Photo: The Soldiers' Secretary: Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced Wednesday the end of the policy of keeping soldiers in the force involuntarily. Manul Balce Ceneta/APFrom The Christian Science Monitor:
Ending 'stop loss' is just one example of how he has sought to heal an overstressed military.
Washington - After six years of war have almost worn down the military, Defense Secretary Robert Gates is trying to make the armed forces whole again.
In suspending this week an unpopular policy that required some soldiers to stay in the forces because their skills were needed in time of war, Mr. Gates is dismantling some of the policies that have caused hardship to the military.
Since the invasion of Iraq, many service members and their families have endured the mental and physical trauma of extended, back-to-back deployments. Divorce rates are high among the armed forces, and suicides are up.
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My Comment: Long overdue .... very long overdue.