He said he will also update House Speaker Benigno Fitial, who is currently off-island, about his situation.<\/p>\n
Fitial, according to House leadership spokesman Charles Reyes Jr., has mentioned that Yumul could choose to file for exemption from military duty given his legislative responsibility.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe speaker has mentioned that there may be an exemption for him [Yumul] as a lawmaker. There are certain exemptions as long as you have valid reasons,\u201d said Reyes Jr. while acknowledging that Yumul himself had no inclination from backing out from the military.<\/p>\n
Yumul yesterday said the issue is not about giving up his legislative seat but \u201cresponding to an order\u201d or call of duty.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s an obligation I\u2019m called to,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He added that his job as lawmaker was not a secret when he reported for training in Hawaii.<\/p>\n
He noted that the Soldier Readiness Planning, which determines soldiers\u2019 preparedness for deployment, has found him \u201cdeployable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yumul said his family is supportive of him as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy whole family is positive. Of course, they are concerned but they understand that it\u2019s about [the] preservation of our nation\u2019s way of life and it\u2019s a fight against terrorism,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Yumul declined to give more details about the training and the CNMI unit, citing security reasons.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t make any comments except on a personal level. We can\u2019t talk on behalf of the unit. That\u2019s the Army policy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
CNMI Army Reserve commander Franklin Babauta was not available yesterday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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