Gates: Stop - Loss to all but end in 2 years

[Uzybone]

Not sure why the "all but end" instead of flat out end, but this is great news.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/washington/19gates.html?_r=1&hp


WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Wednesday that over the next two years, he would all but eliminate an unpopular practice that has prevented thousands of active duty soldiers and reservists from leaving military service on time if they were scheduled to deploy to Iraq or Afghanistan.

More than 13,000 Army personnel remain unable to exit from military service under the policy, in place since 2004, and known as “stop-loss.” Mr. Gates said the practice was “breaking faith” with those in uniform, and announced a timetable that would cut the numbers affected in half by next June, and virtually eliminate them by March 2011.

He revealed his decision on the evening of the sixth anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq, where more than 140,000 American troops are still deployed.

Mr. Gates cautioned that “scores,” but not thousands, of Army personnel might continue to be affected by the policy if they had skills that were particularly important to the war effort. He said retroactive pay benefits would be awarded those who fell under the policy.

[Uzybone]

1. Self kick

because this used to be a big issue on DU.