126,000 service members in crosshairs for separation as DoD’s ‘deploy or get out’ policy takes effect
Army Command Sgt. Maj. Craig Owens, of the 200th Military Police Command, leads a team-building ruck march while wearing protective masks in Scottsdale, Ariz., Sept. 16, 2017, as part of a larger event to discuss ways to increase readiness to deploy. (Master Sgt. Michel Sauret/Army)
The Pentagon’s hard line on troop readiness took effect Monday, and 126,000 service members now find themselves on a path to separation if they do not become deployable in the next 12 months.
“Deploy or get out” was an early policy priority of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to improve the overall readiness of U.S. military forces. It was formalized in February and gave the services until Oct. 1 to be ready to begin holding troops accountable. Those intervening months also gave troops time to prepare, to get rid of administrative, legal or medical blocks that may have previously kept them in a non-deployable status.
“Excluding trainees, approximately 6 percent (126,000) of the total force — active duty, National Guard and Reserve — were non-deployable as of Aug. 31, 2018,” DoD said in a statement to Military Times. “This includes temporary as well as permanent non-deployable service members. The reasons vary, but they are predominantly medical.”
Of that 126,000 total, 66,000 are non-deployable due to illness or injury, DoD said.
Of that 126,000 total, 24,000 are considered permanently non-deployable and were pending a disability evaluation that could lead to the service member’s transition out of the military, DoD said.
The sick, lame and lazy should have been gone a long time ago. Seems to be taking a long time to purge the non-hackers from active duty. I am sure they are all victims of something or another. The entire article is HERE.
Category: Military issues, Shitbags, Veterans Issues
I wonder how many will get additional stays of execution because they can’t find enough recruits to replace them?
Well, where do I sign up? I’ll go.
I never got to deploy to anything but a dark room or a desk or a movieola. Where do I sign up? I could use the extra cash. My front steps need to be repaired.
“ruck march while wearing protective masks in Scottsdale, Ariz”
Well, that leaves me out of it.
Deplorable non deployable dickweed.
Yes, but from reading your posts here I think you are a little “too seasoned” to deploy. Therefore you are exempt from heckling.
This is good. It was out job to be able to go anywhere in the world in 72 hours or so. I did deploy to tons of exercises and TDYs but never in a combat theater. I trained for it over and over.
If you have an issue that’s keeping you from being able to deploy and it’s not something that can be corrected. Get. The. Fuck. Out….and let someone else who can fill that slot, do so.
Training for War and supporting that, is not a fucking game.
It’s not always the service members trying to skate out of an deployment. I had torn MCL/ACL for the 2nd time but was still ready to go in 2 months. Docs kept trying to push LIMDU and refused to sign off for yet one more month and trying to keep me for 3 more. I finally got them to to back down and let me go to the ship after I gave them my version of the 12 steps.
I got the medical section at SRP to not document my back injuries so that I could deploy in 2010.
I’ll pay for that from now on, but if my Soldiers were going, I was going.
oh no, I got it all in my records. I got that advice early on. It was a fight and took 7 years for I got 80% from the VA now.
The few AD friends I still have in the Navy I remind them of it as well, I rank it #2 behind- Pick your rate, pick your fate.
I was the weight control officer of one unit and I was told to keep the fat boys on the roster to make end strength.
Had similar issues, Bde CDR had the opinion that chaptering fatbodies out was a command failure.
yes, having fat bodies is a command failure.
chaptering them…not so much
Sometimes, you just can’t fix them. Leadership can only do so much if the Soldier won’t put forth the effort.
Whats wrong with “fat”, one fat man means two skinny men don’t have to go! lol
Guess what? Fat boys are deployable until they have a coronary. Not only that but if they are in a unit that actually does something on deployment other than soak up KBR cheesecake and paninis at the DFAC tent then they are likely to lose weight as well. So I say keep them around until they fall over at worst they can provide some cover and concealment for everyone else.
I can already hear the whining…..
And while they are at it, retire an GO or FG that cannot bench press 225. That should help thin the ranks…
I would actually accept a 200 lb bench if the GO/FG can also squat 200 and deadlift 200…and put together 2 sub-9 minute miles.
Most company commanders I served with could not meet that metric. Army likes skinny runners not tanks.
Yes, but from reading your posts here I think you are a little “too seasoned” to deploy. Therefore you are exempt from heckling.
Dammit double post somehow. Ignore this one.
I prefer to ignore the previous one. : ) but, then again, I have been called a smartass on more that one occasion.
I kinda like the pepper & spice in 26 Lb’s posts. He sprinkles liberally. He may be a little salty at times, but that’s the way it shakes out.
The only place I was deployed to when I was a member of the Natl. Guard (75-77) was Ft. Dix for live fire, Camp Smith for the same and two weeks up at Ft. Drum. Inactive Navy Reserves had us going up to Camp Smith once or twice on a weekend to get M-1 Garand qualified.
A couple of years before I retired, I tore my ACL in a skiing accident (did it in early March). Had surgery the Thursday before Memorial day (after spending weeks in PT getting my legs into shape), was pack in PT the Tuesday after surgery. Cleared by the doc to full duty in October (7 months from injury to full duty).
I give credit to those in the PT department for riding my ass hard to get into shape, and they made me an example for the other patients to follow (“Look at Senior there, he’s twice as old as you and running your ass into the ground”).
I wonder if this miss the COAD guys?
I think it should if you were wounded and COAD.
I wonder about anti-deployment babies? I knew several women with 5-7 deployment babies. I guess it is better than getting pregnant down range but the woman that gets knocked up before every deployment gets tiresome.
Wait … from one woman??!!
Jeez, you’ve got to feel bad for the kids. Not just because evidently Mommy is a real freaking prize, but when they find out that they weren’t a product of anything other than their mother’s desire to skate out of fulfilling her obligations.
And what about the new baby mommas, who get knocked up as soon as their is a deployment rumor? My opinion is, you enlisted to serve, not make babies, so you get yourself pregnant and you’re out and without benefits.
Meant “there” not “their”. Damn it.
“The sick, lame and lazy should have been gone a long time ago.”
Throw em all in a bucket, right? Currently, non-deployable due to Crohns Disease(Just recently found at the tail end of my deployment in ’16 and obviously unavoidable) Currently, going through DES to remain in and complete my fulfillment (18 years in) to King and Country. So far two appeals and no good news yet.
Please don’t lump me in this category as “sick, lame and lazy.” I maybe “sick” but my pedigree will not allow others to go in my stead when I can still perform; despite said illness.
Two campaign stars on my ICM kind of prove I am willing and able to deploy; as a guardsmen no less.
Cheers,
MrFace
I believe what was meant by “sick, lame, and lazy” were the sick call Rangers, profile riders, and professional shammers, not those with legitimate problems such as yourself.
I’ll agree MrFace. The idea of deployable or out sounds good in theory, but there are a lot of people who would be of service despite not being worldwide deployable. We always need teaching cadre, IGs, and any number of other gigs that experienced personnel can fill stateside.
Now, as ATC mentions, get rid of the loafers and profile riders. I knew people that had an ACL injury and fought to get back to full duty. They shouldn’t have to fight to remain in. Now the people who get injured and use that as an excuse to not do anything for the last half of their career can go the f— home.
Follow up (@ATC as well):
Understood completely and not looking for sympathy, just trying to make sure we dont view all as the shitheads who just do it(profile riding) for a check/some other benefit. Just bringing awareness to the fact of other possibilities.
On personal note: I will never be worldwide deployable again, but I am fighting to fulfill my commitment the best I can; IE: CONUS TDYs such as Border patrol, et. al. I know its kind of selfish of me, but I have always been determined to be in it for the long haul.
[/I have done the border patrol gig back in ’05 before]
Cheers,
MrFace
There are also a lot of jobs people with minor disabilities can do, without shipping out, clerical, supply, personnel etc etc..and actually they would relieve able bodied people for shipping out! imho
As an Army Reserve officer I deployed to Iraq with officers who could not pass the Army Physical Fitness Test when we did MOS qualification training at Fort Bragg. I’ll always remember the perpetual look of disgust of one our training cadre members. He was a Green Beret MSG who was probably ordered against his will to babysit us mostly middle aged CAPOC “warriors.” To his credit, the MSG never lowered his or the Army’s standards – he just kept failing the weaklings and those slow of foot.
Several officers in the course also did not legitimately meet ht/wt or tape standards. Measurements were very generously taken with double chinned trainees being recorded with NFL size necks and honor guard size waists. Everybody was sent to the mobilization site regardless of standards because the “surge” was underway. Our units were already under strength even before losing more bodies at the mob site often to mental health issues, injuries, and failed drug tests.
This new “deploy or get out” policy is long overdue. It should have become effective when OIF ended or at the latest when OEF ended. Assign these malingerers to the 1st CIV DIV at Fort Living Room where they can amaze friends and family with their tales of daring do.
I bet you dollars to doughnuts that 80% of the 24k that are “permanently” non-deplorable belong to USACAPOC.
I just read on FB that this does not include wounded warriors.
I hope they take this on a case by case basis because there are also those who were badly hurt in training and unless they are permanently disabled we shouldn’t just throw them away.
They don’t get “thrown away”. They get an honorable discharge, medical, a check, and first in line for a Government job if they want one. Could be worse.
Thrown away is a figure of speech. Regardless of what happens later, it is essentially what the military is doing. What I wrote still stands.
The Vermont national guard has pampered pets that have been permenatily non deployable since before 9-11. This might help the lower ranking NCO’s that have been deployed numerous times in their place with no chance off being promoted.
#TrimTheFat
Hell, I went back into the NG after a nine year break in service WANTING to get deployed, so I say ditch those who are trying to duck deployment.