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| Army shortens combat tours to nine months |
| 2011-08-06 |
| The US Army will shorten the length of tours of duty for personnel deployed in combat zones from a year to nine months, as it pursues its withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan, the Pentagon said Friday. "This policy will not affect personnel or units currently deployed or deploying prior to Jan. 1, 2012," the secretary of the army, John McHugh, said in a statement, adding the move would be fully in effect by April 2012. The US Army is looking to allow soldiers to spend two years in the United States for each year they are deployed, but the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq have resulted in consecutive deployments for many personnel.Those back-to-back war tours have prompted concerns about the health of the soldiers, with an increase seen in reported psychological problems and the number of suicides. "The reduced deployment length will improve soldier and family quality of life while continuing to meet operational requirements and is an important step in sustaining the all-volunteer-force," McHugh said. |
| Posted by:tu3031 |
| #21 Time does indeed fly. A hearty well done and thanks to Keith G. For putting himself between us and the bad guys, and much satisfaction from whatever his future career turns out to be. If I might suggest a few intro business/management courses -- the knowledge will be useful whatever he decides to do. Top Mac, our thanks to your son for stepping forward three times. Would that there were more offspring like yours and Frank's! |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2011-08-06 17:37 |
| #20 Best luck and wishes Top Mac. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2011-08-06 14:23 |
| #19 Five years? that long ago? Glad he's home and you have some time together again. Thanks for his service. |
| Posted by: Sherry 2011-08-06 14:09 |
| #18 I can imagine your delight! Thanks to him for serving, and to you, for raising him! |
| Posted by: Bobby 2011-08-06 13:32 |
| #17 Thank you, Frank. Thanks to your son and best wishes to him for a bright future. |
| Posted by: Abu Uluque 2011-08-06 12:49 |
| #16 he's unsure of career path, so it'll be living at home, saving money and getting his gen ed classes at the local Community college til he decides. Thanks again, and best wishes to Top Mac's son and everyone else serving! |
| Posted by: Frank G 2011-08-06 11:21 |
| #15 Son of Frank: Thank you for your service! |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2011-08-06 11:02 |
| #14 I'll pile on with my thanks to Keith, a hearty congrats to both Keith and Frank, and best wishes for the young man as he takes his next steps. Time sure does fly. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2011-08-06 10:50 |
| #13 Any idea of a major yet? College strategy is a new art, but a wise one to study right now. About the only guaranteed employment job right now is nursing, and it is an expensive major to teach, so colleges are trying to cut back on their nursing programs. Job placements six months after graduation are the critical statistic for any major, and schools do not want to release that information. To save money, taking lower division courses at a community college, after insuring that those course are transferable, is a winner. Thousands of dollars saved, as well as avoiding giant classes designed solely to wash out students. In many universities, freshman attrition approaches 50%. If at all possible, living off campus, ideally at home, is a huge money (and sanity) saver, since on campus housing is typically nasty, noisy, brutish and small. And he would likely have to share a room with a @#%&*! civilian kid, and their problems. Nothing quite like a part time babysitting job to make life harder. If he can, leave the car at home, because lots of universities make big money off exorbitant parking decals and parking garages. That can run $500/semester. So with under a 5 mile commute, a bicycle is the way to go, weather permitting. College credit cards are, of course, a scam. Last, but not least, I assume he is enrolled in USAA. It is by far the best and least expensive insurance, credit card and investment system around. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2011-08-06 10:34 |
| #12 Well done, Frank. |
| Posted by: Matt 2011-08-06 10:12 |
| #11 yeah, Chris. It seems like yesterday we were at Ft. Sill for his graduation from Basic |
| Posted by: Frank G 2011-08-06 09:54 |
| #10 Those five years blew by, for me at least. |
| Posted by: badanov 2011-08-06 09:14 |
| #9 Well that's the best news I've heard this morning. I'm glad he's home, Frank. I really am. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2011-08-06 09:08 |
| #8 Congrats and Thanks to your family. We are at FT Bragg this weekend to see our son off for his third tour. |
| Posted by: Top Mac 2011-08-06 08:47 |
| #7 Thanks to your son, Frank. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2011-08-06 07:55 |
| #6 Congrats, Frank. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2011-08-06 01:28 |
| #5 My older son just got his Honorable Discharge after 5 yrs That's wonderful news. But damn it seems like yesterday.... |
| Posted by: S 2011-08-06 01:22 |
| #4 Training. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2011-08-06 00:37 |
| #3 If y'all in southwest Kansas or TX/OK panhandle, I'd like to getchya a beer. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2011-08-06 00:36 |
| #2 Frank, I'd like to wish Keith a hearty Welcome Home and good luck with his studies. The Marines always made more sense with their 7 month tours, especially since the Army gave each soldier a 2 week trip home after 6 months. In that case, might as well rotate the whole unit back stateside. |
| Posted by: Eohippus Phater7165 2011-08-06 00:28 |
| #1 My older son just got his Honorable Discharge after 5 yrs (straight out of High School). So many of you have offered kind thoughts and prayers - I just want to say thank you. Keith's out. Next stop - Tahoe vacation with family, and College when he moves back home this month Thanks, everyone :-) |
| Posted by: Frank G 2011-08-06 00:05 |