Many Troops Serve Multiple Deployments but Half Have Not Gone At All

Logistics of war mean that sizable chunk of the U.S. military never deploys to Iraq or Afghanistan–while others serve repeatedly in the war zone.
by Pauline Jelinek

WASHINGTON — Even as troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are serving longer and more often — three, four, even five times — roughly half of Americans in uniform haven't been sent at all.

That's partly chance, partly a matter of timing. It also illustrates the massive organization on the home front to support a force in the field.

Whatever the reason, it didn't seem fair to Marine Sgt. Matthew Clark, who sits behind a desk in Illinois but has asked to "go to the fight" instead.

"All these other Marines are going; they've been a couple times," said Clark, who's been in the service since 1998. "It's about time that I get out there and give someone else the opportunity to stay home."  (continued…)

The 28-year-old logistics officer at Scott Air Force Base will get his chance: He recently got orders to transfer this summer to a unit going early next year to Iraq.

Clark is among some 1,000 reassigned for deployment since Marine Commandant Gen. James Conway issued a policy message early this year called "Every Marine into the Fight."

"When they join our Corps, Marines expect to train, deploy and fight," Conway said. "That's who we are. That's what we do."

By this spring, roughly 150,000 active duty soldiers, 85,000 sailors, 90,000 airmen and 65,000 Marines had gone more than once to Iraq, Afghanistan or surrounding countries. About half the total force hadn't deployed to either conflict, Pentagon figures show.

Fifty-three percent of the active duty Air Force and 50 percent of the Navy hadn't been to the wars, not surprising because the fighting is mostly on the ground.

Still, 45 percent of the Marines and 37 percent of Army forces had never been deployed.

There are many reasons:

•The military is an ever-changing body, with people coming in and going out constantly, meaning there are always new people still in training.

•There are thousands of troops needed in other parts of the world, in places such as Korea, the Philippines and Africa.

•Some duty is three years — such as Marine tours in Japan — meaning a Marine might train, then serve a tour in Okinawa and not have much time left for another assignment.

•Some skills aren't in demand in the war zone: purchasing, personnel, maintenance, training and administration, for example.

"There are a lot of folks doing God's work right here stateside that are invaluable to the people overseas," Army spokesman Col. Daniel Baggio said.

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