People often read what they want to read and hear what they want to hear. I was inundated with excited questions about our unit’s tour being cut from 15 to 12 months yesterday morning as a flurry of emails passed between my soldiers and their family members regarding a recent AP article on the subject.
The article quotes an official speaking on conditions of anonymity and mentions that a reduction of tour lengths has been proposed and is being discussed. That didn’t stop folks from making assumptions, jumping to conclusions and getting hopes up. I suddenly found myself in the command center of rumor control. Apparently so did the SECDEF.
Despite rumors to the contrary, the top U.S. commander in Iraq is staying put. And no decision will be made about shortening Army deployments to the Middle East wars until after Army Gen. David Petraeus delivers a new assessment on the Iraq war in March.
Gates also addressed what he called “some discussion” about the possibility of trimming Army combat deployments from 15 months back to 12. A report in the Jan. 28 Army Times said the Army is on the verge of implementing a plan that would bring home early 10 maneuver brigades now in Iraq and Afghanistan and cut tours back to 12 months by Aug. 1.
Nothing has been decided, Gates said.
There has been some discussion, he said, but he “will make no decision changing the duration of these assignments, or of the tours” until Petraeus, U.S. Central Command chief Adm. William Fallon and the Joint Chiefs of Staff have made their recommendations to Bush.
I’m glad the discussion is happening though I’d prefer that officials speaking on conditions of anonymity keep their traps shut because it is very challenging managing expectations down at my level and nothing kills morale faster than rumors. Sgt Hook out.
Posted by Hook @ 1526 zulu | | Permalink
This post is filed under: Army Times
