LAT: Bush policy means second tours in Iraq, military says (Guard/Reserve)

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-troops9jan09,0,5874521.story?coll=la-home-headlines

Top U.S. military officials, expecting President Bush to order an increase in the size of the force in Iraq, have concluded that such a buildup would require them to reverse Pentagon policy and send the Army's National Guard and reserve units on lengthy second tours in Iraq, defense officials said Monday.

Under Pentagon policy, guard and reserve units have been limited to 24 months of mobilization for the Iraq war. Under that rule, most reserve units already sent to Iraq are ineligible to return.

But the Joint Chiefs of Staff have concluded that a significant buildup would require the Pentagon to overturn the policy and send Guard and reserve units for additional year-long tours.

Such an order likely would be controversial among state governors, who share authority over the Guard, and could heighten concerns in Congress over the war and Bush's plans for a troop increase.

In addition, National Guard leaders also are skeptical of calls for additional combat tours, which they fear could hurt recruiting and retention.

what the hell, he is going to strip this country of people who enlisted to help here at home (Guard). Hurricanes? Floods? Earthquakes? Fires? Get the Ntl Guard! Oh wait, they are in Iraq. Stop loss the reserves!?!? jfc and damn them all.

is pushing our troops to exhaustion, and much more stress than they have already. That's pretty damned galling of a guy whose bedtime is a sacred ritual, and whose vacations, both short and long, are written in stone. The troops coming back already have serious health issues. He's willing to send them back right away, and to delay the return of already stressed out people counting the days until they could return.

Bush, Cheney, and the whole corrupt, arrogant bunch of them make me sick. They accuse US of not supporting the troops? Hell, yes, I support them. That means getting them home ASAP. Another 3000 deaths will not in any way "honor" the ones who are already dead. Ask any vet who has lost limbs, or sight, or peace of mind, if they want more men and women sacrificed for them, and I strongly suspect the answer would be a loud, firm NO!

I think that this audience is aware that even the most mentally sound soldier will develop mental health stress disorders (PTSD, Clinical Depression, OCD, GAD, etc.) if he/she is repeatedly exposed to such horrific situations.

The only recent comparison is during WWII, soldiers were continuously rotated in some areas from the front to rear echelons and back again ad nausea. It's dangerous for even the most hearty of those who enjoy sound mental health before entering a war zone.

We're (USA Society) going to have a large number of returning troops with adjustment problems, i.e., massive understatement. A tragedy that will play out for decades. :(

this is the closest they will get to saying Sir, No Sir: bad plan.

until he obliterates the AR and NG. Employers will shy away from hiring these folks and if they are self employed-they better make sure someone can run it in their absence. This will make it even harder to recruit 'volunteers'. I enlisted in the AR once upon a time but I would never ever do it again. Not because I am afraid, or unpatriotic-I just am opposed to being abused and put into harms way unnecessarily. I mean, we do have an amendment doing away with slavery.

in the white house.If rich white kids are put in harms way,you can bet your last peso, this unjust war will come to a speedy halt.