Washington – The Army is considering whether to cut soldiers' battlefield tours from 15 to 12 months, beginning in August. The war in Iraq and Afghanistan has included many Alabama National Guard members. Alabama military units have had the nation's third-highest number of deployments since September 2001.
The proposal aims to reduce stress building on a force battered by more than six years at war. It's dependent on the needs on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan. The head of the plans division for Forces Command Army Colonel Edward Gibbons says the goal is to meet combatant commanders' requirements, while reducing soldiers' deployments and increasing their time at home.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)