Can the Army extend your initial contract for a deployment?

Short answer: No, they cannot.

Long answer: There isn't stop-loss going on anymore, so generally the only time the Army can involuntarily extend you is if you're in the middle of UCMJ action (there are a few other unique situations, but those are very rare).

Your unit SHOULDN'T deploy you if you don't extend, but they could always be tough and make you deploy. If that's the case, then you will be sent back early enough to clear and transition.

I'll defer to SFC (Join to see) to comment on various incentive programs the Army will throw at you to extend through the deployment, but you could be eligible for a nice bit of change each month if eligible.

Have a conversation with your NCO Chain. Perhaps the Command Team had slipped their minds that you ETS 6 months into the mission. Be mindful that you could still go, just that you'd have to be sent back early to clear. But, be mindful that depending on where the mission is, you could be eligible for a nice tax free reenlistment bonus. Since there is not a Stop Loss program in place at present, I cannot see how the Army could involuntarily extend your contract.

The Army cannot extend your contract. You can extend your own for the deployment, or they can send you back early to clear. Legally, you're entitled to 90 days for the process.

They won’t extend you but you certainly have enough time on your contract to fill a certain need while you are there. You could be use as an advanced party for a period of time or you could remain on rear echelon filling other roles as needed.

Before you assume too much just talk to your leadership

When we had the Stop-Loss program they could, but not now.

My command did this to me. I sailed made it to the gulf and turned around the reason was my replacement was not with unit till we already deployed. This would have left us short in shop with going on a combat deployment. It was pretty cool coming home via different countries on the government’s dime.

By any chance have you READ your contract? The Army CAN do just about anything they want without changing your contract (that's part of what you agreed to in the contract).

And your "ETS" isn't carved in stone -- you signed a multi-year contract, you belong to the Army for the entire term of that contract. If they want you, they have you until the very last day.

As others have pointed out, under current policies the Army is not likely to extend your ETS involuntarily, but if your unit decides you are "mission essential" for this deployment they can (and probably will) require you to deploy then just ship you back in time to clear.

Bottom line: Raise the issue of your ETS date with the chain of command, but I would strongly recommend doing so calmly and politely to avoid getting anyone really upset. By now you should have enough experience to know that pissing off the chain of command rarely works out well.

Have you deployed and if not, what is going in your life that you cannot extend? There are more benefits if you have deployed and even if you get out as soon as you return, it is a box checked off that you may never again get and wish someday that you did.