Gates Extends Army Tours in Iraq to 15 Months

This policy applies to all active duty Army units with the exception of two brigades currently in Iraq that have already been extended to 16 months.

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - All soldiers in the U.S. Central Command area of operations will serve 15-month tours in the region beginning immediately, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced today.

"Effective immediately, active Army units now in the Central Command area of responsibility and those headed there will deploy for not more than 15 months and return home for not less than 12 months," Gates said, during a Pentagon news conference.

This policy applies to all active duty Army units with the exception of two brigades currently in Iraq that have already been extended to 16 months. The policy does not apply to Marine Corps, Navy or Air Force units serving in Central Command. It also does not apply to Army National Guard or Army Reserve units deployed to the region.

The 15-month tour applies to active duty soldiers serving in Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa and all the countries in the region. U.S. Central Command stretches from Kenya to Kazakhstan and Egypt to Pakistan.

Soldiers will receive an extra $1,000 a month for each month or portion of the month that they serve longer than 12 months, Gates said.

Gates called this policy an "interim change." The goal for active duty units is 12 months deployed followed by 12 months at home station. Ultimately, the Army would like to see soldiers deployed for 12 months and home for 24 months.

"My objective was to set clear guidelines that our commanders troops and their families could use in determining how future rotations in support of the global war on terror would effect them," Gates said.

Upon taking office in December 2006, Gates learned that even the sustaining the level of deployed Army forces needed before surging five brigades into Iraq would require active duty units to flow into Iraq before they had spent a full 12 months at home. He said this reality was a significant factor in his decision to recommend to President Bush that defense officials increase the size of the Army and Marine Corps over the next five years by 62,000 soldiers and 27,000 Marines.

The deployment change is intended to provide better clarity, predictability and sustainability in how the Defense Department deploys active duty Army forces, Gates said.

He said the changes produce clear, realistic, executable, and long-term policy goals to guide the deployment of active duty forces. The change will also allow the Army to support the 20 brigade goal of the surge as long as it is needed, he said.

"Without this action we would have had to deploy five Army active duty brigades sooner than the 12-month at home goal," Gates said. "I believe it is fairer to all soldiers that all share the burden equally."

The secretary said he realizes his decision will ask a lot of Army troops and their families.

"We are deeply grateful for the service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform and their commitment to accomplishing our mission," he said. "In the end, this new approach will better allow the Army to better support the war effort while providing a more predictable and dependable deployment schedule for our soldiers and their families."

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Special thanks to Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service

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Ho Chi Vinny April 13, 2007 8:17 pm (Pacific time)

America get out of Vietnam NOW! Bomb Hanoi. Is this the same war?

To: Numbers Speak April 13, 2007 6:37 pm (Pacific time)

Number speak to articficial scarcity as DeBeers has done with diamonds. How about the reality that the OPEC nations are pissed at us and are trying to send a message not to even think of colonizing their countries. Especailly the Saudis.

Sooth April 13, 2007 6:13 pm (Pacific time)

Time for Time to fade out.

Hank Ruark April 13, 2007 4:26 pm (Pacific time)

Rapid response from old colleague is: "Ain't sure, but probably long-delay since first story-efforts started." Some interviews delayed after doing to get clearance, with demands stalled steadily.

Hank Ruark April 12, 2007 1:56 pm (Pacific time)

To all: Not sure, will check, but any confusion on dates in TIME almost surely due to fact this report in preparation for some time...and the contacts cited were early-on. That's not unusual for complex situation such as this demanding travel, tough interviews, etc; but dates should have been cited clearly. Still there is no doubt of reality faced now; our armed forces are in deep doo-doo, as most "in the know" will now agree...with Gates' action as indisputable proof. Where does that leave our Guard troops over there, now ?

Numbers Speak April 12, 2007 9:42 am (Pacific time)

Oil prices reached a peak of almost $80 a barrel in JUly 2006. There are a lot of reasons (strong demand in China, low investments in new oil reserves, supply disruptions in some oil-producing countries like Nigeria and fear of terrorists), but all of these together do not amount to why the price rose so quickly- the reason is IRAQ. Before the invasion, oil was about $30 a barrel. The invasion helped the oil carel to unite in LIMITING THEIR PRODUCTION, excusing the higher prices on the war and terrorist risks rather than taking the responsibility. OPEC had little surplus during this time, it's true, but the carel did nothing to increase it, as a STRATEGY. Now they take all their money and live in Dubai and other places where they have no taxes and therefore do nothing for their own country. At least someone's benefiting from this war. It sure isn't the American people.

Winston April 12, 2007 5:01 am (Pacific time)

Sooth, It does not matter which direction government statistics turn your thoughts. They never reflect reality. Ask anyone that gets a Social Security check...each year they come up with a low inflation rate designed to destroy Social Security over time. This country never was what it sold itself as. It was always a myth. Even a Russian invented the T.V. tube way before you would have ever thought. I guess you want higher gas prices and no overnight solution to replace fossil fuels which is totally possible when the powerful want to mobilize like we did in WWII. Personally, I know we should have stayed out of Europes Wars. That is a main reason why our ancestors left those stupid little kingdoms with all of their royalty. The problem is that we have royalty here now without titles but bank accounts larger than the Queen of England.

Sooth April 11, 2007 9:41 pm (Pacific time)

Hey Winston what do you think gas cost in years past? Index for inflation and compare to average past wages...

Winston April 11, 2007 9:23 pm (Pacific time)

We are in the Middle East for a few reasons....more bases and more oil....but prices will rise as big oil creates artificial shortages. Before that damn Bush was in office, gasoline was real cheap.

Dumsfeld April 11, 2007 9:20 pm (Pacific time)

See Bill Moyer's Documentary from 1987 on the secret government. There are no rules. We can not keep manufacturing war by using the C.I.A. to do things like participating in 9/11 because wealthy control freaks think that rules of common decency do not apply to them. Yes, I believe the C.I.A. was directly involved in 9/11. They have been involved in all kinds of covert action since they were founded in 1947. Read your history people. Puppets, puppets, lies and more lies. It is unAmerican.

Curmudgeon April 11, 2007 8:37 pm (Pacific time)

To have Casey, Rumsfeld, and Pace in the positions listed in this article you have to go back over a year and a half. It would help a lot if there were some dates listed in the article.

confused; April 11, 2007 6:52 pm (Pacific time)

when did this announcement take place? I assume Rumsfeld, Abizaid and Casey were typo's as they are presumably out of picture., or are they?

Hank Ruark April 11, 2007 4:07 pm (Pacific time)

For further authentic reasons why this is now demanded, see current issue of TIME (4/16). Cover-story is titled:"Why Our Army Is At The Breaking Point", sub-titled: Exhausted Troops. Worn-out equipment. Reduced training.

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Gates Extends Army Tours in Iraq to 15 Months

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