Mullen: Op tempo to quicken before it eases

[unhappycamper]

Mullen: Op tempo to quicken before it eases
By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Feb 19, 2009 21:45:10 EST

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. — The overall pace of U.S. military operations is likely to speed up over next 24 months as officials struggle to reduce the force in Iraq, quell insurgent violence in Afghanistan and build out new fighting units in the Army and Marine Corps, the nation’s top officer told troops at two bases Thursday.

“The pace is pretty quick — the pace here, the pace around the world,” Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a joint-service audience at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. “I’d like to stand here this morning and say it’s going to change. I don’t think it’s going to change at all. I think if anything, it’s probably going to quicken for awhile.”

Later, he added, “I recognize the stress that we’re under. We’re in a pretty delicate time; the next 24 months is pretty tough.”

He mentioned the figure during a similar “town hall” meeting at Fort Campbell, Ky., later in the day after repeating his oft-expressed desire to increase the time troops spend at home between deployments, known as dwell time.

“The challenge that we have over the next 24 months or so is a very delicate balance between the number of forces in Iraq, growing the number of forces in Afghanistan, and getting you enough time at home so that you can have a life,” Mullen said.


Rest of article at: http://armytimes.com/news/2009/02/military_mullen_optempo_021909w/%2e