We're going to deploy you for six month, so settle-up your debts, get your finances in order and you're on your own for storing your personal possessions. BTW there a series of meetings you're required to be at over the next several weeks so makes sure you block your calendar.

6.5-months later....your deployment has been extended sorry, shit is going off. We'll let you know when things change.

7.5-months later...national command authority has extended your deployment again, sorry but we really need you out there.

9-months later...we're going start working you back CONUS but, there's a chance you'll have to get back there.

I can't imagine why there's a recruiting and retention issue......

quote:

Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
Fucking bureaucrats! As if deploying servicemen weren’t sacrificing enough already.

My thoughts exactly.

quote:

Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
Fucking bureaucrats! As if deploying servicemen weren’t sacrificing enough already.

Said bureaucrats probably got an attaboy and a bonus for finding these "savings". They'll probably use these funds to sponsor a few "leadership retreats" at swanky hotels.

My dad served in the Pacific during WW2 and retired from the Army after 23 years. The one quote of his that I remember most was:

"Nothing's too good for the troops...and nothing's what they'll get!"

Only after I was in did I realize just how right he was.

quote:

Originally posted by sdy:

...An internal memo from Col. Heather Carlisle, director for support operations at the Army Sustainment Command, said that the Army is not required to provide storage for its soldiers...

ASC Hqs is on the Rock Island (IL) Arsenal, I retired from another agency on the island. Nothing on their site:

https://www.aschq.army.mil/home/Default.aspx

I did find this:

https://www.stripes.com/branch...ldiers-12490722.html

Army stops paying storage costs for deployed soldiers as it works on new policy

By DOUG G. WARE
STARS AND STRIPES • December 28, 2023

WASHINGTON — The Army is replacing a years-old policy that allowed soldiers who are sent on deployment to store personal items — such as vehicles — at no cost while they’re gone, the service said.

The decision was made by Army personnel officials in recent months and the move took effect on the first day of fiscal 2024.

“Effective 1 October, 2023 … activities are therefore no longer authorized to fund [household goods] or [privately owned vehicles] storage requests for deploying soldiers,” Army Sustainment Command wrote in a memo outlining the change. “There is no authority to grant exception to this policy, however, unit commanders may use their designated motor pool or a designated fenced area to store [vehicles] for soldiers on [temporary deployments] at no additional cost.”

“Although [regulations] establish that a service member … may store special storage of [household goods] and [private vehicles] if authorized/approved, the Army has no written policy authorizing or approving these entitlements,” it continued.

The impetuses for the change, officials said, were budget constraints and a determination that there’s no Army policy that “explicitly authorizes” such storage benefits for soldiers sent on contingency operations, which are deployments in which soldiers may have to engage in combat.

Army personnel officials indicated to Stars and Stripes on Thursday, however, that a new policy for storage benefits is coming.

“Army Sustainment Command discontinued the use of operational funds to store vehicles privately owned by soldiers deploying on non-contingency operations due to policy and funding constraints [or issues],” said Sgt. Pablo Saez, an Army spokesman. “We understand the burden this could potentially place on soldiers, and [the Army] is drafting policy that would enable such storage.”

Costs associated with moving and storing personal items can be high. The Pentagon’s joint travel regulations note that they include “shipment, drayage, packing, crating, unpacking and uncrating.”

News of the change drew frustration from some in social media channels.

“Once again our soldiers are being asked to pay the burden of being deployed,” one critic wrote.

“I can’t imagine why recruiting and retention are hurting,” another said.

Neither the Army nor the Air Force or Navy met their recruiting targets for fiscal 2023. All three were a few thousand recruits short of their goal and are working to overcome modern recruiting challenges — such as a smaller pool of qualified candidates and low interest in military service among younger Americans.

According to recent Pentagon data, just 23% of Americans between 17 and 24 qualify physically and academically for military service.

Recently, the Army has had trouble even storing some of its own stuff. In October, a report by the Defense Department inspector general said almost $2 billion worth of the Army’s land combat equipment had been deteriorating due to improper storage.

Among those items were gas turbine engines worth more than $89 million, which the report said were stored for long periods outside when they should have been put away indoors.

In 2002 I bought a brand new Toyota Camry while I was stationed in Germany. Got deployed in February of 2003 to Iraq by way of Kuwait. We knew what was happening and started getting ready well before that happened. During the buildup to us deploying to Kuwait, the army had us put our POV's in storage at their expense. If they hadn't, who knows what would have happened to our vehicles? They could have been vandalized or stolen and nobody would have been the wiser until we returned from war. There was plenty of stress to deal with and that was simply one less thing we had to worry with. Financially, most of the enlisted military falls at or below the poverty line and putting another financial burden on them is not gonna help with retention. Some schmuck trying to make a name for themselves has once again fucked over the ones that do the work!