Gates announces 15 month tours in Iraq and Afghanistan

Gates announces 15 month tours in Iraq and Afghanistan

news.yahoo.com

WASHINGTON - Beginning immediately, all active-duty Army soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan will serve 15-month tours — three months longer than the usual standard, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Well, thats interesting. Either were hurting on personnel or need more forces in the region. Maybe both.

news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Yes this is one of those things that make you go humm.

What kind of war our president has taken our young men and women into, a war that has nothing to do with the security of our nation but rather the security of corporate America.

Now our soldiers are to be punished for the mistakes of these corrupted politicians catering to private agendas.

A shame to all of them.

Ehh this isn't good news. It says two things to me.

1. they are hurting for people. Why else would they stretch the tours out more unless they are coming up short? Thing is, you think more or less people will enlist knowing they will have to serve these extended terms? I imagine it shouldn't hurt the numbers much, but I am not an expert thus have no idea. What I do know is that it is a negative sign for our military.

2. They must definately be planning to stay longer. If a year tour isn't enough, they must be planning ahead, saying that we will need you there longer then a year. I definately doubt any chance we will be out of iraq in the next 1-2 years.

well, the war will continue till January 20th, 2009, at about 12:00 pm EST.

So you gotta plan till then.

Its seems people wise from my point of view that we are hurting. We've been getting a bunch National Guard going active. Theyre geting really large bonuses, but the quality of soldier well. I had teach one a few weeks ago how to disassemble, clean, and reassemble basic weapons. Then caught them having their privates doing what I had showed them for them. Weapons cleaning and disassembly is basic knowledge. The stuff they show you in basic training. We have PFCs in Squad leader positions !? I thought it was just my company then I talked to a SGT in Aviation and she told me it was the same there.

[edit on 12/4/07 by MikeboydUS]