Editorial: Deployment policy unfair

[Michaep]

Originally Posted by CommunityEditor

The Air Force’s new deployment policy is supposed to be built on fairness.

Instead, it’s patently unfair and should be repealed immediately.

The new policy eliminates a 12-month deployment exemption for about 1,600 airmen who are pulling yearlong tours in Iraq and Afghanistan because their skills are in such high demand there.

Now they will be guaranteed only six months at home before they can be deployed. The result is that some could spend as many as 24 out of 30 months deployed.

The problem is that the Air Force’s outdated air expeditionary force rotations don’t match up with yearlong tours. Exempting any airmen from deployment rotations for a full year puts an extra burden on others, who might find themselves doing more, shorter tours as a result.

Air Force leaders are calling that unfair. They’re wrong. This is what’s called sharing the burden.

By eliminating the 12-month exemptions, they are instead heaping more of a burden on those who have already sacrificed the most, deploying twice as long as the typical Air Force deployment.

This new policy is a mistake that can still be reversed. Wise leadership — somewhere in the chain of command — must see to it that it is. And fast.

I wonder what type of worker bees work hardest?

Disgruntled ones or ones who are happy with their qualify of living and their job?

If the AF wants a COMPLETELY disgruntled force then by all means, continue on with the changes, its not going to work out well in the long run

The Army tried to keep on pushing people to the breaking point and deploying them constantly, then they understood the effect on divorces and suicide and disgruntled soldiers

Were not robots, you cant run us constantly and just oil us up to keep on going

[Stang5150]

Originally Posted by JYONDER

This is only a symptom of the larger problem -- unsustainable steady-state PERSTEMPO policies, esp. for folks in Tempo Bands D and E. The Army is working exceptionally hard at giving people 12 or even 24 months dwell time between deployments and still they acknowledge in Congress and other forums that a year at home is not enough for soldiers and their families. Expecting airmen and their families to have 6 or fewer months together between deployments (since no credit is given for time served at combat skills training) over the course of 5, 10 or even a 20 year AF career is unrealistic. Either the airman is going to leave the AF or the family is going to leave the airman. "The Year of the Air Force Family" is just 7 hollow words to a lot of people. It is critical that this be fixed.

From here on out it's not "The Year of the Air Force Family" but "The Year of BOHICA".

Thank you Air Force! May I have another???

[smarg]

The pilots in charge have no freaking clue of the impact on the units when they blindly give in to the Abu Ghraibs and give them ILO bodies. Really, they are low-lifes.

[Boss Hog]

This ol' dum' cop don' 'now nuttin'; but:

There's an old saying: "You shouldn't try to use a racehorse as a pack animal..."

Jes' sayin'...

P.S.-- Did the personnel weanies think to put in a requisition for large quantities of KY? (Methinks the troops will need it.)

[BigCountry74]

I'm right there with you Boss Hog. I know guys who like to deploy, but doing a 365 then coming home for 6 just to go back out again is a little ridiculous. For single guys I'm sure its great, rack up the cash. For married guys, get ready to be single again!!!

[CharlieHotel]

Originally Posted by WarBird

I can't agree with this more.

To be 100% honest, I'd rather spend a year in prison for disobeying a direct order to deploy for one year, come home for 6, then leave again for another year. At least my family could come visit me on the weekends. And once my "debt to society" was fulfilled, my family and I could move on.

Air Force be damned. My family is 1000 times more important than you.

agreeded! doing prison time is well worth keeping my family. if i end up in this stupid rotation then i for sure will be gettin out soon! its bullshit over there in the desert right now. its just not worth it. the only thing you sacrific is your family and possibly your own life, while our congress gets fat and rich. this country could give a shit less about us. also, last time i saw my uniform, it was airforce, not army!

[Combat correspondent]

Originally Posted by CharlieHotel

also, last time i saw my uniform, it was airforce, not army!

Really? I can barely tell the difference in the ABU/ACU - both gray, inneffective and overall nasty!

I tend to side w/ Giggledorf - as I keep my fingers crossed that it doesn't happen to "this" guy.

[smarg]

The pilot CSAFs will keep giving the Abu Ghraibs all the non-rated officer and enlisted bodies they want because they have no respect for either. The Air Staff GOs are careerist dregs who will never speak up; include the political CMSAF in there as well.

So, if you're not a scammer, to include females with pregnancy excuses, get ready for the upcoming huge plus-up in OEF. Get them bags packed!

[Capt Alfredo]

Originally Posted by smarg

The pilot CSAFs will keep giving the Abu Ghraibs all the non-rated officer and enlisted bodies they want because they have no respect for either. The Air Staff GOs are careerist dregs who will never speak up; include the political CMSAF in there as well.

So, if you're not a scammer, to include females with pregnancy excuses, get ready for the upcoming huge plus-up in OEF. Get them bags packed!

While I disagree with most of your opinions, on this you are correct.

[smarg]

Originally Posted by Capt Alfredo

While I disagree with most of your opinions, on this you are correct.

I'm always correct. Get off the sad train and hop on Smarg's happy bus of wisdom.