Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch said Friday a stop-loss program imposed recently on troops is an Army wide initiative.
Units within 90 days of their latest arrival date initiate the stop loss and stop movement policy to keep the unit intact.
“This was not my idea, but the Army’s,” the general said during a briefing with area media.
Since the acceleration of a deployment of the divisions to Iraq, personnel actions to leave the installation have been stopped until each case is reviewed.
“There are the needs of the Army and the needs of the division,” he said.
The move has affected 326 soldiers, many who will be required to deploy with the unit, Lynch said.
“I will go to the Army and ask for exceptions, but the majority of them are going to have to stay and go,” he said. “We’re a nation at war, and we’re a division deploying to war earlier than we anticipated. We’d be putting soldiers in harm’s way and the mission at risk by leaving people behind that we need to take to combat operations.”
Units within 90 days of their latest arrival date initiate the stop loss and stop movement policy to keep the unit intact.
“This was not my idea, but the Army’s,” the general said during a briefing with area media.
Since the acceleration of a deployment of the divisions to Iraq, personnel actions to leave the installation have been stopped until each case is reviewed.
“There are the needs of the Army and the needs of the division,” he said.
The move has affected 326 soldiers, many who will be required to deploy with the unit, Lynch said.
“I will go to the Army and ask for exceptions, but the majority of them are going to have to stay and go,” he said. “We’re a nation at war, and we’re a division deploying to war earlier than we anticipated. We’d be putting soldiers in harm’s way and the mission at risk by leaving people behind that we need to take to combat operations.”