{ "id": "R40121", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "R40121", "active": false, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 358265, "date": "2010-04-07", "retrieved": "2016-04-07T01:46:17.042072", "title": "U.S. Military Stop Loss Program: Key\u00a0Questions and Answers", "summary": "Stop Loss is a frequently misunderstood DOD force management program that retains servicemembers beyond their contractually agreed-to separation date. Because of the involuntary nature of this extension, some critics have referred to the program as a \u201cbackdoor draft\u201d or \u201cinvoluntary servitude\u201d.\nStop Loss was initially used in the 1990-91 Persian Gulf War and later in Bosnia and the Kosovo Air Campaign. All of the Services used Stop Loss at the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) but only the Army has consistently employed some form of Stop Loss over the past nine years. Today, there are nearly 8,000 soldiers in the Active Army, Army Reserve and Army National Guard who remain on active duty beyond their scheduled separation date as a result of Stop Loss. While many observers tend to sympathize with those in Stop Loss status, others assert that every servicemember who has enlisted or reenlisted over the past several years has been made aware of the program.\nThe authority for Stop Loss has existed since 1984 (Section 12305, Title 10) and enables the President to suspend the laws relating to promotion, retirement and separation during periods of national emergency or a Presidential call-up of the reserve components. Minor changes to the Stop Loss program were enacted in 2002 and 2006 but a more significant change was directed by P.L. 110-329, the Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009. This legislation established and temporarily funded a new special pay, up to a maximum of $500 per month for all servicemembers extended by Stop Loss during FY2009. This special pay was later extended to June 30, 2011 by the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2010.\nThe Stop Loss Special Pay was criticized because it applied only to those in Stop Loss status during FY2009 and beyond and did not address the nearly 185,000 members who had been Stop Lossed since September 11, 2001. This was changed by the FY2009 Supplemental, P.L. 111-32, which extended the special pay back to September 11, 2001, still at the rate of $500 per month. Servicemembers are required to apply to their parent service and upon validation will receive a lump sum Retroactive Stop Loss payment. The application period ends on October 21, 2010. \nIn January, 2007 the newly appointed Secretary of Defense Gates directed the Services to minimize the use of Stop Loss. The Army has consistently argued that Stop Loss is necessary to ensure that only trained and ready units are deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. However, Secretary of Defense Gates announced on March 18, 2009, the phased suspension of the Stop Loss program. The Army\u2019s active component program ended on January 1, 2010 while the Army Reserve and Army National Guard programs ended in August and September, 2009, respectively. While the Services will retain the legal authority for Stop Loss, the Secretary of Defense decision phased out the regular use of Stop Loss for Iraq and Afghanistan.\nWith Stop Loss suspended, all three Army components (Active, Guard, and Reserve) have implemented financial incentive programs to encourage volunteers to remain with their units during a deployment. This pay, generally referred to as Deployment Extension Incentive Pay (DEIP) varies in amount by component but is tax-free if earned in a combat zone.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R40121", "sha1": "37ef942b8c50df8498a059b2840007525b2e1ea6", "filename": "files/20100407_R40121_37ef942b8c50df8498a059b2840007525b2e1ea6.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R40121", "sha1": "451dc8eef20c32cb056903bf846182ddc6cbac21", "filename": "files/20100407_R40121_451dc8eef20c32cb056903bf846182ddc6cbac21.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc26130/", "id": "R40121_2009Jul10", "date": "2009-07-10", "retrieved": "2010-07-07T17:39:19", "title": "U.S. Military Stop Loss Program: Key Questions and Answers", "summary": "Stop Loss is a frequently misunderstood DOD force management program that retains servicemembers beyond their contractually agreed-to separation date. Because of the involuntary nature of this extension, some critics have referred to the program as a \"backdoor draft\" or \"involuntary servitude\". 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Because of the involuntary nature of this extension, some critics have referred to the program as a \"backdoor draft\" or \"involuntary servitude\". This report outlines the history of Stop Loss, current issues relating to Stop Loss, and the possible future directions of the program.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20090428_R40121_436da81b7e6c01b9d25fb38cd1921bed512e4e34.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20090428_R40121_436da81b7e6c01b9d25fb38cd1921bed512e4e34.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Defense policy", "name": "Defense policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Compulsory military service", "name": "Compulsory military service" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "National defense", "name": "National defense" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc819018/", "id": "R40121_2009Jan08", "date": "2009-01-08", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Stop Loss: Key Questions and Answers", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20090108_R40121_c39faacb8a5e50e8d9bd27fc24263d1917b7ddf9.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20090108_R40121_c39faacb8a5e50e8d9bd27fc24263d1917b7ddf9.html" } ], "topics": [] } ], "topics": [ "American Law", "Appropriations", "National Defense" ] }