Posted on 04/03/2007 4:21:18 AM PDT by leadpenny
WASHINGTON - For just the second time since the war began, the Army is sending large units back to Iraq without giving them at least a year at home, defense officials said Monday.
The move signaled how stretched the U.S. fighting force has become.
A combat brigade from New York and a Texas headquarters unit will return to Iraq this summer in order to maintain through August the military buildup President Bush announced earlier this year. Overall, the Pentagon announced, 7,000 troops will be going to Iraq in the coming months as part of the effort to keep 20 brigades in the country to help bolster the Baghdad security plan. A brigade is roughly 3,000 soldiers.
The Army will try not to shorten the troops' U.S. time, "but in this case we had to," said a senior Army official, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue. "Obviously right now the Army is stretched," the official said.
The 4th Infantry Division headquarters unit from Fort Hood, Texas, will return to Iraq after a little more than seven months at home — the largest departure to date from the Army's goal of giving units at least a year's rest after every year deployed. The 1st Brigade of the 10th Mountain Division, based at Ft. Drum, N.Y., will go back to Iraq after just 10 1/2 months at home.
The only other major unit to spend less than one year at home was the Georgia-based 3rd Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division, which returned to Iraq 48 days short of a year and is there now, according to the Army.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman acknowledged that the Texas unit's 81 day shortfall in rest time, "is not insignificant."
"There's only so many division headquarters," he said. "It reflects that this is a military that is in conflict. We're obviously using a significant portion of the combat units of the force. And it's a reflection of the realities that exist right now."
Whitman said the latest deployment orders released Monday would also require the Hawaii-based 25th Infantry Division Headquarters unit to stay in Iraq for about 46 days longer than its planned year.
Defense officials and military leaders disagreed last week over how long it will take to determine if the latest buildup — which added five brigades to what had been a fairly consistent level of 15 brigades in Iraq — is working.
Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell, the military's chief spokesman in Iraq, said commanders won't know until at least autumn when they can begin to bring troop levels back down. A day later Defense Secretary Robert Gates told a congressional committee that he was disturbed to hear that comment, and he said commanders should be able to make the evaluation by summer.
So far two of the five Army brigades planned for the buildup are in Baghdad, and a third is moving in now. All five will be there in June.
The Army's stated goal is to give active-duty soldiers two years at home between overseas combat tours. But that has been largely impossible because the Army does not have enough brigades to meet the demands of simultaneous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The latest buildup increased the demands, but until recently the Army had been able to give units at least a year break.
Military leaders say the 12 months are needed so the units can rest and then become adequately trained and equipped to go back.
Throughout the war, some smaller, more specialized units have had to deploy without 12 months rest. The Pentagon is currently developing a policy that would provide additional pay to units that don't get the year break.
Other deployments announced Monday include:
• The 18th Airborne Corps Headquarters unit, based at Fort Bragg, N.C., will go to Iraq in November
• The 1st Armored Division Headquarters, based in Wiesbaden, Germany, will go in August
In addition to the 7,000 newly announced deployments, Whitman said about 2,000 military police have gotten their orders to go to Iraq. Gates announced last month that commanders requested about 2,200 military police. About 200 were already there and had their tours extended to meet the request, according to the Army.
Also, the 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division from Fort Bragg, which is currently in Iraq, will serve a full year there and return home in January 2008 rather than in September as originally planned.
Bush’s fault...and has absolutely nothing to do with Clinton stripping the military. /sarc
Clinton hasn’t been the CinC in over 74 months. That dog don’t hunt anymore.
Actually most of the blame goes to Rumsfeld who did not try to increase the size of the Army because it would “interfere” with his transformation plan.
Other than 3 months post-9/11, name me one time period in which Congress had the intestinal fortitude to appropriate funds to expand the size of the military. Clinton stripped our armed forces as a "peace" dividend.
I'm no fan of Bush (think he's mediocre at best) but lay the size of the current military at Clinton's doorstep where it belongs.
After 9/11, President Bush could had increased the size of the military. It did not happen because Rumsfeld refuse to allow it.
I think though this time at home stuff has gotten out of perspective. Every one wants to compare this to WW2.
During WW2 the troops left..I mean left! They were gone for 3 , 4 , 5 years with nothing but letters from home.
No email , phone calls or hopping a transport home for christmas leave.
I don't want to return to that type of commitment for our troops but I think there is a lack of perspective on the rotations.
name me one time period in which Congress had the intestinal fortitude to appropriate funds to expand the size of the military.
Congress appropriates. The President is the CinC has has the "bully pulpit."
In any case, we are where we are. Where do we go from here?
1st BCT, 10th Mountain Warriors!
Climb to Glory, guys!
You ought to consider re-checking your history because the plans for the "peace dividend" were laid by Congress during Bush I with a slight delay for Gulf War I. Clinton merely oversaw a process that was already well underway before he took office. Entire divisions were deactivated in the desert without ever returning to their home base in Germany and the US.
BTW, no Clinton fan here, just pointing out the history.
“For just the second time since the war began”
From everything the MSM has been reporting in the past it astonishes me that this is only the second time.
If we’re going to fight a war, especially a long and diverse war, that’s exactly what we should have done. But, before you could have done that (WWII style), the draft would need to have been activated. The entire country fought WWII.
My son will probably spend another Christmas in Iraq - at least another Thanksgiving.
That’s not counting the Brigade extensions since last July. Remember the 172nd Stryker from Alaska?
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman acknowledged that the Texas unit’s 81 day shortfall in rest time, “is not insignificant.”
“is not insignificant.”
What a knucklehead.
Anyone got his bio? I doubt that this “spokesman” has seen the inside of a ship, tank, or aircraft for any length of time his entire life.
Who is to blame? First - this is a war - second, thank ALL of our politicians who have either pushed for a smaller military, or have been complicit in compromise that has reduced our troop numbers over the last two decades.
Kind of funny - but our Federal Government’s budget shows such a major shift in funding priorities - when not so long ago the largest bite of the federal budget was for national defense - now social spending projects VASTLY outspend all the rest of the government.
But hey - it’s just the Constitution - nothing binding or important there. Might as well just throw it out...
Thats a really good point. There are no victory gardens or bond drives, rallies they are few and far between as for "fireside chats......
The attempt to fight this war and isolate the general population from any sacrifice has been a huge mistake. Theres no motivation on a national level to finish with a win.
The population is not invested in a win. Their lives have not been altered enough.
I remember a couple extensions because of the specialties but it just seems odd that this is only the second time of early deployment.
With the amount of money I’ve given the post office these past four years, you’d think they would name a wing of one of their buildings after me! How about you?
No but he and the GOP sat on their hands sucking their thumbs since taking over both houses Jan 1995 and Bush election 2000 now haven't they. They can't blame Slick Willie for their own gross incompetence. They did NOTHING to help the military especially raising End Troop Strength Numbers from 1996 levels so these troops would not be over deployed.
Bush as a military planner and CIC lacks a lot to be desired so does Senator John Warner who sat as Senate Armed Service Committee Chairman where again NOTHING was done but maintaining what Slick Willie left and giving favored contractors federal funds. The GOP was in charge of much of Clintons Military gutting and they need to be help responsible as well. There is no excuse for it NONE!!!The DEMs you know will do it. The GOP much more was expected and they failed. The GOP's horrid record on the military goes all the way back to Poppy/Cheney and before that Ford/Rummy who left a royal mess that wasn't corrected till Reagans terms.
Our worse Post WW2 presidents as far as military leadership goes? Truman, JFK, LBJ, Ford, Carter, Clinton, Bush, Bush.
“Early Deployment” is probably like pornography. In the eye of the beholder.
This has been a gradual thing since the beginning of the war. At some point the dwell time almost does more harm than good. Bosnia was the first time we did this rotational thing, but, of course, that hasn’t been the shootin’ war like Iraq and, let’s not forget, Afghanistan.
Right on the money. Those years did us great harm. Bush SR/Cheney Military Mismanagement cost us a plenty. Including an aircraft carrier.
One thing I do know is that no matter whether our troops extend or deploy early they are professionals and will do their job 120%.
Ya know, I’ve sent things he says he needs, which isn’t much, so it’s mostly been stuff he may like to read that he wouldn’t see anywhere else (local news items). I get the feeling he’s too busy for much quiet time. He calls his wife about once a week and I get the info from her. I know what you mean about the cost of packages. Nothin’ better to spend it on though.
Bingo! Rumsfeld, the architect of defeat in Iraq just as McNamara and his Wiz Kids were in Vietnam.
Rumsfeld gambled that fewer were better in combat. He lost and we are too.
How exactly are we?
http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/05/19/sprj.irq.bbc.lynch.dod/index.html
I couldn’t find a bio, but he’s been a spokesman since at least 03.
Rummy made a lot of messes and I can not for the life of me understand why Bush ever picked him. The Hollow Carter Military? It was such when Carter took over and I am not a fan of Jimmy Carter by any means. I did most of my active duty time when Carter was POTUS the rest was under Ford.
I just remember things were bad when Carter took over. He didn't help matters nor make them any worse as such. Actually in late 79 the Navy began a turnaround. But very early 1977 when I got to my duty station AWOL's and Desertion was rampant and morale was the pits Navy wide. In Jan 1977 if you wanted out of the military it was easy. Many did it. Just walk away 31 days and report to a local base for processing out with a General DC. Most however stayed.
Actually, found out that he is a former special forces guy whose career was cut short by a shark off the coast of Somalia. So I stand corrected on my previous diatribe.
Even so, an inacurrate and, I think, irresponsible statement.
I’ll keep him in my prayers. I’ve spent a ton of time at Fort Drum (and Benning) over the past four years (various reasons) and I’ve gotten to know a bunch of the guys pretty well.
Do you have the dwell time between your son’s 1st and 2nd tour?
11 months. Sep. ‘04 til Aug. ‘05.
Thanks, and you’re right, there are a lot of good people there!
For what these units have to do and what the personnel need to do, it’s not enough time.
I suspect you are correct in your assessment. The "12 month" mindset should have been discarded long ago. However, that would have been horribly unpopular.
According to Figure 1 from this GAO report (http://hutchison.senate.gov/RL32468.pdf) defense spending has increased rapidly several times in the post WWII era, always followed by dips.
“The “12 month” mindset should have been discarded long ago.”
Re post 33, it obviously was. How many months should it be?
Snide? Twelve months dwell was determined to be the minimum time needed to maintain cohesion, troop morale, unit refit, and other things along those lines. DOD and DA are routinely forced to violate their own guidelines. You seemed to say 12 months dwell is unnecessary and/or arbitrary. I’m asking what the dwell should be?
We do not want them to be burnt out because they were in Iraq for 10 years all because our government does not have the guts to signficantly increase the size of our military.
My original comment entailed an opinion that an increased tour length could create increased "rest" time. But, as you well know, this is only academic because the policy makers did not forsee the length of the involvement. And to change the tour length now would raise equity questions.
Sorry about the confusion. I thought you were implying that it didn’t matter what the dwell or rest time was.
I do believe longer than twelve month long tours would be unfair, if nothing else. I think we could have fought the war with a ‘for the duration’ policy, but only if the draft had been reinstated. In Vietnam, once all the units were deployed to Vietnam, everyone then became individual replacements. I went over with a unit of the 4th ID in 67 and in 69 I showed up at Long Binh waiting to be assigned by USARV (Pentagon East, as it was called).
It is very cumbersome and costly to move units (men and equipment) back and forth, but, it was done in the interest of cohesion.
Again, sorry I misread you. Bottom line is, I think this shell game of moving units, when there aren’t enough units, is going to break the Army soon.
ping.
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