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updated: February 6, 2007
Summary
Over 1.5 million American troops have served in the wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan. According to General George Casey,
the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, “The demand
for our forces exceeds the sustainable supply.” The consequences
of our overextension are dire. General Peter Pace,
former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, believes that
there is a significant risk that the U.S. military would not be
able to respond effectively if confronted with another crisis.
The military has responded to serious problems with
recruitment by lowering age, education, and aptitude standards
for new recruits and increasing enlistment bonuses.
The costs of retention have sky-rocketed to over $1 billion,
six times the amount spent in 2003. In order to help fulfill
their manpower needs, the military has also held 70,000
troops on active-duty beyond their expected contract enddates,
relying on a controversial policy known as “Stop
Loss.”
The military now regularly requires troops to serve multiple,
extended combat tours. Over 449,000 troops have served
more than one combat tour, and many have returned to
war with only a few months’ rest. Active-duty Army combat
tours are now 15 months long, with only half the recommended
“dwell time” at home between tours. According to
a military survey, soldiers serving multiple tours are 50 percent
more likely to suffer from a mental health problem.
As General Peter Schoomaker, the former Chief of Staff
of the United States Army, warns: “While our Soldiers are
responding with extraordinary commitment, particularly
in the face of adversity and personal hardships, we cannot
allow this condition to persist.”
Equipment shortages have contributed to the plummeting
readiness ratings of Army and Marine units and threaten
our ability to cope with foreign threats and domestic emergencies.
As of September 2006, about 50% of all Army units
have received the lowest possible readiness rating. About
four-fifths of Army Guard and Reserve units not mobilized
received the lowest possible readiness rating. The Army
has already received over $38 billion dollars to repair or
replace equipment used in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are
estimating that reset costs will be $13 billion a year for
the duration of combat. There are serious questions, however,
about the efficiency and effectiveness of the Defense
Department’s procurement and acquisitions process.
To learn more about the national security implications of overextension,
please see the IAVA Issue Report, “A Breaking Military:
Overextension Threatens Readiness.” All IAVA reports are available here.
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