We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/dod_announces_c.html Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:45:06 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification The secretary of defense announced today a policy change in the way the department will manage reserve component forces. The first aspect of the policy change will involve the way the department manages deployments of reserve forces. Currently, reserve deployments are managed on an individual basis. In the future deployments will be managed on unit basis, allowing for greater unit cohesion and predictability for training and deployments. Interested in the rest? It's in the Flash Traffic/Extended Entry.... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/dod_announces_c.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/dod_announces_c.html Thu, 11 Jan 2007 01:53:59 -0600 "Ry, I don't understand your comment - Guard and Reserve (all branches) have been in constant use since OIF 1, if anything is seems like this would reduce the number of complaints. Still, I don't see it being a significant change for us..." Think of it purely in political, not militrary usefullness, context. It'll def be grabbed onto by the 'we're sending people who joined because they were poor or wanted to fight forest fires' crowd. They've largely been shut up because of the contract. now it looks like they can attempt another revival(like the back door draft thing, which had a negative impact on public opinion for a while). Look at it simply as a matter of politics. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/dod_announces_c.html#comment-54973 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/dod_announces_c.html#comment-54973 Fri, 12 Jan 2007 01:01:02 -0600 Haji0matic, ever the cynical Reservist mutters: " I'll believe it when I see it...." http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/dod_announces_c.html#comment-54967 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/dod_announces_c.html#comment-54967 Thu, 11 Jan 2007 22:38:35 -0600 I'm not sure it really changes anything. When we mobed for OIF3 it turned out to be 15 months total, and could have easily been done in 12 with us still spending 11 months in country. The one mobe per 5 year period isn't any different than we were told, and notice it's a goal, not a guarantee. Also, the cynic in me observes that with a 12 month mobe you can get two deployments from a unit without having to pay the big bonuses and getting the special dispensation to activate reserve components for more that 24 months. Major Mike, I suspect the REMF's are offset by the volunteers. Several people I deployed with in 2005 have moved over to the new infantry unit our state stood up to deploy to Afghanistan on this rotation. Hey, if you have trouble adjusting to being home (I know I did) going back to war is not as unreasonable an option as some might think. :-) Ry, I don't understand your comment - Guard and Reserve (all branches) have been in constant use since OIF 1, if anything is seems like this would reduce the number of complaints. Still, I don't see it being a significant change for us... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/dod_announces_c.html#comment-54965 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/dod_announces_c.html#comment-54965 Thu, 11 Jan 2007 21:55:19 -0600 I'm not so sure I like it. For purely political considerations at this point. Had it been done in a vacuum, say a decade ago, I'd proll'y be of a different mind. Now though it's going to be wildly umpopular and something that'll be used for domestic political ends. Will also be used in argumentation for abandoning Iraq. Every time the Reserves and NG are used we hear this---and this time they'll have something concrete to complain about(that's not what the deal was when they signed up). http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/dod_announces_c.html#comment-54962 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/dod_announces_c.html#comment-54962 Thu, 11 Jan 2007 20:33:22 -0600 Good news, yes... but... it still does nothing to drag out the REMF weasels who sat back in a cushy TDA slot stateside, and then flocked to our unit's doorstep AFTER we had arrived safely back home. now they are firmly embedded in a unit they know won't be going anywhere, and they'll successfully sit out another war. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/dod_announces_c.html#comment-54951 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/dod_announces_c.html#comment-54951 Thu, 11 Jan 2007 14:41:30 -0600 I've experienced the effects of raping and pillaging to fill slots for deploying units... and I have to say, this is good news! Reservists with certain desirable MOS's are being pulled from all over the country, including Puerto Rico and Guam, to fill spots with deploying units. The results are two-fold: The Reservist is pulled from his unit to go to war, then is left on his own when he returns because the rest of the guys in his unit didn't deploy with him and therefore can't relate to his specific experience, and two, if the Reservists unit is then called up for Active duty, he can't go, because he just got back and is considered non-deployable, further seperating him from his home unit. This new policy is GOOD NEWS. I just hope they stick to it. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/dod_announces_c.html#comment-54936 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/dod_announces_c.html#comment-54936 Thu, 11 Jan 2007 11:48:13 -0600