Warning to anyone who knows someone seperating from the military...

[VampHeartless]

I've being doing some research online about some very mafia-style tactics the US Army is using to "force" soldiers into staying in the military. Basically the scam works with soldiers who serve 2-3 years tours overseas, and have their tours ending before they get out of the army. I'll use my personal example.

I am scheduled to leave England in April of 2006, and finish my eight years of military service in July of 2006. Prior to the war in Iraq, a soldier's tour would be automatically extended the three months needed, so that I would stay in England until I left active duty. My S1 (kind of like secretaries for the army), submitted the paperwork to do this. The US Army comes back and says...I have assignment orders to Ft. Gordon, where I will immediatly deploy to Iraq, in June. One month before I get out. It turns out, as I am a career soldier, I now have three options:

a) Reenlist to meet the time needed to fulfill a two year tour in Georgia, where I would deploy to Iraq.

b) Sign a Declination statement, which is basically a deragatory flag, saying that I refuse to reenlist, that bars me from promotion, reenlistment, selection for any military schooling, or education assistance.

c) Do nothing. If the army insisted I PCS in June, to Georgia, I would be forced to deploy to Iraq my last month in the US Army, then placed on stop loss, where I would be indefinetely held in the military against my will until I am no longer deemed mission essential. This is only possible as long as we are in a time of war; as I have already finished my 4 years inactive reserve.

Now, here's the even worst part. In my research I am finding TONS of cases of troops deployed in Iraq, trying to get out, who are first termers. A first termer is not eligible for option b, sigining a dec statement (option b is only for career soldiers like myself). The recruiters and 1SG's there are telling these young soldiers that they HAVE to reenlist, and that they have no choice in the matter. I've spoken to JAG, and this is completely untrue, but the army continues to use it as a "tactic", because these young soldier's don't know any better!!!

I know it's hard to comprehend...but when you're in an infantry unit, in the desert...your 1SG's word is gold. He is a 30+ year served, wise, experienced sage who is your best mentor. He is never wrong, about anything, in the eyes of a young soldiers. So, if a 1SG tells a private he has to reenlist, because it's the law, the private believes him, because he doesn't know any better, and he doesn't have access to the resources he needs to understand army reenlistment/enlisted management policies. Basically, these young soldiers are duped by older, more experienced soldiers, because the army is having manpower issues.

I've also seen the army try to force someone to reenlist because the army paid to move their spouse overseas, but accidentally gave a soldier a three year tour, instead of a two year tour. The solider was told he either had to reenlist, or the army would ship his wife back home, and make him pay for the time she spent with him overseas that the army paid for.

Last year, the US Army recruiting command nationwide had to shut down for an entire day, because of ethical issues between recruiters and recruitees. The army is the only service that seems to have trouble keeping people within in it's ranks...that has to resort to shady, mob style recruiting tactics to meet their goals. I'm continuing my research, but I wanted to let people here know, since I know so many DIS'ers have friends and family members serving overseas. I'm lucking enough to have a congressman from my state who sits on the military ethical oversight committee. I'm hoping this will grab their attention, once I leave the military in July.

 

[Sleepy]

Sorry to hear about your situation, but even a person ready to retire can be refused retirement. A person who has already retired can still be called back to active duty.

 

[holycow]

Thanks for bringing this to everyones attention! This is such a shame to prey on young unknowledgable soldiers serving their country in good faith. Good luck to you in getting the word out!

Holycow

 

[KerriSue]

That is crazy. So sorry things are like that in the Army. My husband is in the Air force and we are stationed in England. I thought that if you had less than a certain time frame left in the military you could not be deployed. Maybe you should go to your base legal department to get some extra help, you never know it could work out.

Best of luck to you, keep us informed as to the outcome.

Kerri

 

[va32h]

Stop-loss stinks, but it's part of the contract that you, and every other soldier, signed.

And I for one, don't believe everything I read on the internet, so your "research" will have to be more than Googling and reading message boards before it has any credibility with me.

 

[lyeag]

I don't get it. Why would option b be a problem if you are getting out? What do you care about promotions or schools if you are wanting out of the Army??? Now, if it changes your discharge that is different, but you didn't say that.

Stop loss sucks. Dh got stuck in S. Korea under stop loss for a while.

 

[wdw4us2]

Has the Army contract been changed recently? When I enlisted in 1979, everyone signed a six year contract. It was explained that I served three years on active duty and three years in the Individual Ready Reserve - where your active enlistment can be extended or you can be called back after seperation.

Is this no longer true? Or, are people not reading the contract when they enlist?

I, too, don't understand why the OP is concerned about not being promoted if it's his intent to sign invoke the declination option.

 

[ToriLammy]

I know it's hard to comprehend...but when you're in an infantry unit, in the desert...your 1SG's word is gold. He is a 30+ year served, wise, experienced sage who is your best mentor. He is never wrong, about anything, in the eyes of a young soldiers. So, if a 1SG tells a private he has to reenlist, because it's the law, the private believes him, because he doesn't know any better, and he doesn't have access to the resources he needs to understand army reenlistment/enlisted management policies. Basically, these young soldiers are duped by older, more experienced soldiers, because the army is having manpower issues.

High year of Tenure for the Army is 30 years as an E-9 (it's less for lower grades) - a 1SG is not a 30+ year sage. That part of your post alone leads me to believe you embellished the facts to make it sound worse than it really is.

 

[AllyandJack]

My DH got lied to when he tried to leave. He had been in for 12 years. He wasn't an officer. So, he didn't have to do IRR - he was done. All of a sudden, an officer in his unit called and said he couldn't leave because of Stop-Loss. DH hadn't heard of his MOS being on the Stop-Loss list. Guess what? It wasn't. The officer lied to him and told him he was under a Stop-Loss order and had to re-enlist. Thankfully, DH made some calls and discovered this was wrong. He was due the rest of his enlistment bonus and 8 months later, we still hadn't received it. He called and was told he was wiped out from the system and they couldn't give him his money unless he re-enlisted for a few minutes. So, someone in Kentucky (I think) re-enlisted him, got his money sent, and then wiped him out again. They just weren't going to pay him.

My DH was in an infantry unit and then an artillery unit. The contract is clear. If you don't want to run the risk of being under a Stop-Loss order, don't sign the contract. If you don't want to be on a list to be recalled indefinitely, resign any commission you have.

I see both sides because my DH was lied to and given the run around, but even on your discharge papers, it tells you if you're on IRR or if you can be re-called and until what date. The contract spells out the Stop-Loss issue. But, there are some people out there lying to people and, sometimes, people just take their word for it.