Army widens 'stop-loss' program: Soldiers won't retire until combat zone tours end
You've served your country well and faithfully, but guess what? You're not done yet. It would appears that George W. Bush's war is having some unintended consequences (outside of the 800+ dead soldiers, of course)....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Army will prevent soldiers in units set to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan from leaving the service at the end of their terms, a top general said Wednesday.
The announcement, an expansion of an Army program called "stop-loss," means that thousands of soldiers who had expected to retire or otherwise leave the military will have to stay on for the duration of their deployment to those combat zones.
The expansion affects units that are 90 days away or less from deploying, said Lt. Gen. Frank L. "Buster" Hagenbeck, the Army's deputy chief of staff for personnel.
I can't help but wonder how many soldiers will die in Iraq and Afghanistan when they should have by all rights be playing with their children at home?
And here's another "unintended consequence" that we might want to be cognizant of...how long before reinstating the draft becomes "necessary"? How long before the Army begins to run so short on manpower that we will be presented with a fait accompli? Is this REALLY what you wanted when you voted for George W. Bush?