NYT: Mistakes Cited in Managing Reserve Forces

[kskiska]

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 — The chief of the Army Reserve said on Tuesday that a series of mistakes in mobilizing and managing reserves for the war in Iraq had put the Army on the brink of serious problems in retaining those soldiers.

The officer, Lt. Gen. James R. Helmly, said 10,000 reserves were called up for active duty on less than five days' notice. An additional 8,000 were called up but never deployed. And of those 8,000, about half were remobilized not long after they were taken off active duty.

"The mobilization for O.I.F. was so fraught with friction, it really put a bad taste in people's mouths," General Helmly told reporters at a luncheon briefing, referring to Operation Iraqi Freedom, the military's name for the campaign in Iraq.

In addition, the military's orders to keep active-duty and Reserve forces on the ground in Iraq for up to 12 months added so many strains on reserves' families and employers that many part-time soldiers have said they will not re-enlist when their terms are up.

Recruiting and retention levels have remained steady so far, General Helmly said. But he said that those figures had been "artificially propped" up by temporarily preventing reserves in certain specialties from leaving the military as previously scheduled.

more…
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/21/politics/21MILI.html

[Pale Blue Dot]

1. How many figures are being "artificially propped up"?

By this administration? As they should have learned with Enron, there is only so long that you can lie about facts and figures before it all comes crashing down on you?

[DuctapeFatwa]

2. Deploying them to other countries to kill people was a pretty big one

Once you've made that mistake, all the others sort of fade.

[leftchick]

3. My cousin is one....

Army Reserve, in Baghdad since April. He is supposed to be home this April. I pray he will make it home safe and sane.... :(

[lebkuchen]

4. He could very well be stop-lossed

Many in the Reserve are right now, in preparation for the huge unit rotation taking place. Military families are very very disappointed.