Army tours to be cut to 12 months, officials say

WASHINGTON —  President Bush is scheduled to announce today that Army units heading to war after Aug. 1 will serve 12-month tours rather than the current 15-month deployments, senior defense officials said.

The reduced tour length will not apply to any soldiers now serving in Iraq, Afghanistan or other war zones, although that could change if security conditions improve, the officials said Wednesday. They spoke on condition of anonymity in advance of Bush’s planned speech on the subject.

The president’s address is expected to include his endorsement of an indefinite pause in troop cuts after July to reassess force levels in Iraq, as recommended by his top military commander in that country, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus.

There are 160,000 troops in Iraq, including about 18 combat brigades, and that number is expected to go down to 140,000, including 15 brigades, by the end of July. Military leaders have consistently said that 15-month tours put too much stress on soldiers and their families.

After Bush’s speech, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were expected to answer questions about the shorter tours when they testify today before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Under the new plan, soldiers would deploy for one year, then get 12 months at home to rest and retrain for their next tour. The shorter deployments will apply broadly to Army units.

But officials acknowledge that there could be some individuals or smaller specialized companies with jobs in high demand who could be pressed into longer service.

National Guard and reserve units are already limited to 12-month tours, and Air Force, Navy and Marine units routinely serve shorter deployments.