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12-Month Deployments to Reduce Stress, Build Depth |
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Written by davidtkl
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Saturday, 26 April 2008 |
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, April 21, 2008) -- Soldiers can now look
forward to less time away from their families as the Army finalizes
plans for shortened deployment lengths in support of the war on terror.
With the decision by President George W. Bush April 12, the Army will
return to 12- month deployments after Aug. 1, said Lt. Gen. James D.
Thurman, deputy chief of staff of the Army for G-3 (Operations). He
said the shortened tour lengths would be good for both Soldiers and the
Army.
"It's going to help us begin to restore the balance that we need to do
in the Army," he said. "That will help us reduce that stress and strain
on our Soldiers and their families. It will also help us by continuing
to build that strategic depth back in the Army."
The change refers now only to the active component of the Army, and
will help bring the Army back to a "1 to 1" ratio of deployment time to
dwell time -- the period of time following a deployment that allows a
unit to reset and re-equip. The general said the Army wants to increase
dwell time.
"Ideally, we want to push that out to 15 to 18 months," he said. "We
want to get to 18 months because that will allow us to start building
back to the full-spectrum capability we need -- we are a
counter-insurgency based force."
Some units are now at 15 months dwell time, the general said. But not the entire Army.
"It depends on what kind of formation you are in," he said.
By Fiscal 2011, the Army could attain 24 months of dwell time for each
year deployed, Thurman said, but added the Army has a longer dwell time
planned beyond that.
"The ultimate goal that we have in the Army is to get to a one and
three," he said. "But I don't see that happening now, based on current
demands -- because demand does exceed supply."
The Army National Guard and Army Reserve are under a 12-month
mobilization policy. Pre- and post- mobilization times are built in to
that 12 months. The ultimate goal for the Guard and Reserve is to have
one year deployed and 5 years at home, he said.
To achieve a 24-month dwell time by FY11, the Army will need 15 BCTs in
the active component that are always ready to deploy. The National
Guard will also need to provide four to five ready-to-deploy brigades
to make that happen.
The change to 12-month deployments will take affect for Soldiers
deploying after Aug. 1. Those Soldiers currently deployed, and those
deploying prior to the August date, will deploy for their already
scheduled tour lengths.
Source and credits : http://www.army.mil/-news/2008/04/21/8665-12-month-deployments-to-reduce-stress-build-depth/
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