[catman]

Hagee: No plans to alter combat tour lengths


The commandant of the Marine Corps says he?s open to changing the lengths of combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, but for now there are no plans to do so.

?We?re obviously open to that, but all the indications that we have is that this is working really quite well for us ? it?s working well for the individual Marine and it?s working well for the families,? Gen. Mike Hagee said Thursday.

Currently, battalions and squadrons rotate through the combat zones on seven-month tours while commanders and staffs at regimental headquarters and above deploy for yearlong tours.

The Army, on the other hand, rotates nearly all of its formations through for one-year tours.

Talking to families, said Hagee, ?I?ve actually asked them, what do you prefer? What they came back with, without hesitation is, ?Seven months. Even though we know they may go back again, that?s what we prefer.??

? Jon R. Anderson