Army captains ‘pelt’ Mullen with tough questions on war.

At a forum in Oklahoma today, Army captains — “who represent the military’s future” — pelted Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Navy Adm. Michael Mullen with “blunt questions” about the strain of Iraq redeployments:

The long and repeated battlefield deployments were a prime topic.

One year at war and one year back at home “is not good enough” one officer flatly told Mullen, setting the tone early for the discussion. [...]

“When it becomes a burden to my family, it becomes repulsive,” said one captain, who told Mullen that he wants a stable assignment so his wife can go to school, but he was told that “family considerations don’t play a role” in such planning decisions.

Mullen grimaced as the officer said he was preparing to leave the Army because of the problems.