Editorial: Deployment policy unfair

[bugalaman]

I you don't like being deployed, you shouldn't have joined the military. just my thought....

[sweatyAZ]

Originally Posted by smarg

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

LOL, awsome catch phrase

[sweatyAZ]

Originally Posted by bugalaman

I you don't like being deployed, you shouldn't have joined the military. just my thought....

Some of us joined to support families. Whats the point if you loose that family due to asinine policies?

[Capt Alfredo]

Originally Posted by bugalaman

I you don't like being deployed, you shouldn't have joined the military. just my thought....

A lot of people joined before 9/11 when deploying was much less common.

[CivEng]

I've done a 365, and a guaranteed year home afterward was definately one of the selling points (I volunteered). I think they are going to see a significant drop in volunteers for 365 tours as a result of this policy.

Personnally, I think the a year gone and a year home is a healthier tempo than 6 months gone and 6 months home like tempo band E. The Army is acknowledging that even a year home isn't enough.

Also, the 365 provides much better continutity in the AOR, particularly in leadership positions and those jobs that are working with local nationals and rely on the development of personal relationships.

[zerstorer335]

Originally Posted by bugalaman

I you don't like being deployed, you shouldn't have joined the military. just my thought....

To piggy-back on Capt. Alfredo, even some of us who joined after 9/11 either were along for the ride as the deployment environment changed or had the "surprise" of reality dumped on us after we joined.

The complaints here aren't about so much about deploying as they are about dwell time.

I'm just "glad" that the article is only about existing 365-day tours / tours that were originally intended to be that long. When I first scanned through the article, I was worried they were talking about extending what were 6 month tours to 365s but not extending the "home" time. 6-on-6-off deployment rates are rough enough.

At least when people go to remote tours for a year, they're usually sent on PCS (not TDY) orders and, therefore, off of the books for the unit that's sending them away.

[BRUWIN]

Originally Posted by bugalaman

I you don't like being deployed, you shouldn't have joined the military. just my thought....

I can think of very few that actually like deploying. I don't mind it and it's part of the being in the military today....but I can't actually say I like it. I'm one of the few old timers that joined when deplying wasn't a part of our job. Once I deployed to Desert Storm and quickly realized times were gonna change I realized that if were to stay in my attitude about deployments needed to change as well. We lost a ton of people after Desert Storm through the much publicized VSI. What many people don't hear about VSI is that many people left because they realized that the Desert Storm experience wasn't why they joined and knew inside that there was only more to come.

[Shadowless]

Other then your most obvious jobs such as CE, Security Forces ect...I think the majority of post 9/11 Airman like myself knew they would deploy, but I don't think ANYONE saw deploying for 12 months at a time, or even 6 months deployed, 6 months back, 6 months deployed.

[JKS]

I did DS/DS too and a 9 mos stint at that. I was in only 2 yrs at the time but I knew when I signed on the dotted line that there were going to be times we'd have to do what we signed up to do. I'm a mil brat and my father and stepfather were Army and didn't see any conflict during their 25yr careers. Well, my stepfather did as he and I were deployed together during DS/DS. I too remember VSI and the exodus that took place. But I still stayed in, due in large part because of that experience of DS/DS and the comaderie that was made and the TEAM WORK. We built a base from scratch and housed 10K people and took us 150 days to build. Talk about humping! I never experienced that experience again and I've been on 7 other bare base deployments since then and a total of 18 deployments altogether in my 22 yrs in. Been deployed every yr w/ the exception of 87,97,00 & 04 and yes I've been outside the wire too. I knew after DS/DS that we were going to get VERY familiar w/ that area and for a long time to come. Wouldn't be surprised we're there another 15yrs as long as there's funding.

Guess the point I'm trying to make is, we're apart of the US military industrial complex and as long as we where the uniform we do our part, good bad or indifferent. I don't recall reading the document saying we only do X, Y & Z. If the nation needs you to scale that bridge...then you scale that bridge or whatever. We all knew what we signed up for. Remember it's voluntary? When you no longer feel you can carry that responsibility on your back...then you move on. I have nothing but the utmost respect for those that have served and are currently serving. It takes a special breed to put up w/ all of it. LOL! True and funny at the same time. We all had a certain vision of what it was like and then you get sucked into the BS etc. But I got news for you...it's the same way on the outside. Only thing different is WE all have a common bond. We served. No one joins the US military to get rich...maybe for a good portion a steady income and who would refute that? Nothing wrong that but when it's time to mount up...it's time to mount up.

It's going to be rough to constantly deploy, especially to HZ's but how many really make this a career? There is a reason for the high turnover. Everyone isn't cut out for 20+ yrs. Check the stats on that.

[smarg]

Now that the deployment section is masked on officer promotion info, we're going back to the old days when deployments weren't fashionable (Northern and Southern Watch) and the scammers come out. Health scams ("Oh, my back hurts...I have migraines...I'm pregnant) and skimming are back in vogue. Skimming is usually Pentagon or MAJCOM HQ garbage skimming the easy Pentastan/Tampastan/Europstan deployments before they filter down to the field. Of course, never forget the Korea "volunteers" who are actually OIF/OEF dodgers.

Makes one want to vomit.