Army/AF peace time deployments?

[NoMoreAMCAS]

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Just curious about how deployments worked, where they were to, and how long they were pre-9/11. I know the Navy deploys regardless to cruise around the med/persian gulf or the Pacific, but what about Army or AirForce docs? For anyone that was a GMO or Attending pre-9/11, please give me a heads up for what life as a military doc will be like when we are completely (or really close to being) out of Iraq.

I ask because I'm still considering military medicine and while I don't think we'll be completely out of Iraq by the time I would graduate (5 years from now), the amount of military members in Iraq should be severely reduced. Sitting in Iraq for several months to a year sounds like **** and is the main draw back for me joining or applying to USUHS. If I can spend a 7 year USUHS commitment bouncing around to hospitals at Army or Air Force bases across the US, then I would give much more consideration to military medicine.

Thanks for any help.

 

[DrMetal]

time I would graduate (5 years from now), the amount of military members in Iraq should be severely reduced. Sitting in Iraq for several months to a year sounds like **** and is the main draw back for me joining or applying to USUHS. If I can spend a 7 year USUHS commitment bouncing around to hospitals at Army or Air Force bases across the US, then I would give much more consideration to military medicine.

Thanks for any help.

I can't exactly answer your question b/c I'm not USAF nor USA . . . but think about it this way: The students who went HPSP or USUHS in the late 90s, had no idea that we'd be in Iraq/Afghanistan in 2003.

So even if we are out of Iraq in 5 years, we may be somewhere else . . . .like chee, I dunno, maybe Pakistan, Iran! There's a lot of nice parts of the world that we could be stirring up trouble.

Anyway, suffice it to say that if the thought of being in Iraq (or somewhere like it) bothers you, then stay away from military medicine. You have to have a particular mindset to be happy in the military (no matter what your profession). You have to deal with the beuarocratic, political, uncertain nature of the game. you'll be away from home, etc etc.

if you're ok with all that . . . it can be the experience of a life-time and you'll come out a more well-rounded person. But that's a big "if" for some people . . . . .

this is a great forum, read around and see what others think.

 

[The White Coat Investor]

Some peace time deployments are humanitarian missions, which are pretty cool experiences. Others involve training the militaries of allies, which can also be pretty cool. These deployments are also usually pretty short, a month or two.

Deploying to the Middle East for 6-15 months, on the other hand, isn't quite as fun.

 

[NoMoreAMCAS]

Some peace time deployments are humanitarian missions, which are pretty cool experiences. Others involve training the militaries of allies, which can also be pretty cool. These deployments are also usually pretty short, a month or two.

Deploying to the Middle East for 6-15 months, on the other hand, isn't quite as fun.

Yeah see, I could deal with deployments like that. I've been in the military, i've deployed for extended periods, it sucks. But if I were simply doing short deployments to help allies or do humanitarian work, I could enjoy it.

 

[NoMoreAMCAS]

I can't exactly answer your question b/c I'm not USAF nor USA . . . but think about it this way: The students who went HPSP or USUHS in the late 90s, had no idea that we'd be in Iraq/Afghanistan in 2003.

So even if we are out of Iraq in 5 years, we may be somewhere else . . . .like chee, I dunno, maybe Pakistan, Iran! There's a lot of nice parts of the world that we could be stirring up trouble.

Anyway, suffice it to say that if the thought of being in Iraq (or somewhere like it) bothers you, then stay away from military medicine. You have to have a particular mindset to be happy in the military (no matter what your profession). You have to deal with the beuarocratic, political, uncertain nature of the game. you'll be away from home, etc etc.

if you're ok with all that . . . it can be the experience of a life-time and you'll come out a more well-rounded person. But that's a big "if" for some people . . . . .

this is a great forum, read around and see what others think.

Thanks dude. Im pretty familiar with the military lifestyle and im aware of the possibility of another conflict. I dont mind taking the chance that there will be another conflict, as long as its a chance. Deployments dont ruin my life, I've gotten through them just fine before, I would just prefer not to.

 

[DrMetal]

Thanks dude. Im pretty familiar with the military lifestyle and im aware of the possibility of another conflict. I dont mind taking the chance that there will be another conflict, as long as its a chance. Deployments dont ruin my life, I've gotten through them just fine before, I would just prefer not to.

ok, well then you know the answer to your own question. you know as well as anybody how uncertain our business can be (sorry, didn't mean to presume you weren't prior service . . .it just sounded that way from the tone of your question)

 

[NoMoreAMCAS]

ok, well then you know the answer to your own question. you know as well as anybody how uncertain our business can be (sorry, didn't mean to presume you weren't prior service . . .it just sounded that way from the tone of your question)

I was in the Navy so I know the answer to the question of what Army/AF peace time deployments are? But of course🙄.

 

[DrMetal]

I was in the Navy so I know the answer to the question of what Army/AF peace time deployments are? But of course🙄.

well sure . . .if you're prior Navy, you know we deploy often (it's part of our work-up cycle) . . . you might know/hear some things about the other services . . . the Coast Goard is underway a lot but local . . .Army has to keep its foreign bases running . . .the Air Force members have to work on their golf swings . . .etc etc. There can be plenty of traveling/moving in the military, even in the absence of conflict . . .

 

[JP1982]

From what I understand, you're assuming that the Air Force doesn't do humanitarian missions anymore, at least not during a time of war. We do a lot of different missions; it just depends on where you're stationed and what unit(s) you're stationed with. I've read plenty of articles about doctors/nurses deploying to Honduras or other third-world countries within the last year. Additionally, there are stateside humanitarian missions. Members of the Medical Corps' of both the AF and ANG deployed 3 years ago following Hurricane Katrina.

I'm not saying that, by joining the military now, you wouldn't be deployed to Iraq. In fact, there's probably a better chance of deploying there than on humanitarian missions. But that's not to say that we don't do them. Hope that helps.

 

[dtn3t]

...Additionally, there are stateside humanitarian missions...

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/09/army_homeland_090708w/

 

[core0]

This is an interesting question. As someone who got out just as the operational tempo was increasing I'll give you my best guess.

If you look at the armed forces over the last twenty years there is a pattern that remains. From 1951 to 1989 the armed forces never dropped below 2 million and peaked at 3.5 million during Korea and Vietnam. From 1989 to 1999 the strength went from 2.1 million to 1.4 million. Even with the increases to the Army over the last couple years its unlikely to get above 1.5 million.

I was active duty enlisted from 1986 to 1992. During that time the wall came down and we substantially reduced forces in Europe. During that time there was relatively little deployment. If you were in 18th airborne corps you did a Sinai rotation. The heavy units did reforger. There was a scattering of humanitarian missions but overall not a lot of deployment. It was not unusual to stay at the same post for 5-6 years depending on the specialty. However, depending on your unit there were a lot of opportunities. I spent the better part of three years on TDY in central and south America because I was single and hated the motor pool.

After 1990 things change considerably. Most people spent a lot of time in the Sand box. Even reservists got called up in significant numbers. I got out after Desert storm but friends who stayed in had deployments to Bosnia, Kuwait, Somalia etc.

Then came the global war on terror and the operational tempo increased again. There are a number of troops that have had two to three year long deployments in Iraq or Afghanistan. Basically you are either deployed or getting deployed. While the military is trying to draw down troops in Iraq, Afghanistan is heating up.

So basically the answer to the question of peacetime deployments depends on what you think the future looks like. I can't foresee keeping up this tempo for another five years without doing something drastic like reinstating the draft. On the other hand I doubt we are ever going to go back to those more idyllic days in the mid 80's. My guess would be something like the post 2000 period with frequent small deployments and peacekeeping missions. On the other hand given the demands put on the reserves and guard over the last few years I think that the military can count on less help there so that would increase the AD operational tempo.

David Carpenter, PA-C

 

[NoMoreAMCAS]

From what I understand, you're assuming that the Air Force doesn't do humanitarian missions anymore, at least not during a time of war. We do a lot of different missions; it just depends on where you're stationed and what unit(s) you're stationed with. I've read plenty of articles about doctors/nurses deploying to Honduras or other third-world countries within the last year. Additionally, there are stateside humanitarian missions. Members of the Medical Corps' of both the AF and ANG deployed 3 years ago following Hurricane Katrina.

I'm not saying that, by joining the military now, you wouldn't be deployed to Iraq. In fact, there's probably a better chance of deploying there than on humanitarian missions. But that's not to say that we don't do them. Hope that helps.

Yeah, i'm not assuming anything. I'm just asking what they do and where they go when we are not involved in a serious conflict. I'd prefer to skip around to different bases within the country. If that were pretty typical of AF or Army docs in peace time, then I would be much more inclined to join. Not saying I'm opposed to doing a deployment or two. I just don't want to waste a year or two of my life sitting in some **** hole base in the desert.

 

[NoMoreAMCAS]

This is an interesting question. As someone who got out just as the operational tempo was increasing I'll give you my best guess.

If you look at the armed forces over the last twenty years there is a pattern that remains. From 1951 to 1989 the armed forces never dropped below 2 million and peaked at 3.5 million during Korea and Vietnam. From 1989 to 1999 the strength went from 2.1 million to 1.4 million. Even with the increases to the Army over the last couple years its unlikely to get above 1.5 million.

I was active duty enlisted from 1986 to 1992. During that time the wall came down and we substantially reduced forces in Europe. During that time there was relatively little deployment. If you were in 18th airborne corps you did a Sinai rotation. The heavy units did reforger. There was a scattering of humanitarian missions but overall not a lot of deployment. It was not unusual to stay at the same post for 5-6 years depending on the specialty. However, depending on your unit there were a lot of opportunities. I spent the better part of three years on TDY in central and south America because I was single and hated the motor pool.

After 1990 things change considerably. Most people spent a lot of time in the Sand box. Even reservists got called up in significant numbers. I got out after Desert storm but friends who stayed in had deployments to Bosnia, Kuwait, Somalia etc.

Then came the global war on terror and the operational tempo increased again. There are a number of troops that have had two to three year long deployments in Iraq or Afghanistan. Basically you are either deployed or getting deployed. While the military is trying to draw down troops in Iraq, Afghanistan is heating up.

So basically the answer to the question of peacetime deployments depends on what you think the future looks like. I can't foresee keeping up this tempo for another five years without doing something drastic like reinstating the draft. On the other hand I doubt we are ever going to go back to those more idyllic days in the mid 80's. My guess would be something like the post 2000 period with frequent small deployments and peacekeeping missions. On the other hand given the demands put on the reserves and guard over the last few years I think that the military can count on less help there so that would increase the AD operational tempo.

David Carpenter, PA-C

Thanks for the info.👍