Tour Lengths In Iraq

Perhaps it depends on the job. Officers and NCOs who are in advisor jobs may need a different standard. Isn't one of the valuable lessons learned (or at least identified) is that "advisor missions" often succeed due to the personal relationships? It's got to be tough on counterparts when we change frequently and they don't. It might sound counterintuitive but for certain positions, we may want to INCREASE tour lengths. To offset the hardship on the family, the Army might want to consider changing the leave/pass policy as well as the policy that determines where families/dependents live (normally dependents don't accompany for 2 year tours). For example, some might be willing to do some language/culture training in a neighboring country with the family for a year, and then leave them there while they deployed into the combat zone. Being nearby, and able to see them more frequently, once a month for example, would make longer tour more tolerable and make a major contribution to mission objectives.

For inndividual tour lengths I think that the Soldier's job is the most limiting factor. My first year deployed doing route clearance in Baghdad was much more stressful than my most recent 16 month deployment to Kirkuk on a MiTT. I would certainly prefer 6 month deployments, but I have also seen that the 1st and last months are often the most dangerous, and 9-12 months is probably the correct compromise. More leave or R&R breaks for Soldiers in the most stressful positions could help balance things out, but it seems that the hardest working Soldiers are also the ones that the units can't spare for a few days of recovery.

There are many similar issues that are just as important to Soldiers as tour lengths when it comes to the balance of time away and time with the family. The lost 4 day weekends between JRTC & deployment due to an alcohol incident in the brigade and branch refusing to work with me to move to a post near my wife made more difference in my decision to get out than the current tour lengths.

There are lots of smaller ways that the Army can take care of its Soldiers, and units working to give Soldiers as much time with their families in the months between deployments could help to offset the long tours that they have no control of. When we get new commanders this winter who are excited to train their units up for the next deployment it is important for them to remember that most of those Soldiers under them will be on their 2nd (at least) deployment cycle and need the time to recover as much as they need it to train.

There comes a point where you have to accept responsibility for your own choices:
If there is domestic violence and marriage issues, it's not the military's fault.

I met my husband 5 days before he was to deploy to Afghanistan with 2BCT in May 2003, it was only a 6 mth tour for him but then turned into a year tour for those who didn't make it back in time. Then in June 2004 2 BCT got orders to go to Iraq, mind you 1/2 were on their way back from Afghanistan and were told they either went on this tour to Iraq or they would go with 1BCT; oh and forget about retiring or ETSing your stuck! Well 2BCT went to Iraq and guess what my future husband was torch party. Well they screwed up his and two other soldiers R&R, they were suppose to be home Nov and Dec (other people who had left after him had already been on their R&R) but they never made it until Jan, Feb, Mar and this was after I contacted a few people that my mom and I knew in rear-d to let them know the 10th signal tourch had not had their leave yet. Well he made it home in Feb 03 for R&R which at that time we got married, he went back over and well low and behold he was over there an extra month for a total of 13 months. 2BCT was suppose to be home for 12 months, but with all thier training and prep for the next deployment it really turned out to be like 9 months. They left on their next deployment and well woudn't ya know it they got screwed again cause they got extended for 15 mths. This last deployment almost ended our marriage, married for 3 yrs and really only seeing each other for about 10 months of it. Talking on the phone or even chatting via internet gets real old really fast!!

And the Army is scratching thier heads wondering why the suicide and divorce rate is so damn high!! Our children don't even know thier fathers or mothers, they get use to them being home and doing things with them and then he/she is off again or children who were new born or born while dad was away and they see thier dad as a stranger when he comes home and don't know him; how do you think that father feels when mom hands him thier child and that child screams casue they don't know him as thier parent but as a strange?

The other armed forces do 6-9 month rotations, I don't see the Marines getting extended to help lessen the burdon on the Army or even the Army getting thier heads out of their four point contacts and ralling up those who haven't done a tour in either war. You have people teaching at the war college and yet they haven't been to war; so how are you gonna teach soldiers to fight in a war when you haven't even been to war your self?!??!

Last I knew we were all in this war together!! Right now it seems like the Army is picking up the slack when no one else wants to stick thier necks out to lend a hand! I am all for 6-9 month tour lengths!!

Honestly no one really cares what we think. My husband has been deployed for more than half of our six year marriage. He has PTSD and is preparing to go again. No one cares.

As an Army brat and an Army wife, I believe that a 6-month tour is appropriate. Anything longer, morale starts to drop, Soldiers start to worry about their families and loved ones back home, therefore making it harder for them to focus and successfully complete the mission. I agree with several of the other posters- Why is the Army the workhorse? Why not balance it out? Why not train different ways and more efficiently in order to achieve the objectives in a shorter period of time?

I definitely agree with the concept that asking this question is a futile attempt at appearing to be concerned with the welfare of soldiers and their families. If someone with any inkling of intelligence had set up this "blog", they would know that asking this kind of question just begs for people to get upset and think they have some small hope of changing the way things work in the Army. Once I finally see that someone is stepping up and making the changes that we need and really make an affect on our soldiers lives and the lives of their families, then I will be for once proud of the Army and really proud of America for standing up for what is right.

(Moderator comment: We see the glass half full instead of half empty BOB. Thanks for your comment - keep posting.)

I think 6 months should be the maximum deployment. Anything more than 6 months causes terrible damage to relationships. Why do you think domestic violence and divorce is so high in the Army? Or kids forget their parent? Most career fields in the Air Force only deploy for 4 months, and some 6 months. They seem to accomplish their mission fine. Anything over 6 months is ridiculous.

I am the wife of a 25 year, recently retired , Army vet. I am also the mother of an active duty soldier. I believe that a one year deployment is just enough time for the soldiers to achieve there missions. It takes alot of hard work, government money,and tax payers money to have all the eqipment used to fight the war sent overseas for our boys and girls to use. If the tour was shorter money would be wasted. I had both my boys deployed at the same time and the waiting is extremly hard, but so worth not having the bad people in our country knocking on our doors. I am proud to have men like mine defending our country no matter how long they have to be away. Women take care of yourselves and family so your soldiers can do there job and don't bother them with the little stuff, you can handle it no matter how long the deployment last.

I'm speaking as a physician deployed with the 1st BCT 10th MTN. My subjective experience after having taken care of over 1,700 patients (soldiers, civilians, contractors. . .) in the eight months of my deployment is that 6-12 months is an ideal deployment time.

I offer such a wide variance due to the fact that every soldier is different. Every individual reaches their tipping point at a different time. Some soldiers (and their families back home)tolerate 12 month deployments without skipping a beat. Some soldiers don't make it past the 6 month mark before they begin to experience trouble. Twelve months seems to be the point at which diminishing returns seem to be reached for the majority of soldiers in terms of the soldier's mental and physical health as well as the health of the soldier-family unit. Again, this is all my subjective experience. I have little objective data to back this up.

A significant issue here is that no solid, reliable, objective data exists upon which our leaders can make better informed decisions regarding "What is the ideal deployment time?" This is an area that our commanders should demand and resource for solid, no-bologna, research.

One source that does lend some advice on this specific issue though is the Bible. When king Solomon was building his temple, he deployed his workers from Israel to Lebanon to procure cedar for the temple's construction. These workers were deployed in a one on two off manner. Each worker was depolyed for one month and then given two months off before being re-deployed again.

Seems to me that this was a goal that was touted a few years ago by our senior leadership?

i think that the tours should be no longer than a year at The MOST ....
my dad has been gone for every important event. And he is about to leave on the 21st of this month (october).....
and he is about to miss my 16th birthday ....
he has missed as many christmas's as i can remember . I would not want any other children growning up with one parent always deployed .

I was in Iraq with 2BCT when we were extended to 15 months. It almost ended my marriage. Because of that I had all kinds of emotional problems including considering suicide. We had prepared to be apart for 12 months and then we get extended..it was almost too much. My wife told me that if we infact knew beforehand anyway it was going to be 15 she would have asked for a divorce.

Yeah we are all volunteers but guess what if I had known when I signed up we'd be stuck in those hell holes for that long I never would have (I joined in 2000)

This afternoon I said good-bye to my husband for another deployment. As I watched my 15yo son cry, I wondered if it is worth it ... my family being apart for 12 months. I have to say it if keeps my kids safe HERE then yes, it is well worth it.
I have lived in the Fort Drum area for over 6 years. As a civilian employee, spouse or FRG Leader, by the end of 2008, I will have experienced seeing people I care about leave for deployment for the 5th time. In 2004, as the FRG Leader I was asked by the Rear D to inform the spouses that the deployment was not going to end as anticipated at 6 months but would be lengthened to 9 months. The brigade commander had told everyone before the deployment started that the orders were 6 months but planning factor was 12 months. It didn't make the news any easier to give or receive. In 2006, my husband had just gotten home for R&R when the announcement was made that the Stryker brigade he was attached to in Iraq was extended for 4 months. Yes, they were the first to be hit with the 16-month deployment. That being said, I agree with the statement made by GEN Cody when he was at Fort Drum in April 2008 ... 12 months seems to be it. Anything less and the relations between the citizens of the country and the American Soldier are more strained. Think about how long it takes you to feel comfortable with someone.
It has already been pointed out that the Army is an all volunteer force and has been since July 1973. My father-in-law did 3 tours in Vietnam during his 4 years of voluntary enlistment between 1969 and 1972. The nature of the military won't change. The benefits to the family and support at home as changed monumentally. Small comfort but it is something.
I have married to my Soldier for his entire 17 year career. We have been blessed with 4 wonderful children. Each separation due to military orders has only made our family stronger. We still are looking forward to retirement and will remain here so support the next generation of Soldiers and families.

As a retired member of the 10th Mtn with deployments to Somalia, Haiti, Afghanistan and Iraq I feel qualified to chime in here, 9 months tours I believe are a good balance between the cost of deploying a unit and the unit's ability to get it's feet on the ground,do right/left seat rides get the battle rhythm for the AO and work it effectively for 7 months do handover with the incoming unit and make a credible difference.

Im not connected in any way with Fort Drum, but I lived in this area alll my life. I have seen the news coverage when these HERO'S leave their families and when they come home. And it is heart breaking to see the lost look on those faces of the kids. If letting those brave HERO'S have longer leaves so they can continue to do their job, then I don't see what the problem is. If the other armed forces are doing it then so should the Army. I also want to say "THANK YOU" to all of you brave men and women who are in stationed in Fort Drum and also to your spouses.

As a spouse of a Fort Drum Soldier, I feel shorter tours are in the best interest of Soldiers and Families. My husband has been deployed 3 times so far and another one coming soon (I'm sure). This last deployment was almost the end of our marriage and family. Deployments that last 15-18 months is way too long for a family to be apart. I feel 6-9 months is better for Soldiers and Families, as well as retention/enlistment into the Army. Too many Soldiers are getting out because of the added 2 year + Stop Loss/Stop Move policy. And to have a longer period of time between deployments. When they return from deployments, Soldiers have 30 days leave, which is great, but then it's back to field exercises, JRTC, NTC, and any other training/school that needs to be done when they are here in the States, so being home between deployments for 9-12 months, really means being 'home' for about 3-6 months. Not enough time for a family to reconnect. If the Army wants Soldiers focused and ready to face the enemy, I concur with the shorter deployments. That way the family is more secure and gives the Soldier that time to really focus on what is going on over in the sandbox and quite possibly will also lower the suicide rates as well as divorce rates. Please take serious consideration into this matter.

My opinion is a rotation of 6-7months on a peace keeping mission only, like we have/had in the Siani. Rotating with other Brigades at Fort Bragg, Fort Polk, etc. I've seen first hand what long deployments have done to the men and women. Divorces are up, suicides are rising, mental illness due to the stress of being away from family for long periods of time. I know there are some out there that say-He/she signed on the dotted line-they are in the military. Some of these people who say this-were in the military but never went to a war zone. War-no one country wins-both lose so much!

As an Army wife, ready to say goodbye for a second time, I truly wish the length of time over there was shorter. I KNOW it's the soldier's job and we make many sacrifices to be a part of the U.S. Army, BUT it's hard on the family. It's hard on the children and the spouse and it's got to be rough for the men (women) over there to spend so long without the physical and emotional connection with the family.
It would be easier with a 8 or 9 month tour. The soldier's can stay more focused and positive and be more effective!

I agree with Red Dog's (and oher's) reasoning for the 9 month deployments / rotations. Depending on the mission, rotations as short as 7 months do not sound unreasonable. As others have already largely spoken my mind on alertness and mission concerns, I will mostly focus on the personal and family support piece.

Equipment should already be in theater after the initial action (whatever action that is). Troops should then rotate in on that equipment (this idea is already partially implemented), except in very special circumstances, basically bringing just their personal kit.

Armies are made of people, not robots. The strain on families and troops alike for the 12-15+ month tours is unreasonable. Children, especially, go through so many changes that a year away means a whole new person, and there are serious adjustments ("Who does this person who's been away 1/2 of my active memory think he/she is?") and adjustment back to normal takes time.

My daughter asked my wife when she was going to get remarried when I hit the 12-month mark away from home (Ft Drum was a geographical bachelorhood). Being active in a child's life by phone, snail mail and the occasional stuttering webcam at 3 am local really doesn't cut it, and I know that we here in the very lush conditions at VBC are lucky to have that. Imagine what it's like for those who really live in the s**t.

The other U.S. armed services seem to 'get it', why can't the Army?

WWII was a different war, and when those troops were gone for the duration of the war, everyone understood why, and almost the entire nation was serving in some way. This 'action' is very, very different. I know my ire was raised when I spoke to (Air Force, some Navy) personnel and learned how long their rotations were. Aren't we all on the same team? Don't we all get paid by Uncle Sam?

I would even be okay with 9 forward/9-12 in the rear, as the real back-breaker (speaking for myself) is the length of time gone at once (and NO, 18-days [nominally] of EML doesn't count), and the impact that has on family climate. That matters to some of us.

I agree with Red Dog. Seems to me that 9 months is the ideal length for several reasons:
1. Soldier focus on mission accomplishment and alertness to conditions (especially changing conditions)is a heck of a lot easier to keep for 9 months than 12.
2. Given what we're doing and the nature of the culture here, relationships with Iraqis are absolutely critical. Six months is too short to get much mileage out of the relationships and would cause far too much turmoil with our Iraqi partners.
3. Wear and tear on equipment (and Soldiers) is less for 9 months than 12 (and I don't think anybody likes 15!).
4. It'd be a heck of a lot earier for the Army to maintain the OPTEMPO for 9 month rotations than 6--should be 9 motnhs deployed, 18 months at home. Given that OPTEMPO, we could get both directed tasks (COIN) and offense/defense tasks done to standard.