General: More dwell time as growth goals met

[unhappycamper]

Time between deployments
Increase due to end of 15-month tours, larger Army


General: More dwell time as growth goals met
By Michelle Tan and Brendan McGarry - Staff writers
Posted : Monday Apr 21, 2008 21:29:18 EDT

Soldiers can expect to have 18 months at home between deployments by the end of fiscal 2009 and 24 months by the end of fiscal 2011 if the demand for troops stays steady and the Army meets its growth goals, a senior Army leader said Monday.

Lt. Gen. James Thurman, the Army G-3, spoke to reporters Monday at the Pentagon to provide more details on the Army’s plan to return the active-duty force to 12-month deployments beginning Aug. 1 and the impact of that change on soldiers and their families.

“I just think 15 months is too long,” Thurman said. “Emotionally and psychologically, I think we deal with 12 months pretty good. It’s the last three months that are the toughest.”

Active Army soldiers in the Central Command area of operations — including Iraq and Afghanistan — began serving 15-month tours in April 2007 to support the high demand for boots on the ground and the surge of five additional brigades in Iraq. The move also meant soldiers were only getting 12 months at home.

On April 10, almost one year since the implementation of 15-month tours, President Bush announced that soldiers deploying on or after Aug. 1 will return to 12-month deployments. However, soldiers who are currently deployed overseas should expect to be away for 15 months.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/04/army_dwell_time_042108w/



uhc comment: Of course Thurman forgot to mention the Army is growing with additional waivers.