Troops Tours In Iraq Will Be 15 Months

breitbart.com ^ | 04/11/07 | Pauline Jelinek

[Froufrou]

The Pentagon will lengthen tours of duty for all active-duty Army units in Iraq to 15 months from the current 12 months as the military struggles to supply enough troops for the conflict, two defense officials said Wednesday.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates planned to announce the decision Wednesday afternoon, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record.

It is the latest move by the Pentagon to cope with the strains of fighting two wars simultaneously and maintaining a higher troop level in Iraq as part of President Bush's revised strategy for stabilizing Baghdad.

Officials on Monday said some 13,000 National Guard troops were receiving orders alerting them to prepare for possible deployment to Iraq—meaning a second tour for several thousand of them. Officials said a final decision to deploy the four infantry combat brigades later this year will be based on conditions on the ground and named specific Guard units based in Arkansas, Indiana, Oklahoma and Ohio.

The Pentagon said the Guard units would serve as replacement forces in the regular troop rotation for the war, and would not be connected to the controversial military buildup that was ordered by President Bush and which officials say is starting to show some success in curbing violence in Baghdad.

Word has also emerged that Defense Department officials were considering a plan to extend by up to four months the tours of duty for as many as 15,000 U.S. troops already in Iraq as a way to maintain the buildup past the summer.

There are currently 145,000 U.S. troops in Iraq, and when the buildup is completed by June, there would be more than 160,000, officials are calculating.

[leadpenny]

Thanks for you service and thanks for the reality gut check.

[tobyhill]

I agree 100% but I think Gates was just trying to get ahead of the future rampant rumors started by someone in the Pentagon.

[boxerblues]

My son who is deployed saw it first online...he is not happy camper right now, but it was not totaly unexpected

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

“More and more in the military it is being heard, “why are just a few of us bearing the increased load.”

The answer to that is quite simple.....it is because we continue to delude ourselves with the idea that a volunteer-only military is sufficient. It obviously is not.

Not to mention the fact that a Civilian populace with large numbers of Americans who have done their duty and served in peacetime or war MAKES AMERICA BETTER in so many different ways!

[TUAN_JIM]

It’s a big deal if you want to make it a big deal. Maybe it can become such a big deal that we should go back to the draft? I actually believe that every able person in America should be required to serve at least 2 years. Persian Gulf War. I pray for all troops to return safely but I do not believe that very short extensions should become issue over mission. My best friend is doing his stint as a Marine Recruiter after his 2nd tour of Iraq and he told me that every recruit is told that there is a possibility of early deployments and extensions and all understand it going in. Three month extension to him would be a blessing instead of the possibility of a lot more than that.

I wouldn't mind a draft that was fair. There are entire segments of society with no clue about the military.

3 months for an infantryman is not a "short" extension, especially when it is at the end of an already yearlong tour, and especially when that tour is your third. Have you ever done multiple yearlong combat tours? I doubt that you'd be celebrating if you were told you were staying to month 15 at month 11. I believe that these tour extensions are a cost savings measure, and nothing more.

[USMCVet]

idiocy!

The administration refuses to pay the price and boost end strength and the poor soldiers and their families are paying the price.

So now we have the situation where fewer kids have the guts to serve their country and those few have to bear even greater burdens.

Disgraceful.

[leadpenny]

Very well put. I’ve forgotten if I knew but were you drafted?

[TUAN_JIM]

Thanks for you service and thanks for the reality gut check.

Thank you. I just don't think some people realize how hard these tours are on the grunts. 15 months is too long. I can't believe that we haven't enlarged the military more during the past 5.5 years. The government is trying to fight this war on the cheap. They also know that they can't rapidly increase the size of the military without a draft, which they lack the political courage to do.

[tobyhill]

It’s not easy and there will be some POed troops and families over it but in the end 3 months will pass and they will have accomplished their missions then say, it was no big deal just doing their jobs. The Army has a problem right now that with short extensions for everyone actively deployed will work itself out.

[Froufrou]

rb, you still don’t get it! Getting shot at and the extension are two separate issues. You’re trying to say they are one.

You cannot arbitrarily say that the last 3 month’s duty is any more hazardous than any of the other 3-month intervals. Risk is risk is risk. Whenever, wherever.

Bondgirl is right. Only if Hitlery is in is there ‘doom!’

[Parmy]

Clinton could have slowed it rather than speeding it up. But, I remember him, being the great communicator that he was built up to be saying in a speech that all of these forces we had at the time weren't needed since there was 'peace in the world'.

Furthermore, it takes time to build a division. Bringing an army up to a projected strength takes time.

Every time there is a numbers reduction a lot of institutional memory is lost. It happened after the mid-seventies drawdown and it happened again in the nineties.

Just my humble observations.

[ichabod1]

I am not a vet, but I have read that the conscript army we had back in the day was not so bad as they make it out to be today. What they lacked in long training assignments they made up for in a desire to get the job done and go home. You probably know all about that.

[leadpenny]

Now you’ve gotten inside my head.

Seriously, I’ve been saying pretty much the same thing around here for a long time. Up until recently we’d be getting bashed for this argument. I see the situation only getting worse and doubt that even the 15/12 thing will hold for long.

BTW, I served with draftees from 61 until it ended in 73. I was against getting rid of it then.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

little trivia, here....In Vietnam, Marines served 13 month tours, and were proud of it....because the other services served 12 or less.

Meanwhile, in Iraq we have ARTILLERY units doing patrols.......THAT is incredible, and SCREAMS for the need to reinstate the draft.

[leadpenny]

That’s true. For us 18-year-old enlistees, the 21-22-year-old draftee added some real life experiences, generally. I have nothing but respect and fond memories of the draftees I served with in Germany in the early 60s. It’s also worthwhile to mention that many draftees reenlisted.

Elvis and Gen Shalikashvili were both drafted in 58. They went different directions but both did their jobs.

[Froufrou]

I don’t claim to know what it is to be a soldier. But I can’t conjure an image of even a very young troop carrying around any mental baggage.

The job is just too goal and task specific for that. I venture to guess the training is all about weeding out those who are, shall we say, not up to the challenge?

There’s no room for ‘stinkin thinkin’ - at least, that’s what I’ve asked military personnel and what they have confirmed. If I am wrong, I do apologize.

I think VN’s earlier point about the draft and its impact on the men of the country was spot-on, if only he’d said more about it.

A gentleman is the finest being on the planet.

[Kaylee Frye]

I agree on both points. 6 month deployments with 6 months in between would be preferable for most Army families right now and would increase retention. The draft would also be a good idea. In addition to the 2 points listed above, I'd add #3:

3. Having their own sons at risk, our leaders would be more willing to think about the consequences of their decisions.

[leadpenny]

For me the model for mobilizing the country is the period after Pearl Harbor. From then until the end of the war we went to more than 16,000,000 in uniform and back down again. That was a shorter period of time than from 9-11 to now. We certainly could have done something in between those two extremes. If you could get inside GWB’s head I’d bet he wishes he would have done it differently.

[TUAN_JIM]

Meanwhile, in Iraq we have ARTILLERY units doing patrols.......THAT is incredible, and SCREAMS for the need to reinstate the draft.

Yep. All kinds of units are doing infantry work. My old neighbor was LAAD, and his unit was converted to work patrols. Arty guys often don't bring their guns when they deploy, since they'll be patrolling/convoy escort.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

“t I have read that the conscript army we had back in the day was not so bad as they make it out to be today.”

There are people here who will object to me saying it or even try to deny it, but I am going to say this again.....

I was on active duty when the last guy got drafted, and still on active duty 2 yrs later when the Army became all volunteer. I had re-enlisted after being drafted the first time in 1966, intending to stay for 20 or more. The draft was still on when I re-upped, and I LIKED the tail-end of the brown-shoe Army that I found in 1966......meaning there were still Korea and even some WWII folks still in, as well as from every time in-between.

The lifers groaned when the draft was discontinued....the usual statement was that we got more good people even if only for 2 yrs with the draft than we could ever possibly get as willing enlistees.

In that time and context (remember post-Vietnam and all the demonstrations etc and post-woodstock as well) their predictions played out to the nth degree......so bad that it caused me to pass on E-7 and the PA school. I quite happily left it all behind on friday, 13Jun75 and became a civilian.