U.S. Military Stop Loss Program: Key Questions and Answers

Abstract

Stop Loss is a frequently misunderstood DOD force management program that retains servicemembers beyond their contractually agreed-to separation date. Because of the involuntary nature of this extension, some critics have referred to the program as a ?backdoor draft? or ?involuntary servitude?. Stop Loss was initially used in the 1990-91 Gulf War and later in Bosnia and the Kosovo Air Campaign. All of the Services used Stop Loss at the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) but only the Army has consistently employed some form of Stop Loss over the past five years. Today, there are over 12,000 soldiers in the active Army, Army Reserve and Army National Guard who remain on active duty beyond their scheduled separation date as a result of Stop Loss. While many observers tend to empathize with those in Stop Loss status, others assert that every servicemember who has enlisted or reenlisted over the past several years has been made aware of the program.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 10, 2009
Accession Number
ADA503196

Entities

People

  • Charles A. Henning

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Active Duty
  • Afghanistan Conflict
  • Air Force
  • Combat Readiness
  • Department Of Defense
  • Enlisted Personnel
  • Iraqi-War
  • Law
  • Military Personnel
  • National Guard
  • National Security
  • Officer Personnel
  • Personnel Management
  • Recruiting
  • Recruits
  • Second World War
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Military Mobilization and Reserve Forces Studies.
  • Military and Counterinsurgency Studies.