Army may reduce tours of duty in combat zone (NYTimes)

[JoFerret]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/27/international/middleeast/27army.html

Fearing a sharp decline in recruiting and troop retention, the Army is considering cutting the length of its 12-month combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, senior Army officials say.

Senior Army personnel officers, as well as top Army Reserve and National Guard officials, say the Army's ability to recruit and retain soldiers will steadily erode unless combat tours are shortened, to some length between six and nine months, roughly equivalent to the seven-month tours that are the norm in the Marine Corps.

But other Army officials responsible for combat operations and war planning have significant concerns that the Army - at its current size and as now configured - cannot meet projected requirements for Iraq and Afghanistan unless active duty and reserve troops spend 12 months on the ground in those combat zones.

Officials say it is too early to predict if or when a new deployment policy might take effect or how it would be carried out. But the proposal to shorten combat tours collides with the immediate need to maintain current troop strength in Iraq and Afghanistan. Army planners say they must at least prepare for the possibility that it will be necessary to keep troops at the current levels in Iraq - 138,000 - through 2007, even though no political decision has been made in this regard.

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[Florida_Geek]

1. From what I understand nobody does 12 month tours it is more

like 15-18 months.....

Who are these people kidding.

[Radius]

2. Not Good

Depending on the details. Over rotation removes experienced people and puts less experienced people in harms way.

This should not be done at or above the NCO level. Our troops need experienced people to lead them and keep them alive.

This was a serious problem in Vietnam and caused the needless death of many people. This is dangerous ground..

[shraby]

3. This is just bologna put out for

Bush's benefit. Anything to make Bush look more compassionate.

[saigon68]

9. This won't help at all

No ones family or spouse is going to put up with this either.

In Nam it was only a 1 year involuntary tour. No one is going to put up with the emotional roller coaster of going back for 6 months every couple of years. Besides the tour is now 15 -18 months already. The cost of an every 6 months rotation, will be horrendous.

Don't worry Folks--- Its going to get mighty drafty soon. Especially if the Chimp wins.

[MasonJar]

4. Isn't it amazing that these little gestures of kindness come a

month before the elections? We know how likely they are to be implemented.

[Lerkfish]

5. just like the mars mission and hydrogen cars.....vaporware rhetoric

eom

[Rose Siding]

6. What, is there an election coming up or something?

[teryang]

7. Kick

it will be necessary to maintain current troop levels in Iraq FOREVER.

[fishface]

8. Troops aren't gullible as Rove thinks we are.

What that means is instead of one tour every 18 months, they'll have 3 short ones constantly rotating back and forth to Iraq.

Military familes love that *snicker* and the troops will look on it as 3 times the chance of not making it out alive.

[daleo]

10. Could this indicate a draft?

Shorter tours could make a general draft and escalation of troop levels more palatable to some people - "it's only six months paid holiday in the desert, after all".

[Supersedeas]

11. May reduce--like maybe political posturing as elections approach--NO WAY