Editorial: Ordered to ‘volunteer’

Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007 | 7:14 a.m.

Nobody joining the Army today as a noncareer soldier can be certain of when the commitment will end.

Stretched by its role in Iraq to a near-breaking point, the Army uses a policy called "stop loss" to indefinitely extend the enlistments of many soldiers, whether they are in the regular Army, the National Guard or the Reserves.

Tens of thousands of soldiers have been affected by this policy. The overwhelming majority oblige without taking legal action.

Nevertheless, the policy greatly disrupts personal plans and undoubtedy many soldiers, feeling used, abandon any thoughts of re-enlisting.

The stop - loss policy was approved by Congress after the Vietnam War, in case the services began experiencing a sudden exodus of their most experienced troops. It was not used, however, until 1990, when the Defense Department began preparing for Operation Desert Shield.

Since January 2004, when it became obvious the Bush administration had seriously miscalculated how many troops would be needed in Iraq, and the duration for which they would be needed, the stop - loss policy has been in full force.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, recognizing how the policy undermines troop morale, directed in January that its use be scaled back. But that same month President Bush ordered 30,000 more troops into Iraq, which actually resulted in an expansion of the policy.

Lt. Gen. Michael Rochelle, head of personnel for the Army, said this week that until the demands on the Army are reduced "we're going to have to rely, unfortunately ... on stop loss."

While federal courts have ruled against those soldiers who have challenged it, we believe the policy is grossly unfair to the troops and misleading to the public, which thinks the draft was discontinued in 1973.

It may be called stop loss, but a policy that sends troops back to Iraq after their agreed-on tour of duty has ended is a draft, pure and simple - with the variation that it affects only those who have already served and sacrificed.