Slight Addition ? ? ?
I do not know if Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell ever served in the military. But, if I were a betting person, after hearing this comment, I’d bet NOT.
“This is a slight addition to this tour and nothing more,”
The quote was lifted from a Time Inc story about a 30 day extension of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit which is in Afghanistan.
During my 21 years as a member of the United States Navy, I have been deployed many times. I cannot begin to explain to you, the reader, how devastating to morale and to retention an involuntary extension beyond the stated end of a tour is. Not “can be” but “is.”
An unwarrented extension is not only devastating to member in Afghanistan or where ever, but it it does even more damage to the families back home. Mom, taking care of the kids, all by her self. Making decisions for the family like getting the car fixed or buying a new clothes washer or taking care of two sick kids while trying to hold down a job.
An extension, no matter how short, is a broken promise by the boss to the employee, it is a lie. Period.
Tags: Chief
You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.