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Seattle Post-Intelligencer
October 19, 2007 Troops shouldn't be forced to stay on, Gates says
By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- The Army will continue to rely on an unpopular program that forces some soldiers to stay on beyond their retirement or re-enlistment dates, despite repeated pressure from Defense Secretary Robert Gates to reduce and eventually eliminate the practice.
Lt. Gen. Michael Rochelle, deputy chief of staff for personnel, said Thursday that the number of soldiers kept on duty has increased in recent months as a result of President Bush's orders to increase troop levels in Iraq this year in an effort to quell the violence.
The number of those being kept on beyond their commitment -- through a program known as "stop loss" -- is about 9,000 now, compared with about 7,000 before the troop buildup began in late January, Rochelle said.
"Until there is some reduction in the demand, we're going to have to rely, unfortunately ... on stop loss," Rochelle told reporters.
"Until the demand comes down a bit, we can't do it without it."
As recently as last month, Gates sent a memo to Army Secretary Pete Geren asking for quarterly progress reports on "reducing and ultimately eliminating the use of stop-loss as soon as feasible."
Rochelle added that when the expected withdrawal of troops from Iraq begins, the Army's reliance on the program will eventually decline.
In other remarks, Rochelle also suggested that the Army will be able to increase its numbers by only about 4,000 in the next year -- a fraction of the 35,000 boost that Pentagon and Army leaders have set as a goal by 2010.
October 19, 2007 Troops shouldn't be forced to stay on, Gates says
By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- The Army will continue to rely on an unpopular program that forces some soldiers to stay on beyond their retirement or re-enlistment dates, despite repeated pressure from Defense Secretary Robert Gates to reduce and eventually eliminate the practice.
Lt. Gen. Michael Rochelle, deputy chief of staff for personnel, said Thursday that the number of soldiers kept on duty has increased in recent months as a result of President Bush's orders to increase troop levels in Iraq this year in an effort to quell the violence.
The number of those being kept on beyond their commitment -- through a program known as "stop loss" -- is about 9,000 now, compared with about 7,000 before the troop buildup began in late January, Rochelle said.
"Until there is some reduction in the demand, we're going to have to rely, unfortunately ... on stop loss," Rochelle told reporters.
"Until the demand comes down a bit, we can't do it without it."
As recently as last month, Gates sent a memo to Army Secretary Pete Geren asking for quarterly progress reports on "reducing and ultimately eliminating the use of stop-loss as soon as feasible."
Rochelle added that when the expected withdrawal of troops from Iraq begins, the Army's reliance on the program will eventually decline.
In other remarks, Rochelle also suggested that the Army will be able to increase its numbers by only about 4,000 in the next year -- a fraction of the 35,000 boost that Pentagon and Army leaders have set as a goal by 2010.