Mullen Talks Iraq Tours at Bragg

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Mullen Talks Iraq Tours at Bragg
April 01, 2008
Knight Ridder

FORT BRAGG, N.C. - The top military adviser to the president told a group of Fort Bragg Soldiers and Pope Air Force Base Airmen March 31 that shortening deployments from 15 months to 12 months depends on fighting in Iraq, not on any predetermined time limit.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he wants shorter deployments -- and longer periods of time at home -- but said security in the Middle East is the military's highest priority.

Mullen's remarks came during a question-and-answer forum with about 350 Soldiers and Airmen at Pope Air Force Base's theater. Mullen spent the day touring the two installations and meeting with troops to ask about their concerns.

Junior enlisted troops asked questions about the lengths and frequencies of their deployments, last week's violence in Iraq and care for wounded service members and veterans.

Mullen told the group he wanted to shorten deployments and give service members twice as much time at home as they spend overseas. The military's challenge, he said, is balancing the health of its service members with the missions in Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries around the world.


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