deployment time overseas?

I have to do a research paper for a class and I was wondering if I could ask ya'll for some info. I don't know if this is correct but-did the time for overseas deployment change from 1 year to 15 months? If so, then when and why? What is the max time that you can be deployed? Does the deployment time change from different military branches? For example, in the Army would then time be different then say, the Marines? Would time be dependent on situation? Are there any regulations the military must follow when deploying a person? Such as they have to be home so many months, etc. In your opinion why is this a good idea/bad idea? thank you all so much! :)

Public Comments

1. As far as you deployment time from what I have seen (Navy wife) it depends on your command. My husband was deployed with an Aircraft carrier for 6 mos then they were home for about 2 mos before they left again for 3 mos. I have a friend husband (Marine) who will be deployed for a year. There are things in place that say they have to be home for so much time before they can deploy again. Speaking for some of the spouse, we would love to have our love ones home.
2. I do not believe there are any binding deployment regulations for the military overall. That is to say, any deployment trends or guidelines are developed due to demand, and overall branch policy. The policies are subject to change, and as you have noted have changed quite a few times as of recent. The branches have attempted to develop rotations that will guarantee all soldiers a minimum amount of time at home between deployments, (currently one year for active army), but as need change, so to may the policy. Some units may have two years home between deployments, while others barely get their 12 months. The 15 month tours you are mentioning now, should be winding down, as the Length of the "surge" is reaching its expiration. The 12 month tours were extended to 15 in order to have 30,000 additional troops on the ground for a period of time, at which point the the president will take credit for a troop reduction, which in all actuality is just the end of the surge (sorry, I just had to add that). Branches are setting their own rotations for deployments, and as demand, and troop levels keep changing, so will their rotations. So, essentially there are no standard regulations that you can count on. Troops can be deployed for years and years since declaration of war (on an inanimate object), but the branches realize the need for balance of home time in order to relive the stresses of war.
3. Deployments can be anywhere from 3 months to 18 months. Average deployment times: Army - 12 months, but frequently extended to 15 months Air Force - 3 months to 6 months Marines - 7 months Navy - 3 months to 12 months It all depends on what job you do and where you are assigned There is no single correct answer for any of the services. Every service has people deploying for varying amounts of time. The General commanding special forces in iraq, has been there for over 3 years already. He was supposed to rotate out of Iraq last year, but was asked to stay by General Petraeus. There are no hard fast rules, when it comes to deployments. They try and give people 12 months between deployments, but that doesn't always happen. The needs of the military come first.
4. I agree with everything Jeeper said, I would just like to add that there is a requirement for the National Guard and Reserves. They are limited in their mobilizations. The partial mobilization authority limits involuntary mobilizations to not more than 1 million reserve component members at any one time, for not more than 24 consecutive months, during a time of national emergency. Under DOD’s current implementation of the authority, members can be involuntarily mobilized more than once, but involuntary mobilizations are limited to a cumulative total of 24 months. Current policy has deployments at 12 months for non-active units, with a recovery period of 4 years.
5. Jeepers is pretty much spot on. I will add that in the AF, there are a few different designations. If you are deployed for over 180 days, it becomes a short tour. If you are assigned in a deployed location for over a year, it is considered a "remote", not a deployment. We do have folks that routinely get stationed in "deployement locations" that are there for 12-18 months. Their orders state their assignment as a "remote" not a deployment.
6. The average tour was changed from 12 to 15 months for the Army in order to increase troop levels. There is no max time you can be deployed. Everything is needs of the military. Army usually does the longest tours while deployed, simply because the Army is a largest force. Time is completely dependent on the situation. Any regulations are null and void during time of war/conflict. There is no set period of time they must be home before deploying again. While most units are given a chance to rest and adjust before being deployed back, it isn't a requirement. My husband's unit did what was supposed to be a 6 month tour, came home at the "end of the deployment", were called a few days later and ended up only being home a couple of weeks before going back for another 13 months. Anything can happen.
7. The time overseas is normally from 6 months to 2 years.
8. it might get to that