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Army keeping soldiers on duty { June 2 2004 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/02/international/middleeast/02CND-SOLD.html?hp http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/02/international/middleeast/02CND-SOLD.html?hp June 2, 2004 Army Expanding Program to Keep Soldiers on Duty By DAVID STOUT WASHINGTON, June 2 — Tens of thousands of soldiers bound for Iraq and Afghanistan will have to remain in the service after their originally scheduled discharge dates, the Army said today. The move, which will probably mean several months' more time in the military than the soldiers had anticipated, will affect units that are within 90 days of deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan, Lt. Gen. Franklin Hagenbeck told reporters at the Pentagon. Although unit commanders will be able to make exceptions for individuals with special circumstances, most soldiers will not be able to leave the service or transfer to different units until after their return to their home bases from Iraq and Afghanistan, said General Hagenbeck, the Army's deputy chief of staff for personnel. Reginald Brown, the assistant Army secretary for manpower and reserve affairs, said in a statement that the service had to put the "stop loss" policy into effect "to ensure our formations remain a cohesive element throughout their deployment." Or, as General Hagenbeck put it, the idea "is to have cohesive, trained units going to war together." There are now about 138,000 American troops in Iraq. The continuing violence in that country, as well as the United States presence in Afghanistan, has put severe strains on units. Mr. Brown said that if the stop-loss policy were not used, an average division would have to acquire more than 4,000 soldiers from other units to bring itself up to strength. In other words, each division would be replacing as many as one-fourth of its soldiers, sapping it of the cohesiveness prized by commanders. Necessary or not, the stop-loss policy has been criticized as running counter to the spirit of an all-volunteer military service, since thousands of men and women who thought they had a firm retirement or discharge date will now be away from their families, homes and civilian lives longer than they had planned. In today's New York Times, Andrew Exum, a former Army captain who served in Afghanistan, said the soldiers caught in the stop-loss program are being subjected to "shameful" treatment and might as well have been drafted. "Many if not most of the soldiers in this latest Iraq-bound wave are already veterans of several tours in Iraq and Afghanistan," he wrote on the Op-Ed page of The Times. "They have honorably completed their active duty obligations. But like draftees, they have been conscripted to meet the additional needs in Iraq." Copyright 2004 The New York Times Company

soldiers-mental-toll 15 000 more troops iraq { May 16 2003 } 1700 soliders have deserted in iraq { December 5 2003 } 20 000 more troops 6 louisiana national guard soldiers mourned { January 11 2005 } 63 percent voters call for immediate troop withdrawal Abandoned pets problem while troops gone { April 12 2005 } America will stay in iraq says bush Army accepting more recruits with felonies { April 22 2008 } Army allows criminals for recruitment Army captain sues government about iraq assignment Army covers up soldier dissenters assassination Army keeping soldiers on duty { June 2 2004 } Army misses recruitment by 42 percent { May 16 2005 } Army not meeting recruiting goals { February 21 2005 } Army orders mother of 7 to duty { November 9 2003 } Army plans to keep troop level through 2006 { January 25 2005 } Army raises enlistment age for reservists { March 21 2005 } Army recalling thousands who left service Army recruiter threatens warrant on recruitee { May 11 2005 } Army reserve becoming broken force says general { January 6 2005 } Army reserve fears troop exodus Army sergeant refused iraq duty charged with desertion Army spread thin caling on same units Army stop loss prevents soliders from leaving army { January 28 2006 } Army trying to keep troops from leaving { January 5 2004 } Army will ease standards for recruits { October 1 2004 } Awol desserters crisis hits armed forces Black army recruits down 41perc since 2000 { March 6 2005 } British troops may stay 10 years Delayed troop return frustrates families Draft discussed by senator on hill Female soldiers eyed for combat Fewer army recruits lined up { July 22 2004 } Franks US stay for years { July 10 2003 } Ged no longer required for recruitment { September 20 2005 } General war has not ended { May 30 2003 } GI bill cant cover soldiers community college { April 29 2008 } Gis want home { August 10 2003 } Iraq combat veterans committing increased homicides { January 13 2008 } Kennedy calls for troops withdrawal Low morale plagues us troops in iraq Marine suicide by cop rather than return to iraq Marines come up short on recruits { February 3 2005 } Marines to reactive thousands reserves { July 2006 } Military opposes draft bill introduced by democrat Mississippi guardsmen denied leave for katrina { September 11 2005 } National guard 10 year record lows on recruiting { July 25 2005 } National guard recruiting slips National guard shipped { June 26 2002 } National guard treated like prisoners { November 25 2004 } New generation of homeless vets emerges { December 2008 } Pentagon delays us troops trip home Pentagon extends tour of duty for 6500 soldiers { October 30 2004 } Reservist commits suicide over city job { March 19 2004 } Reservists may face longer tours of duty { January 7 2005 } Reservists reservations { September 26 2002 } Returned iraq veteran soldier fires at police officer { July 23 2007 } Returning soldiers traumatized by occupation Scores denies leave time to displaced katrina families { September 11 2005 } Seattle high school attempts banning recruiters { May 18 2005 } Seventh day adventist marine jailed { January 5 2005 } Sick wounded us troops wait months barracks Soldier paid to get shot to avoid iraq { August 15 2007 } Soldier sues US military over extended service Soldier who married iraqi to be discharged { December 1 2003 } Soldiers are threatened with iraq duty Soldiers contest stop loss policy in court { December 6 2004 } Soldiers marry iraqi women Soldiers returning hard time to adjust { September 12 2003 } Soldiers sued over forced extension of service { October 20 2004 } Soldiers trying not to report States helpding guardsman because fed wont { January 19 2005 } Strained army extends tours to 15 months { April 12 2007 } Thousands of soldiers older than 50 deployed { October 17 2004 } Top democrats call for iraq pullout Tour of duty extended reserve forces Troop r and r budget wont cover costs Troops buy their own body armor { September 30 2005 } Troops have tough questions for rumsfeld { December 8 2004 } Troops questioned rumsfeld on long deployments { December 8 2004 } Troops return after 2 years { January 4 2004 } Troops to stay assignment seven years Unconfirmed mutiny in iraq Us forces extended tours duty US soldier suicide rate highest for 26 years { August 16 2007 } Us troops question presence in iraq { October 17 2003 } War veterans neglected abused at top medical facility { February 18 2007 } Worst recruiting years for army in decades { September 30 2005 } Files Listed: 88

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