[Peace-discuss] keep them in and kill them

[Dlind49 at aol.com]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 


#02-074 November 22, 2002 



ARMY ANNOUNCES NEW RESERVE COMPONENT UNIT STOP LOSS POLICY 
The Army Leadership has determined that the current total Army approach on 
stop loss does not fully support unit readiness in the Army's Reserve 
Components (RC) 

(Army National Guard and United States Army Reserve). The Guard and Reserve 
are primarily tasked to provide mobilized units in support of Operations 
Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Noble Eagle (ONE), rather than to provide 
individual replacement fillers for Active Army units. 


To date, when Individual Ready Reserve soldiers have not been available, RC 
units have been forced to fill empty billets with individual replacements 
from non-mobilized RC units. Attrition from the mobilized unit and the need 
to take replacements from other units have eroded RC unit readiness. On 
November 4, in support of ONE and OEF, Assistant Secretary of the Army 
(Manpower and Reserve Affairs) (ASA (M&RA)) Reginald J. Brown approved a new 
RC unit stop loss policy. 


This new policy affects both Active Army and Ready Reserve soldiers. 


Hereafter, this new policy establishes stop loss upon an RC unit's alert 
notification and continues through the period of mobilization until 90 days 
after demobilization. This policy is referred to as RC Unit Stop Loss, and 
applies to RC units currently mobilized and to all future RC unit 
mobilizations. 


Active Army soldiers presently assigned to or who may be assigned to RC 
mobilized units in the future remain under the Army's 12-month Soldier Stop 
Loss policy. 


The current 12-month, skill-based soldier stop loss policy remains in effect 
for Ready Reserve soldiers subject to the RC Unit Stop Loss Policy, as 
modified below: Under RC Unit Stop Loss, Ready Reserve soldiers subject to 
the 12-month, skill-based stop loss may voluntarily separate or retire only 
upon completion of their 12-month period of stop loss (which begins running 
at the point that the soldier first becomes subject to the skill-based stop 
loss policy) or 90 days after demobilization, whichever is later. Thus, 
skill-based stop loss runs concurrently with the RC unit stop loss period. 


This decision affects over 25,000 RC soldiers currently subject to stop loss. 
Personnel strength managers from all Army components will regulate separation 
dates to ensure no adverse impact on Army-wide readiness. 


Reginald J. Brown, Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve 
Affairs), has approved four increments of stop loss in support of ONE and 
OEF, dated November 30, 2001; December 27, 2001; February 8, 2002; and June 
4, 2002. The first increment focused on Active Army Special Forces soldiers 
and certain Aviation specialties. The second and third increments expanded 
the previous coverage to include additional skills and specialties, and to 
include members of the Ready Reserve. The fourth increment lifted stop loss 
for selected skills from Stop Loss 1-3 and included additional skills and 
specialties, to include members of the Ready Reserve, for Stop Loss 4. 


Additionally, On August 31, Mr. Brown changed the overall stop loss program 
from an open-ended policy to one of only 12 months duration by approving the 
12-month Soldier Stop Loss Policy. 


Prior to ONE and OEF, the Army last used stop loss during Operation Desert 
Shield/Desert Storm in 1990 when President George H. Bush delegated stop loss 
authority to the Secretary of Defense. 


Stop loss does not affect most involuntary separations or retirements, nor 
does it generally limit laws, regulations, or policies that lead to 
involuntary separations, retirements, or releases from active duty. 


The Army continues to reevaluate stop loss on a monthly basis and to use it 
as a tool to maintain unit readiness. 



END- 
Media should call U.S. Army Public Affairs Media Relations Division, 
Personnel and Human Resources Team at 703-697-5343 / 7487 / 5662 / 7550 for 
answers to questions or to obtain more information. 


Soldiers should contact their servicing personnel activity for more details 
or questions.