>Not as long as STOP-LOSS is in place - which is the case whenever we are at war... Few even know it exists until it hits you. Basically, if your contract ends (ETS), the military involuntarily extends your contract. Actually, they just keep you on active duty, preventing you from being discharged into the ready reserves. It is basically for units that are scheduled to be deployed so soldiers stay with their unit (cohesiveness and experience). In reality, it is to meet deployment numbers. I know so many who fell into the trap and have been extended for 18 months (3 months before deployment and a 12 month deployment and 90 days after). It is in the contract when you enlist, but no one pays much attention to it. You can also be called back up when you are in the IRR without choice as well.

A few years ago "60 Minutes" did a story on this and the people stop-lossed hadn't been in the military for many years. The all (both?) said it came as a complete surprise to them.

I remember wondering at the time why the military didn't regularly (say, annualy) communicate with those subject to stop-loss to remind them of their status. Even possibly send a small cheque, kinda like a token payment for being "on call".

With what you write above, I also wonder if anyone has tried to strike out that bit of the contract before signing, and if that would work.


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>>I hope issues that this make it very difficult for the US military to get its members to "re-up" when their contract comes due.
>>and I hope the US military has great difficult acquiring new recruits in general.