Army Wants to Cut War Tours to 12 Months

Source: Associated Press

Army Wants to Cut War Tours to 12 Months

By LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press Writer

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

(01-23) 11:37 PST WASHINGTON, (AP) --

Soldiers' battlefield tours would be cut from 15
months to 12 months beginning Aug. 1, under a
proposal being considered by the Army as part of an
effort to reduce the stress on a force battered by
more than six years at war.

The proposal, recommended by U.S. Army Forces
Command, is being reviewed by senior Army and
Pentagon leaders, and would be contingent on the
changing needs for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Our top priority is going to be meeting the combatant
commanders' requirements, so there may be no decision
until we get more clarity on that," Army Col. Edward
Gibbons, chief of the command's plans division, said
Wednesday. He said the goal was to meet those
demands while still reducing soldiers' deployments
and increasing their time at home between tours.

Gen. George Casey, chief of staff of the Army, has
been pushing to move back to one-year deployments,
citing the heavy burden that the 15-month stays put
on troops and their families. Just last week he
hinted the shorter tours could begin this summer.

But defense officials have been reluctant to talk
much about the shift because it will depend heavily
on what Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander
in Iraq, recommends when he gives his assessment of
the war to Congress in March or April.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/01/23/national/w085413S41.DTL

Webb's was 15 month rotations, 15 months off, and Hagel's was 12-month rotations, 12 months off. They were such terrible ideas, the Army wants to implement them!

wasn't that what it use to be. So when are they going to allow more time between call ups-like they use to. This has killed the Army and National Reserves.

within his first year as Commander in Chief?

Gee aren't we all happy now - what next will they be telling us the chocolate ration has been increased? Or that Gasoline is still less than $4.00 a gallon yes?
ugh.

Blow all the equipment and installations in place and load the fucking planes up and bring them home.... today!

of our troops? They act like they are giving the troops something. They will use this as a 'See we care' moment. Too sad.

But I'll believe it when I see it implemented.

12? How about 8? 7?

People, the Army is dying because of the Gulf Wars.