Army Tours Extended

[lovemygoofy]

Katie, I have a question for your husband if I may have you relay it. I've been doing some digging about this "extra compensation" and as of right now to get that extra compensation you have to be in theater 365 days consecutive. As well all know supposedly R&R does not count as in theater.

Also, as of right now a soldier is not counted as "in theater" until over 50% of that soldier's unit is there also. How will this all now be counted? I know that your Dewayne won't know but I'm trying to find these answers because of right now, no one can give me an answer here.

I could care less one way or the other about the money, but we all know that the army tries every which way to screw a soldier especially when it's about money.

 

[KT27]

Katie, I have a question for your husband if I may have you relay it. I've been doing some digging about this "extra compensation" and as of right now to get that extra compensation you have to be in theater 365 days consecutive. As well all know supposedly R&R does not count as in theater.

Also, as of right now a soldier is not counted as "in theater" until over 50% of that soldier's unit is there also. How will this all now be counted? I know that your Dewayne won't know but I'm trying to find these answers because of right now, no one can give me an answer here.

I could care less one way or the other about the money, but we all know that the army tries every which way to screw a soldier especially when it's about money.

I forwarded him your question. He is in headquarters so I will let you know

 

[eclectics]

Regardless how you feel about the Iraq situation, this news sucks for all the soldiers and their families. I can't imagine how those affected must feel. I hope and pray that soon the deployments will shorten, not lengthen.

 

[lovemygoofy]

I forwarded him your question. He is in headquarters so I will let you know

Thanks, Katie. I'm sure he doesn't know either but I'm still asking around because no doubt the army doesn't know either lol.

 

[jsmith]

this sucks-its so hard on families-and despite yesterdays annoucement that they would go forward with the policy of having reserve mobilization be limited to 12 months i expect that they will renig on that and go back to the 18 to 24 months that it has been with in the next six weeks or so-12 months is not workable under the current op tempo-they cant get people trained and over there fast enough. I feel deeply for those of you who are impacted by this extension-ive been there and done that-and i know its coming again. I hope things work out so that they can wind up not having to stay the entire 15 months-and that the soldiers currently preparing to deploy dont have to serve 15 month tours. enough is enough already.

 

[Chloe'sMom]

I am so sorry to all of the soldiers and their SPOUSES (who in my opinion are totally underappreciated for the sacrifices they make) about these longer tours of duty. I can't imagine being in your shoes and I promise that I will do everything I can do to make sure my elected representatives know that we want our men and women home!

~Amanda

 

[jsmith]

I promise that I will do everything I can do to make sure my elected representatives know that we want our men and women home!


the Best thing our elected representives can do at the point is to give the commanders in the field the funding and support they need to finish the job the right way-as soon as possible-trying to strong arm the president into pulling out and leaving a mess that we essentially created is the wrong answer-if we leave before the job is done we will be back in 5 years to a worse situation-if you want to send a message that will really help-tell them to quit jerking around with funding-and authorize a major increase in end streghth=because whats really needed to take the pressure off is a bigger army adequately funded to do the job-not stupid fights amoung the civilian leadership over whos gonna tell who what-the time for that was before we went in-now we need to do the job and do it right.

 

[LadyShiva]

the Best thing our elected representives can do at the point is to give the commanders in the field the funding and support they need to finish the job the right way-as soon as possible-trying to strong arm the president into pulling out and leaving a mess that we essentially created is the wrong answer-if we leave before the job is done we will be back in 5 years to a worse situation-if you want to send a message that will really help-tell them to quit jerking around with funding-and authorize a major increase in end streghth=because whats really needed to take the pressure off is a bigger army adequately funded to do the job-not stupid fights amoung the civilian leadership over whos gonna tell who what-the time for that was before we went in-now we need to do the job and do it right.

I completely disagree with your point. I don't think giving more money is going to solve the fact that we don't have the trained personnel to relieve the ones currently serving in our current wars. Money != people.

And as my brother is getting shorted on training (assuming he makes it through boot camp), I find myself more and more annoyed with the President on a daily basis, as more and more people (generals, journalists, family members at home) point out the fact that the military people -need- a longer break than what they're getting from the Executive Branch and the generals the Executive Branch commands.

Brandie

 

[Keli]

My heart kind of sunk when I heard about the extended deployments. I'm just so sorry for all the soldiers and their families/friends. My heart goes out to all of you.

 

[jsmith]

I don't think giving more money is going to solve the fact that we don't have the trained personnel to relieve the ones currently serving in our current wars. Money != people.

Bigger adequately funded army-thats what i said-we need more soldiers and more training-but thats not going to solve the problem over night-and this president didnt create the too small army problem-the two previous administrations did. Adequate funding and support is need NOW to fix this for now and the future-the ONLY way we get out of this with out it being a disaster is finish what we started-and grow our force to meet the needs of the future-the current force is screwed-there is NO WAY around that-and im the spouse of a soldier and the mother of a future soldier and i civilian employee of the army-all my friends are soldiers or the spouses of soldiers-i want out as soon and as effectively as possible-but not at the cost of having to go back later and clean up the mess. And none of those things help those of us who have loved ones who have been gone more than they were home for the last five years-or the soldiers who dont have enough down time to recover and who will be permenantly scared from it-if you think im all gung ho about this your WRONG-but we have to fix it-and deadlines and leaving a mess behind arent the way to do that-and your brother isnt getting shorted on training because of the president-hes getting shorted on training because the congress thinks holding the funding will solve the problem-the troops in the field HAVE to be supported-so training back home goes short-its alwasy worked that way and always will.

 

[RickinNYC]

I'm so sorry guys. Regardless of my position on the war, my thoughts and prayers are with the men and women overseas, and those others soon to be shipped out. And my gratitude for the spouses and family members of these men and women is tremendous. You all are keeping those men and women grounded and full of hope.

From one military brat to all the others out there, thank you.

 

[salmoneous]

deadlines and leaving a mess behind arent the way to do that

I'm not sure sending more troops, and extending the stays of the ones there are the way either. As General Petraeus has said, "There is no military solution to a problem like that in Iraq, to the insurgency of Iraq"

If more troops aren't going to solve the problem, we shouldn't be sending them. The troops have done all they can. Let's bring them home.

 

[LadyShiva]

You do realize the military will not "run out" of money until July, right? Congress isn't "shutting down" the military:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/04/04/pentagon.funds/

"Bush told reporters Tuesday that the military would begin running short of funds in mid-April. But the bipartisan Congressional Research Service concluded last week that the military will have the money to continue fighting through July without additional funding."

Where's the urgency here, except as created by the President to push around Congress?

Brandie

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

If more troops aren't going to solve the problem, we shouldn't be sending them. The troops have done all they can. Let's bring them home.

I agree completely.

 

[lovemygoofy]

You do realize the military will not "run out" of money until July, right? Congress isn't "shutting down" the military:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/04/04/pentagon.funds/

"Bush told reporters Tuesday that the military would begin running short of funds in mid-April. But the bipartisan Congressional Research Service concluded last week that the military will have the money to continue fighting through July without additional funding."

Where's the urgency here, except as created by the President to push around Congress?

Brandie

The urgency here is that NOTHING in the gov't moves quickly and even after the money bill is passed it will take months to implement. If the army is working on a limited budget, it limites what the soldiers can have as far as equipment or uniforms or the extent of training.

My husband is trying to get the his crappy old generators fixed(supposedly were fixed already) because of right now new ones can't be bought. The urgency is the 100+ that is training and preparing stateside and need the best equipment avilable and have the ability to upgrade on the still useable. HUMVEES have to be uparmored before sent over and new body shields need to be bought. Even at the speed of light in the army and gov't, it's the speed of a snail in the regular world.

I'm tired of this pissing contest between Congress and the President. I want a real gov't that wants to support the troops and the families and actually do what is right for them and not what makes the other team look superior.

 

[LadyShiva]

The urgency here is that NOTHING in the gov't moves quickly and even after the money bill is passed it will take months to implement. If the army is working on a limited budget, it limits what the soldiers can have as far as equipment or uniforms or the extent of training.

... I want a real gov't that wants to support the troops and the families and actually do what is right for them and not what makes the other team look superior.

To use an acronym... Sit Norm, AFU, right? Having worked procurement for the Feds, OH LORD, does buying ANYTHING take forever! And that's when you have the dang money! Thank goodness the Feds finally got people credit cards and let them use them.

And I agree... I'd like a government that works, too.

Brandie

 

[jsmith]

I'm tired of this pissing contest between Congress and the President. I want a real gov't that wants to support the troops and the families and actually do what is right for them and not what makes the other team look superior.


And that hits the nail right on the head. We have units here that are taking broken tanks BACK to iraq cause thats where the parts are