Pentagon Wins A Stop Loss Round

Pentagon Wins A Stop Loss Round

I first found out about this in an episode of Boston Legal. I thought it was a joke.

It’s not!

Qualls was in the Army from 1986-94 and re-enlisted in the Army National Guard’s “Try One” program in July 2003.

Under the program, Qualls was supposed to be in the Guard only for one year.

However, in October 2003 the Army told him he was recalled to active duty and his “expiration of term of service” was being moved from July 6, 2004, to Dec. 24, 2031 — not that Qualls would actually be held for that long. Stop-loss generally means a soldier is held in the service to the end of his or her tour of duty and 90 days after returning home.

It gets worse:

For Jessica Salamon of Ravenna, Ohio, the stop-loss policy has already affected her and her husband, Chad, a National Guardsman who is serving in Iraq with the 118th Medical Battalion as a mechanic. Chad Salamon’s six-year commitment should end in March, but he is almost certain not to return by then.

“This is supposed to be an all-volunteer military,” said Jessica Salamon, who has been to therapy and has seen her dream of starting a family deferred. “They’re not volunteering when they’re told they can’t leave.”

(Soldiers Facing Extanded Tours)