General: Stop-Loss Needed Through '09

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General: Stop-Loss Needed Through '09
April 22, 2008
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - It will be more than a year before the Army can end the unpopular practice of forcing Soldiers to stay in the service beyond their retirement or re-enlistment dates, a top official said April 21.

Lt. Gen. James D. Thurman, deputy chief of staff for operations, said he hoped that wartime demand for troops will decline enough by around the fall of next year to end "stop-loss." He said there are more than 12,000 currently serving under the practice - an action that critics have called a "backdoor draft."

Thurman also said that as officials continue to increase the size of the Army, it could be possible by the fall of 2011 for troops to be home two years for every year they are deployed.

The two issues of stop loss and long tours of duty have been among the Pentagon's most disliked practices among troops. Thousands have been forced to stay in the service beyond their contracts since the start of the global war on terrorism. And tours of duty were increased to 15 months from 12 months a year ago so the Army could come up with the extra forces President Bush ordered for the troop buildup in Iraq.

Now that most of the extra troops are being drawn down by the end of July, Bush early this month ordered the tours cut back to 12 months, a move Thurman said would help the Army begin to restore its balance.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/general-stoploss-needed-through-09.html