Think Progress

Army wants to cut war tours to 12 months.

The Army is currently considering a “proposal to cut soldiers’ battlefield tours from 15 months to 12 months beginning in August, an effort to reduce the stress on a force battered by more than six years at war. … Defense Secretary Robert Gates ordered the move to 15-month deployments about a year ago, as the Pentagon struggled to fight wars on two fronts.”



32 Responses to “Army wants to cut war tours to 12 months.”

  1. Lefty Patriot says:

    When’s the coward Bush going?


  2. bilbobaggins says:

    Well, that will put a real crimp in Betrayus getting another Friedman unit. The only way he can sustain the escalation is to extend the deployments beyond the 15 months. I believe I read that these soldiers are going to have to come home starting in early April and since there are no replacement soldiers, I guess Betrayus isn’t going to get what he wants!


  3. ralph the wonder llama says:

    When’s the coward Bush going?

    Comment by Lefty Patriot — January 23, 2008 @ 2:52 pm

    He already “did his duty”, remember? He kept the skies over Texas free from the threat of the Vietcong. That is, until he had something better to do…

    But as for this war, didn’t Laura say that they sacrifice just as much as anyone who’s lost his life, or a limb?


  4. ohcomeon says:

    Your tour will be up in 12 months but your flight home will be delayed…by 6 months.


  5. Frosty Cupcake says:

    So, they’re going back to what they started with. Yay! We’re back to square one. Five years later.


  6. DRxJ says:

    The Army is currently considering a “proposal to cut soldiers’ battlefield tours from 15 months to 12 months beginning in August, an effort to reduce the stress on a force battered by more than six years at war.

    How ’bout the proposed cut from 15 months battlefield tours to NONE?!
    How ’bout bringing our brave men and women home, NOW?!
    That is what I pray for!


  7. PatrioticLiberalChristian says:

    How ’bout the proposed cut from 15 months battlefield tours to NONE?!
    How ’bout bringing our brave men and women home, NOW?!
    That is what I pray for!

    Comment by DRxJ — January 23, 2008 @ 3:07 pm

    You got an “AMEN” from Ohio.


  8. Bobwurst says:

    Calling all trolls! Your country needs you to enlist and go fight the war you support. That means you Southern Man, Frank M, G_G etc. Sign up or shut up.


  9. plunger says:

    WHO BRAINWASHED THE TROOPS IN IRAQ?

    How is it that according to a recent Zogby Poll, nearly 85% of active duty troops in Iraq actually came to believe that they are there specifically to avenge the attacks of 9/11?

    What type of active PsyOps program was approved by Rumsfeld to ensure this result to motivate these troops in this way?

    When these atrocities were committed, did the guilty troops actually believe that they were taking revenge for the attacks of 9/11?

    Was that their mindset?

    If so, how did that come to be?

    What role has Rumsfeld played in allowing the myth to be perpetuated throughout the military – that we are in Iraq specifically to avenge the (FALSE FLAG) attacks against the United States on 9/11?

    How does our Defense Department set about demonizing an entire race of people to make them easier to kill?

    How was that message SOLD to the troops?

    They SOLD us a terror attack.

    They SOLD us a war.

    They SOLD the troops a lie to motivate them.

    RUMSFELD = WAR CRIMINAL

    PRESIDENT BUSH ADMITS THERE WERE NO WMD IN IRAQ.

    PRESIDENT BUSH ADMITS IRAQ HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH 9/11.

    FBI ADMITS BIN LADEN HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH 9/11.

    Wash, Rinse, Repeat.

    PRESIDENT BUSH ADMITS THERE WERE NO WMD IN IRAQ.

    PRESIDENT BUSH ADMITS IRAQ HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH 9/11.

    FBI ADMITS BIN LADEN HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH 9/11.


  10. PatrioticLiberalChristian says:

    Comment by Bobwurst — January 23, 2008 @ 3:11 pm

    I’d be happy if they were willing to pay for the occupation they “support”.


  11. raynman says:

    Considering the pathetic condition that some of our veterans face due to continued cuts in veteran programs’ budgets, they might not want to come home early…..


  12. Briseadh na Faire says:

    That means a troop draw-down will begin before the next President takes office. If the war-mongers are correct, violence in Iraq will escalate and the terrorists will then follow our troops home….all in time to blame the next President.


  13. Wayne says:

    Wash, Rinse, Repeat.
    Comment by plunger — January 23, 2008 @ 3:12 pm

    Cut, paste, rinse, repeat.


  14. RUCerious says:

    At least the military brass are facing up to the reality of a broken army. They can’t support the current troop levels in combat, so they are making the necessary adjustments.
    Time for political gamesmanship is up, reality sets in.
    Bush, you broke it. Bush supporters, you should get to pay for it.


  15. Bobwurst says:

    “…If the war-mongers are correct…”
    Briseadh na Faire

    That’s a pretty big if..but I guess there’s a first time for everything.


  16. Bobwurst says:

    #8: You seem to lack appreciation for the voluntary nature of our armed forces. But then again one can expect that attitude from a leftist who embraces the idea of people having to pay taxes (ie. someone else’s bills) at a gunpoint.

    Comment by Frank M

    but I have a fine appreciation for your cowardice and hypocrisy. Now, not only do you refuse to serve to defend your country against a foe you believe is out to destroy us, but you complain about having to pay for someone else to go and get his or her legs blown off. you’re scum frank.


  17. Bobwurst says:

    and I’m proud to be a leftist. We’ve been right and you’ve been wrong about everything you neofacist wingnut.


  18. Wayne says:

    You seem to lack appreciation for the voluntary nature of our armed forces. But then again one can expect that attitude from a leftist who embraces the idea of people having to pay taxes (ie. someone else’s bills) at a gunpoint.

    Comment by Frank M — January 23, 2008 @ 3:25 pm

    Shorter Frank M:
    “I am a coward who will let others fight and die while I hide in mommy’s basement.”


  19. ct says:

    good news for the country = bad news for the libs


  20. ralph the wonder llama says:

    #8: You seem to lack appreciation for the voluntary nature of our armed forces.

    Comment by Frank M — January 23, 2008 @ 3:25 pm

    Wrong again, Frank. Bobwurst was specifically addressing the voluntary nature of our armed forces, and suggesting that you and all your cohorts who find this such a noble effort, simply volunteer.

    How is that hard to understand?


  21. ralph the wonder llama says:

    I thought c**t was banned?


  22. MapleStreet says:

    Gotta love the hat trick:

    Tours used to be limited to 12 months. Military intentionally changed the policy to accommodate Chimpy’s war.

    Now going back to 12 months is a “cut”.


  23. Wayne says:

    good news for the country = bad news for the libs

    Comment by ct — January 23, 2008 @ 3:41 pm

    Good news for the servicemen and women *if* Gates and Bush listen to the Army Generals

    Please explain why you think this is bad for “libs”?


  24. hellinabucket says:

    My question a well Wayne. I also want to know why ct believes this is good for the country.

    Being blissfully ignorant of the issues may lead one to believe this is good for the country (harder to swallow how it’s bad for libs but I’m sure ct will provide the rationale) but the military doesn’t make a decision like this as lightly as ct types.

    Afghanistan is showing to be much more difficult and much more central to the “War on Terror”.


  25. DRxJ says:

    But then again one can expect that attitude from a leftist who embraces the idea of people having to pay taxes (ie. someone else’s bills) at a gunpoint.

    Comment by Frank M (Jake)

    so sayeth the person who ripped off an honorable Vet of the North Korea War bio as his own!
    eh shakey jake (or dale)?


  26. zuch says:

    “I’ve got good news and bad news.”

    “What’s the good news?”

    “We’ll cut battlefield rotations from 15 months to 12 months.”

    “So what’s the bad news?”

    “Now you’ll have to do four rotations….”

    Cheers,


  27. gummitch says:

    #8: You seem to lack appreciation for the voluntary nature of our armed forces. But then again one can expect that attitude from a leftist who embraces the idea of people having to pay taxes (ie. someone else’s bills) at a gunpoint.

    Comment by Frank M — January 23, 2008 @ 3:25 pm

    Coming from the professed fascist who refuses to volunteer for service, this irony on irony. Fascists throw contracts out whenever the result doesn’t suit them.


  28. Bobwurst says:

    frank M is the old Jake? I’m being waaaay to nice to that ass.


  29. Lefty Patriot says:

    rank M is the old Jake? I’m being waaaay to nice to that ass.

    Comment by Bobwurst — January 23, 2008 @ 5:13 pm

    being nice to any fascist (frank is an admitted fascist) is counterproductive. they should all get the Mussolini treatment.


  30. WaltTheMan says:

    What about limiting presidential terms to 12 months with a required 12 month rest period and no term limits, unless the current president receives 2/3s of the national, not electoral, vote? Also require that the VP’s place of residence be based on at least 2 years in the same state immediately prior to the national election.


  31. MapleStreet says:

    34. Walt the Man, 12 months vacation between years is what we already have with all the vacations that Bush takes.

    Sorry, but you made it so easy.,


  32. mdbyrne says:

    Everyone that is there right now and every that leaves between now and August will be stuck with 15 month tours. If you leave after August you’ll start doing 14 months and less is the way the plan is looking. It always winds up being worse than the press release because the original headline is the only one the American public will remember and it is the only one that will get reported. It will barely get a mention when this plan goes completely down the tube when the violence flares up again in Bahgdad.
    This is the information operation (public affairs) to soften the reality of what is really going to open.



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