Tour extension wreaks havoc upon Stryker soldiers’ lives

Stryker News ^ | August 3, 2006 | Sean D. Naylor

[WellsFargo94]

The winds of war change. The last minute chain jerk for redeployment is an unknown entity, but when one considers the most recent middle east unrest, the hot spots in Iraq, unknown intelligence data, and the British plane bombing scare, one should wonder what the heck is going on in the minds of anyone that would even think to ask that question about a war zone. It's war, things change.

Captains leaving in droves. Well, that is true, but I will also add that all along this has been the case whether it is peace or war time. CPTs meet their obligations and get out. Other's have not prepared their spouses properly for the unique stresses of military life, missed dinners, FTX, working weekends, deployments. The women now days just want their hubbys by their side in a 9 to 5 job with weekends off. It's hard running a house, taking care of kids, and all of the other things our mother's did without their husbands help, because they were out making a living. Priorities change, motives change, and a lot of these departing CPTs will regret their departure.

E5/6 getting out? See above comment.

[WellsFargo94]

Something else I wanted to ask. If there were these indications that it was going as hoped in Baghdad, why didn't DOD just move up the deployment of a Stryker Bde. already in the cycle? Were there none ready to go or close to ready?

Well, the Stryker Brigade out of Fort Lewis is already in Mosul and they are new in country. However, tactically speaking it makes much more sense to send in a Stryker Brigade Combat Team that has already had an excellent and proven track record of success. These guys are seasoned warriors. I've been wondering for years why they haven't made this decision earlier.

My personal opinion, based upon some articles in the paper and online, the other SBCTs will be joining the 172nd in Baghdad, or replacing them eventually. It takes months to get the Stykers over there, and a few weeks at best to have the troops be called up, SRP, and take care of business before you leave to go over there. If more are gearing up to go, we'll hear about it in the newspaper soon enough, or not, depending upon the liberal media and if Elf passes away or ODs!