Military

On July 1, 2003, Mr. Reginald J. Brown, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, approved partially lifting Stop Loss for 22 of 24 selected officer specialties and enlisted specialties subject to the Army’s all component 12-Month, Skill-Based Stop Loss Program.

The decision to execute a fourth partial lift of Stop Loss will affect approximately 1,200 Active Army, 970 Army Reserve and 975 National Guard soldiers between now and January 2004. These soldiers, as they begin their transition from the Army, will be provided sufficient time to complete transition/career counseling processing and demobilization activities for Ready Reserve soldiers. Personnel strength managers from all Army components will regulate separation dates to ensure no adverse impact on Army-wide readiness.

The following officer and warrant specialties and enlisted Military Occupational Specialties for Active Army and Ready Reserve Soldiers subject to the all component 12-Month, Skill-Based Stop Loss will no longer be subject to Stop Loss:

Officer Specialties: 30 Information Operations, 34 Strategic Intelligence, 35 Military Intelligence, 45A Comptroller, 48G Foreign Area Officer (Mideast/North Africa), 51C Contract & Industrial Management.

Warrant Officer Specialties: 152C OH-6 Scout Pilot, 153D, UH-60 Pilot, 154C CH-47D Pilot, 311A, CID Special Agent, 351B, Counter Intelligence Technician, 351E Human Intelligence Collection Technician.

Enlisted Soldier Military Occupational Specialties: 52E Prime Power Production Specialist, 74B Information Systems Operator, 95B Military Police, 95C Correctional Specialist, 95D CID Special Agent, 96B Intelligence Analyst, 97B Counter Intelligence Agent, 97E Human Intelligence Collector, 97L Translator, 98G Voice Interceptor.

Secretary Brown approved four increments of Stop Loss in support of Operations Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom. The first increment was announced November 30, 2001 and focused on Active Army Special Forces soldiers and certain Aviation specialties. The fourth and last increment was announced February 14, 2003, and directed the Active Component (AC) Unit Stop Loss for units supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. On May 27, 2003, Secretary Brown approved lifting AC Unit Stop Loss and a third partial lift of stop loss for selected skills subject to Stop Loss one through four.

Prior to Operations Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom, the Army last used Stop Loss during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm in 1990 when President George H. Bush delegated Stop Loss authority to the Secretary of Defense.

Stop loss does not affect most involuntary separations or retirements, nor does it generally limit laws, regulations, or policies that lead to involuntary separations, retirements, or releases from active duty.

Analysis for the Global War on Terrorism is on going. The Army’s determination to lift RC Unit Stop Loss and the remaining two skills under 12-Month, Skill-Based Stop Loss will be addressed shortly.

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For more information about Army Stop Loss, media may contact Army Public Affairs, at (703) 692-2000. This document is available on Army Link, a World Wide Web site on the Internet at http://www.dtic.mil/armylink/.