Fifteen months: a long time

[Lanya]

COMMENTARY - Fifteen months is a long time—Families ready to reunite
By JACEY ECKHART/CinCHouse.com

I’m sure they thought it was just three more measly months. Another 90-odd days. A stretch into the following spring. Big deal.

When Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced that the Army’s standard one-year deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan would be increased to 15 months, I’m sure they were thinking it was the best possible way to solve their manning issues. After all, what’s 15 months to people who have already been apart for a year?

I’m sure they were thinking that our really dedicated career Soldiers wouldn’t leave the service over a lousy three months. They wouldn’t give up their retirement over that. Couples wouldn’t get divorced over 90 more days apart if the previous 365 didn’t phase them. What’s the difference between 12 months and 15 months anyway?

I’m thinking it could be your Imus step, fellas. It could be the push after many pushes that is the push too far.

A year was already a long time to be apart. Fifteen months is longer, so much longer. It isn’t three months longer, it is exponentially longer. It’s never-coming-home longer.

Because 15 months is two of something—two Christmases apart, two Passovers alone, two Ramadans away from the family. It’s two complete NFL seasons. It’s two summers watching the kids at the beach, reminding them how much Soldier Mommy loves the ocean and for them to get that I-don’t-quite-remember-her look..

For our families, 15 months is another band banquet unwitnessed because the other kids had to be picked up from tournament an hour and a half away. It’s another three months of a boss who rolls his eyes because there is a sick kid at home and no one else to take care of him.

Fifteen months is long enough to feel like you’ve already been widowed.

Fifteen months is being 37 years old and trying to get pregnant and realizing there are 15 more times that you’ll have proof that you won’t be having a baby. If ever.

Fifteen months is just long enough to make a family think that the Army might as well increase the tour to 24 months, build housing and schools and commissaries in Afghanistan, and make it an accompanied tour. How much danger is too much danger if it means we could be together?

For our unmarried Soldiers, 15 months gives you 12 more Saturday nights that some other guy asks your girl to dance. It’s realizing how hard it is to find someone in the world who even likes you, much less who will make out with you, much less who will wait 60 plus consecutive weekends to be kissed again.

Fifteen months may be enough for military families to notice that this isn’t a global war after all. The Navy doesn’t have 5,000 ships like it did in World War II. It doesn’t have 500. There aren’t 5 million Sailors on the ocean. The neighbors aren’t on rationing. No one is planting a victory garden. Fifteen months is enough to make you scrawl on your refrigerator, “America is not at war. The American military is at war. America is at the mall.”

But most of all, you Department of Defense fellas have got to remember what we families already know. Your own statistics say that the military spouse is the number one retention tool. That our opinion counts more with the service member than the pay or benefits or quality of the assignment that you offer.

Fifteen months may be the exact amount of time for us to decide that we aren’t getting divorced over this. That we won’t leave our service member. But we plan to take him with us when we go.

A 19-year military wife, Jacey Eckhart is a syndicated columnist and radio host with CinCHouse.com

http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/articles/2007/05/20/turret/editorial/edit02.txt

[BT]

My dad was at sea from 42 to 45 in the pacific.

My sister in laws dad was with Patton thru Africa and the battle of the bulge and didn't come home til months after VE day.

and these people whine about 15 months.

[Mucho]

My dad was at sea from 42 to 45 in the pacific.

My sister in laws dad was with Patton thru Africa and the battle of the bulge and didn't come home til months after VE day.

and these people whine about 15 months.

I am sure they will be glad to allow you to take their place in that hellhole for 15 months, tough guy.

[BT]

I am sure they will be glad to allow you to take their place in that hellhole for 15 months, tough guy.

I'm sure they would. And that is the point.

[The_Professor]

BT is correct in that Regular and Reservist armed forces personnel are expected to serve their master,s possibly in this manner. It is just part of the drill.

However, contrary to what BT indicated in another post, National Guardsmen are not. They are recruited as a force to be dispensed as needed by state governors in times of crises. Yes, yes, there is a clause where they can be used in the manner they are currently being used as, but that really isn't the point is it? It is like using a Bradley for a mission that requires an Abrams. Will it possibly work? Yes, in most cases. The USMC did this many times due to inept decision-making in training drills (ever been to a place hotter than Needles, California?) Is it the most effective means? Probably not.

It might be interesting to see if the death/injury rate for NRS(Non Regular Service) troops is higher than Regular Service? I would guess it is (see previous paragraph), but I have not seen statistics to back up that assumption. However, my own indept observation in this arena would indicate that the possible higher death/injury rate will even out as NRS troops become more conditioned to battle.

[Amianthus]

However, contrary to what BT indicated in another post, National Guardsmen are not. They are recruited as a force to be dispensed as needed by state governors in times of crises.

The "Total Force Policy" of 1973 (designed by General Abrams) disagrees with this statement.

[The_Professor]

I am talking about reality not policy, Ami. I have WRITTEN policies like those for the DoD. Ever seen the PT scores of many NRSes? I have. Looks like what I could do.

Besides, just because you have a body in uniform, doesn't mean it is the same body, qualitatively, as a USMC Regular. Having a NSR breaking down doors in Baghdad streets where that same guy was an accountant in REAL life, is both illogical and foolish. Quantity and quality are indeed very different metrics.

I posit that if you have to use NSR troops like these in conflicts like these, then you are desperate indeed and perhaps your thinking and logic needs to be re-evaluated.

[Amianthus]

General Abrams intertwined the structure of the three components of the Army in such a way as to make extended operations impossible, without the involvement of both the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve.

[Xavier_Onassis]

General Abrams intertwined the structure of the three components of the Army in such a way as to make extended operations impossible, without the involvement of both the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve.
========================================
Whatever the hell Abrams did, it should be undone.
There is NO reason that the National Guard should be sent off to fight a stupid colonial war. The NG should be called up only for actual emergencies, such as when the country is threatened with invasion.

It looks like the mighty surge is not working. Why prolong this any further? The US is not likely to win an Iraqi Civil War.

[Plane]

General Abrams intertwined the structure of the three components of the Army in such a way as to make extended operations impossible, without the involvement of both the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve.
========================================
Whatever the hell Abrams did, it should be undone.
There is NO reason that the National Guard should be sent off to fight a stupid colonial war. The NG should be called up only for actual emergencies, such as when the country is threatened with invasion.

It looks like the mighty surge is not working. Why prolong this any further? The US is not likely to win an Iraqi Civil War.

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

I expect the alternative is a permanant draft and a permanant large standing force.

Is that a better alternative?

[_JS]

My dad was at sea from 42 to 45 in the pacific.

My sister in laws dad was with Patton thru Africa and the battle of the bulge and didn't come home til months after VE day.

and these people whine about 15 months.

It should be noted that in a war of close quarter combat, with a difficult enemy to spot and define, a loss of initiative to the enemy, raids, ambushes, and very often many civilian casualties that the psychological effects on the combatants are immense.

So to counter your claim of "whining" I'd argue that for some of the soldiers in Iraq, it has been a far more difficult 15 months than 36 months on a naval vessel in the Pacific during World War II or any tour with General Patton.

This is in fact one of the goals of guerilla warfare and you can read about its use in works by Mao Tse-Tung, Che Guevara, General Giap, Michael Collins (who many credit with inventing modern guerilla warfare), T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia), and some academic scholars.

Not all warfare is the same and has the same effect on the soldiers. Vietnam certainly demonstrated that.

[BT]

In case you missed it, the article was written not by one in close quarter combat but by one who is married to someone in close quarter combat. World of difference. And the trigger? an extra three month separation.

[The_Professor]

General Abrams intertwined the structure of the three components of the Army in such a way as to make extended operations impossible, without the involvement of both the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve.
========================================
Whatever the hell Abrams did, it should be undone.
There is NO reason that the National Guard should be sent off to fight a stupid colonial war. The NG should be called up only for actual emergencies, such as when the country is threatened with invasion.

It looks like the mighty surge is not working. Why prolong this any further? The US is not likely to win an Iraqi Civil War.

Yes, Yes and more Yes!

Mandatory enlistment after high school for at least all eligible, e.g. physically fit, males. No college deferments. Go to college AFTER your two-year service. For objectors, two eyars of rebuilding the Appalachian Trail or similar project. Give back, dangit!

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

I expect the alternative is a permanant draft and a permanant large standing force.

Is that a better alternative?

[The_Professor]

General Abrams intertwined the structure of the three components of the Army in such a way as to make extended operations impossible, without the involvement of both the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve.

I know. I have read the Report. NG should not be included and were obviously included for political purposes.

[Amianthus]

I know. I have read the Report. NG should not be included and were obviously included for political purposes.

The stated intention of the policy is to limit the ability of the military to engage in protracted warfare. This policy was instituted in the Vietnam days, after all.