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1 Comment for “Follow up on the Army fixing recruitment goal numbers to justify SURGE in Afghanistan”

1. VT Editorial Comment

   November 20, 2009 - 9:40 am

   Paul Sullivan mentions that "During the Vietnam War, the requirement was a single tour, and then the service member was released."

   Not meaning to put words in Paul’s mouth, but that statement needs clarification.

   What he says about a single tour in Viet Nam is mostly based on the fact that the vast number of troops sent to Viet Nam were draftees who were only obligated to I believe two year active duty commitments. [When or if dratees or even regular Army recruits were placed in either the Ready or Standby Reserve - Recall of the Individual Ready Reserve was unheard of]

   Thus throw in basic training for indoctrination, and advanced infantry training for Bravo MOSs eats up about a year leaving a recruit with about a one year commitment remaining. That was Viet Nam, and I stand ready to be corrected on average tours of duty in Nam. Major Hanafin.

   However the point then and now is that: The use of Stop Loss and recalling the IRR was unheard of during Vietnam due to having [I believe] adequate replacements from THE DRAFT, assumption being that not everyone receiving a draft notice fled to Canada nor burned the notice.

   Add that this the refusal of governors to releast THEIR Guard members for a foreign war. Meaning to defend South Vietnam when Alabama, Georgia, Texas and so on required defending from domestic socio/economic instability (The Civil  Right Movement plus College Students and Professors having the ability to THINK and QUESTION – something lacking TODAY) The Guard was required to maintain domestic social stability [Thus incidents like Kent State] and failed to.

   Bottom line is that the vast difference between what multiple tours there were to Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan is that Vietnam Vets were given the option to VOLUNTEER to return to Vietnam.

   We at Veterans Today do not know of one case where a Vietnam Vet had been INVOLUNTARILY sent back to Vietnam at least more than one or two times let alone the operations 

   That is not the case with Iraq and Afghanistan, the excuse is that deployment rotations are built into the All Volunteer Force, and the recruits sign up (VOLUNTEER) for eight year commitments (not two as draftees did). Included in that commitment is the understanding (if comprehended or not)that units (not individuals) are placed on multiple deployments in order to avoid asking Congress and the Commander-In-Chief to implement the Draft which would in effect not only create more social instability but possibly limit the number of deployments DOD can send troops on.

   In a nutshell, muliltiple deployments with very little R&R in between is INVOLUNTARY regardless if troops volunteer to endure back to back tours or not. Another vast difference from Vietnam is the use of Stop Loss and recall of the IRR.

   There may have been insignificant use of Stop Loss on such a limited basis to not draw public attention, but given the nature of the National Guard and Reserves during Vietnam (their emphasis on stateside social instability) we cannot recall one, not one, incident of an Individual Ready Researve or any Army Reserve let alone Guard member being recalled and sent involuntarily back to Vietnam for combat.

   More to the point TODAY: when President Barrack Obama came to office his Defense Secretary left over from the Bush Administration admitted that both the use of Stop Loss and involuntarily sending Guard and Reserve members back into combat who felt their combat commitment was over (recall of the IRR) was WRONG.

   Secretary Robert Gates promised that the use and abuse of Stop Loss and Recall of the IRR would cease, and given the call for more troops in Afghanistan combined with the Army fixing recruitment numbers by lowering overall fiscal year quotas, it is up to us, Military Families, Veterans, and even active duty troops to ensure that both Secretary Gates and President Obama keep Gate’s promise.

   It is up to us to ensure that Senators like the Honorable Senator from Virginia Jim Webb be just as passionately outspoken for adequate dwell time (R&R) for our troops now as politicians were when it was Bush and the Republican’s War(s).

   If Secretary Gates and President Obama continue to use both Stop Loss and Recall of the IRR after condemning it’s use by the Bush administration. the collective we, Military Families, Veterans, and of course troops, especially in Jim Webb’s homestate of Virginia must expect the Senator to once again put on his Desert Boots.

   ROBERT L. HANAFIN
   Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired
   Veterans Today News Network

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