Army To Expand Order That Keeps Soldiers From Leaving

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

WASHINGTON -- The Army is preparing to inform soldiers due to return from Iraq and Afghanistan over the next several months that they will not be allowed to retire or otherwise leave the service for 90 days after they return to their home base, defense officials said Monday.

The order, known as "stop loss," is a personnel management tool whose use reflects the difficulty the Army is having in keeping enough soldiers available to meet the Army's worldwide commitments.

Opponents view the order as a violation of the principle of an all-volunteer military in which people sign contracts for a specific period of service.

It was first used during the 1991 Gulf War. This latest order is an expansion of one imposed last November.

more: http://www.local6.com/news/2742597/detail.html

[tinrobot]

1. One step closer to the draft...

Sounds like they're set to lose a bunch of soldiers... they'll need to fill up those ranks somehow.

[Voltaire99]

7. Yes, and one kind of draft is already in effect

While this order isn't the same as general conscription, it's certainly arm-twisting of those who volunteered on a limited basis to defend the nation. Few if any bargained on fighting vanity wars and elective invasions!

Now that it's too late, those poor bastards are learning a few things: 1) Uncle Sam owns their ass; 2) he doesn't care if it gets shot off in his drive to seize oil; and 3) neither do the huge numbers of Americans who support sending the army on its globe-trotting extermination trips.

So, what will become of the post-Vietnam "volunteer" army in this era of adventurism? Were it not for the savage economic policies of the nation which herd the poor into uniform, there'd be practically no standing army at all...

[lcordero]

2. I figure that a minor party is going to benefit out of this or a

new political party will be started because of this.

[TXvote]

3. Just Until 2005

when Universal Mandatory Service kicks in and all our youngsters get to carry guns. This ain't your daddy's draft kiddos.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

4. Related WP Story: Army Orders More Troops To Remain In Service

About 7,000 U.S. soldiers in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan who were planning to retire or otherwise leave the service in the next few months are getting new marching orders: Stay put.

The Army is expanding on what it calls a "stop loss" order to keep soldiers in uniform -- even those who have met their contractual service obligation or are scheduled to retire -- during a rotation of tens of thousands of troops that begins this month and is scheduled to finish in May.

Col. Elton Manske, chief of the Army's enlisted division, said yesterday that the move was deemed necessary to maintain the cohesion and combat effectiveness of units now operating in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The order affects all Army units scheduled to return from Iraq, Kuwait or Afghanistan in coming months. Soldiers will be required to remain with their unit until it gets to its home base, and for a maximum of 90 days afterward, he said.

more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A57094-2004Jan5.html

[goforit]

5. Under the present President today I can understand the difficulty.

Just to remind all Repugs out there.....It takes good leadership to lead a military.

That's what it's all about.

[Sinistrous]

6. Another benefit in this for the Bush Korps:

The denial of the right to separate keeps the service members from speaking freely for at least 90 more days.

[Moderator]

8. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=299237