WASHINGTON – When Ann Swann’s twin sons were deployed to Iraq with the Marine Corps Reserve last year, she fired off a letter to President Bush. Her eldest son already was serving there with the Army Reserve, she said, and she wanted one of her boys brought home.

“This letter is from a concerned mother,” wrote Swann, 53, principal of Gladys Noon Spellman Elementary School in Prince George’s County, Md. “I request that if at all possible, you conference with me to discuss the reason that all three of my sons (my only family left) are serving in Iraq.”

What Swann discovered since sending her letter in the fall has surprised her. The Department of Defense has no prohibition on sending every child in a family into combat – even in the same unit at the same location.

The only way to get her sons back early would be if one were killed, captured, maimed or missing.

Then the so-called Sullivan rule, named for the Iowa family that lost five sons on the USS Juneau after it was attacked in 1942, would apply. Swann could request that her remaining sons be excluded from combat or any duty that would expose them to hostile fire.

That’s what John and Lori Witmer did when their daughter Michelle, 20, was killed in Iraq last year serving in the Wisconsin National Guard. Her sister Rachel, 25, who served with her in the 32nd Military Police Company, and Michelle’s twin sister, Charity, 21, a medic, did not return to Iraq after their parents pleaded that they be allowed to remain in the United States.

“Common sense would say that one hero per family should be enough,” said John Witmer of New Berlin, Wis. “That way, the brothers and sisters wouldn’t have to be put in the position of feeling like they deserted their families if they went back or that they deserted their country if they stayed home.”

Their decision led to death threats and criticism from some who thought the other daughters should return to their units despite their sister’s death, he said. Radio stations held call-in discussions and the family received numerous threatening phone calls.

Swann said she believes a policy should take effect before a parent loses any children.

“When you have men and women who are in the family tree who are deployed to war, there is a chance that a branch might break,” said Swann, whose eldest son, Henry, a sergeant, returned to the family home in Glenn Dale two weeks ago after his deployment ended. “Taking all the children from families and putting them in harm’s way could stunt the growth of those family trees and endanger those families.”

She has persuaded Rep. Albert Wynn, D-Md., to take a look at the issue.

Wynn said there should be a mechanism to keep all the siblings in a family from being deployed “into a war zone” if one of the children or a parent disagrees. He said he has asked his staff to investigate and believes a bill may be needed to open debate on the issue.

“You should avoid having them all in harm’s way,” he said. “I thought there was a general policy about that dating back to World War II, but now I realize that the rule only (applies) if one sibling has died. … I don’t think there’s ever been a discussion if the siblings are alive and in a combat zone. I think it deserves review.”

Military officials acknowledge that there probably are many families who have more than one child deployed, but they say they have no way of tracking them.

“Some siblings don’t have the same name, and then you also get into half siblings and step-siblings,” said Staff Sgt. Christina Delai, a Marine spokeswoman. “I think that since there are so many ways to relate to someone, it would be almost impossible” to prevent them from being deployed simultaneously.

Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said families can request that a deployment be deferred. The Defense Department considers such requests on a case-by-case basis, she said, adding that she could not say how many deferments had been granted.

After writing the White House, Swann received a four-line response on White House stationery from Heidi Marquez, director of presidential correspondence. It said: “The White House is sending your inquiry to the Defense Department. This agency has the expertise to address your concerns. They will respond directly to you, as promptly as possible.”

“I’ve never heard another word from them,” Swann said.

Associated Press

Henry Swann, 27, is back in Maryland with his mother, Ann, after serving in Iraq. The family is awaiting the return of Henry Swann’s two brothers.