what do you think?

Question

Do you think that tour lengths should be cut down to 6 months long instead of 1 to 3 years? It just makes sense to me for mental and family reasons.

Answer 1

It would be nice to see our boys home earlier.But, I as a mom of two American military soldiers,now they have to stay till the job is done...God give me greatness of heart to see. The difference between duty and their love for me. Give me understanding so that I may know, When duty calls them, they must go. Give me a task to do each day, To fill the time when there away. When there in a foreign land, Keep them safe in your loving hand. And Lord, when duty is in the field, Please protect them and be their shield. And Lord, when deployment is so long, Please stay with me and keep me STRONG ......................................................................... To all as we embark into war. Let us pray for our loved ones, our friends and all who serve this great land. That God keep them safe and return them to us quickly......

Answer 2

As a spouse, I'd prefer the one year deployments (which are always longer due to extensions) than six month ones. The reason I say this is because it takes a bit for them to get used to their AO and then become "experts" on it. I'd rather my husband be comfortable with his area than always new and getting his bearings.

We could do without the extensions, but eh, what can you do? It happens. It's a war after all.

BTW... I've never heard of an 8 month deployment... not in the army anyway. Can't speak for other branches. ...And three years in Iraq in one shot... no one does that.

I'm just a spouse though. I'm interested in what soldiers have to say.

Answer 3

People join the Military as a Job and there job is to fight and protect our country at time of war or national disaster, while we are not at these they are training to do them. It takes them several weeks and into months to get set and get into what they are doing after they get to where they are going, I think yes as a wife that would be great to cut it to 6 months but not something that would be cost efficient. That is why they get mid tour, r&r or whatever else it as known as

Answer 4

Nope. It causes more problems than it solves. And hubby has done enough -- no I don't enjoy it but it's the truth. (two tours to Korea -one 17mo, one 12mo; two tours to Iraq one 15 month and one 10 month). The troops just really get in the swing of things -- get working together well and you rotate them out?! It takes almost a month either end anyway to get vehicles taken care of - etc which has gotten better but still.

And the worry isn't insurmountable, one day at a time with God gets you through.

Answer 5

Multi sided question. In the case of nation guard troops, a 12 month rotation should be max. Six month rotation would really strain the outfit, since guys who were settling in, had some instinct for the situation, would be rotating out, and greenies always coming in. For regular enlisted troops 18 month to 24 month max rotation seems fitting.

Answer 6

When people volunteer for the military,they are at the whim and disposal of the powers that be.The politicians take pride in thier(military)glory.Not too many of whom get in the trenches.Unfortunately that is a soldier's duty.To serve.Safety wise it is better to have seasoned personell at the business end of matters.Shorter stints would mean having raw recruits manning the guns

Answer 7

If you can arrange it that way I would say yes, do it.

Those long deployments are certainly hell on families, especially if you are in a war torn area, the worry is just insurmountable.

Answer 8

my goodness gracious==When I was in nam, we could'nt come home for 2 years, yet I'm hearing their gone for a whole 8 MONTHS =heaven forbid. Whats next 30 DAYS in combat and 6 mo. at home. Poor little guys or is it MAMA.==mama's boys

Answer 9

I think more would sign up initially but fewer would re-enlist.