Marines' tour extended to allow Iraq training

[maddezmom]

Source: Reuters

Marines' tour extended to allow Iraq training

WASHINGTON, March 22 (Reuters) - The Pentagon said on Thursday it would keep some segments of a 2,000-person Marine Corps unit in Okinawa, Japan, for an additional five months so other Marines scheduled to move into Iraq can train for the mission.

Keeping segments of the Okinawa unit in place would allow Marines to stay at home longer and train for Iraq, the Marine Corps said, allowing it to maintain its target for "dwell time" -- the amount of time a Marine is home between deployments.

It is the latest sign of the stress the Iraq war has put on the U.S. armed forces, and the impact of the Bush administration's plan to send nearly 30,000 additional U.S. troops to regain control of security in Iraq.

Marine Corps headquarters in the Pentagon said it did not know how many Marines would see their tours extended under the order. A spokesman for the affected unit -- the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit -- in Okinawa was not available.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N22340952.htm

[maddezmom]

1. 1,200 Marines and sailors extended 5 mos

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N22368419.htm