[Peace-discuss] stop loss

[Dlind49 at aol.com]

New Stop-Loss measure freezes mobilized reservists 
by Joe Burlas 


WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Nov. 26, 2002) -- The Army's newest Stop-Loss 
measure will keep all mobilized Reserve and National Guard soldiers in the 
Army until at least 90 days after their unit demobilizes. 

The new announcement will help reserve-component unit readiness because it 
keeps mobilized reservists from departing their unit and the Army in the 
middle of a mission at the end of their enlistment officials said. 

The latest of six Stop-Loss announcements since the first measure was 
implemented a year ago was sent to the field by an "All Army Activities" 
message Nov. 4. Specific implementing instructions went out Nov. 21 via 
Military Personnel messages 03-040 and 03-041. 

"This is a unit-based Stop-Loss versus the previous individual-skill 
announcements," said Lt. Col. Bob Ortiz, chief of Enlisted Distribution and 
Readiness Branch, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G1. "Basically, the 
reserve leadership asked for some help in preventing readiness degradation of 
RC units when mobilized." 

The measure takes effect upon Reserve and National Guard soldiers the day 
their units are alerted for mobilization. 

Ortiz explained how soldiers leaving their units for retirement or separation 
while their unit was mobilized has created a domino effect on RC unit 
readiness. 

"When a soldier leaves, that leaves a hole in the unit that has to be 
filled," Ortiz said. "In order to fill that hole, reserve commands have been 
reaching into other units that haven't been mobilized, which cannibalizes 
that unit for trained and qualified individual replacements. That leaves a 
readiness problem for the units giving up the replacements when it is their 
turn for mobilization. This Stop-Loss measure is designed to fix that 
problem." 

Mobilized reservists impacted by previous Stop-Loss announcements must remain 
in the Army in a Ready-Reserve status for 90 days after if their unit 
demobilizes or for one year after their skill was identified as critical to 
the needs of the Army by a Stop-Loss message, whichever is later. This part 
of the newest measure impacts about 25,000 reservists, Ortiz said. 

Prior to August when the 12-month policy went into effect, Stop-Loss soldiers 
were frozen in the Army unable to retire or separate the end of their 
enlistment for an indefinite period. The 12-month policy was implemented to 
provide impacted soldiers some predictability while meeting the manpower 
needs of the Army in selected shortage skills, Ortiz said. 

The Army will continue to assess its manpower needs on a monthly basis and 
make appropriate Stop-Loss decisions as necessary, Ortiz said. 

Stop-Loss does not impact involuntary separations or mandatory retirements. 

MILPER messages 03-040 and 03-041 can be viewed via the Total Army Personnel 
Command Homepage, https://www.perscom.army.mil, from a link at the center of 
the page.