Appeals court OKs forced military extensions

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=8490834

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The U.S. military has the right to keep soldiers in the service beyond their original contracted time by issuing so-called emergency stop-loss orders, a U.S. appeals court said on Friday.

The U.S. 9th Circuit of Appeals said the military acted within its rights when it ordered Emiliano Santiago, an Army National Guard sergeant, to remain in the service after his eight-year contract expired as his unit was being mobilized for active duty.

Santiago, now in Afghanistan, had argued stop-loss orders could only apply to reserve units on active duty.

The San Francisco-based court disagreed, backing the "plain language" of federal law authorizing the executive branch to "implement a stop-loss policy in order to prevent retirement or separation of reserve members who are essential to national security."