IAVA: Shorter Deployments Provide Much-Needed Relief to Military Families

Reducing the Length of Combat Tours Is a Step in the Right Direction

April 10, 2008 -- NEW YORK - Today, President Bush announced that starting August 1st, combat tours in Iraq would be reduced from 15 to 12 months. In response, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the nation's first and largest nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, issued the following statement:

Family and friends welcome Army National Guard soldiers home to Anoka, MN: After having their tour extended by the troop surge, the "Red Bulls" were the longest serving guard unit, having been in Iraq since late 2005. Photo by Poppyseed Bandits (CC)

"Reducing the length of Army combat tours from 15 to 12 months will ease the tremendous burden faced by thousands of servicemembers and their families," said Paul Rieckhoff, Executive Director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

"But while reducing the length of combat tours is a step in the right direction, it's critical to recognize that our military will remain under tremendous strain. More than half a million troops have been deployed to Iraq more than once and many are serving their third, fourth and even fifth tours. We must ensure that adequate mental health resources and transitional programs are available when these servicemembers come home. Congress can start by passing the new G.I. Bill this year."

Source: Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)

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