Deploy or get out: New Pentagon plan could boot thousands of non-deployable troops [View all]

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2018/02/05/deploy-or-get-out-new-pentagon-plan-could-boot-thousands-of-non-deployable-troops/

Deploy or get out: New Pentagon plan could boot thousands of non-deployable troops

By: Tara Copp    16 hours ago

Service members who have been non-deployable for the past 12 months or more will be separated from the military, based on new Defense Department policies that are under final review. The “policy will require the services to process members who are non-deployable for 12 consecutive months for admin or disability separation,” according to a draft summary of the policy obtained by Military Times. “This memo will be followed by a [Department of Defense Instruction], which will take several months to complete.”

The new retention policy is being reviewed by the service chiefs and Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan.
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For certain non-deployable personnel, such as wounded warriors, the services would retain the ability to grant exceptions to the retention policy. (Cpl. Aaron S. Patterson/Marine Corps)

Approximately 11 percent, or 235,000, of the 2.1 million personnel serving on active duty, in the reserves or National Guard are currently non-deployable, according to Command Sgt. Maj. John Troxell, the senior enlisted adviser to Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joe Dunford. As continued operations overseas have stressed the military, the Pentagon has begun to target that 11 percent to either get deployable, or get out.

Of that total non-deployable force, Troxell said, about 99,000 are on that list for administrative reasons, such as not having all their immunizations or their required dental exams. About 20,000 are not deployable due to pregnancy, and 116,000 are not deployable due to either short- or long-term injuries.
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Defense Department officials could not provide the number of injured personnel who have been on non-deployable status for the past 12 consecutive months.
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