What counts as a "deployment"?

2015-08-11T18:05:05-04:00

I'm sure this differs a lot between Active and Reserve Components. For years, I've heard or seen people say "I have 8 deployments. " Just saw the article about the young girl who tried to join ISIS (different topic). Her dad was in the military and it said ...and has 21 deployments.

My question is... What do you consider a deployment? I've never deployed for any training missions for an extended period of times. I have three 12 month combat deployments, and therefore say I have three deployments. What are these people with 8, 10, 21 deployments considering deployements?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2015 6:07 PM

2015-08-11T18:07:31-04:00

Wow I am with you I count combat theater deployments. I hear of people who count oconus tours like Korea or Cuba. That could be part of it.

Response by GySgt John O'Donnell made Aug 11 at 2015 6:18 PM

2015-08-11T18:18:31-04:00

In the Marine Corps it only counts if you are operationally OIF, OEF) or forward deployed (MEU, UDP), and typically they are at least 6 month tours, through you per regulations 3 months is the minimum for you to technically be deployed (i.e. sea service deployment ribbon).

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2015 6:19 PM

2015-08-11T18:19:48-04:00

Wow that's a loaded question, and it might differ between Branches of Service and jobs as well. I've talked to Army/Marine/Navy bubbas(gender neutral) who counted every trip away from their home station as deployments, to include week long TDYs and field training. I've talked with Air Force bubbas who count non-training trips away from home station that last over a month as a deployment, to include locations like Hawaii. My career field generally only counts it as a deployment if you get HFP or HDP and are out for at least six months on temporary orders, aside from that we call it a TDY or a PCS.

Response by 1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2015 6:28 PM

2015-08-11T18:28:11-04:00

I look at a deployment as being forward deployed somewhere for an extended (~6 months or more) period of time and you probably have some sort of deployment ribbon. If I saw someone 21 awards on their Sea Service Deployment Ribbon or Overseas Service Ribbon (or our sister service equivalent) I would call them out. If someone told me they had 21 deployments I would call them out. Sound like BS to me.

Response by MSgt Jim Wolverton made Aug 11 at 2015 6:43 PM

2015-08-11T18:43:08-04:00

What time frame are you talking about, pre or post 9/11? That makes all the difference in the world. Pre-9/11, deployments were usually, for the Air Force, around 90-120 days. Some of those were to what I would consider fully stocked, like Camp Doha Kuwait, and some that were very bare when I was there, like Ali Al Salem.

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made Aug 11 at 2015 6:56 PM

2015-08-11T18:56:03-04:00

To me, a deployment is being sent to a combat theater, ie. Iraq, Afghanistan, and for some Kuwait (when Iraq was hopping)...now each branch deploys its personnel for differing lengths that quantify a full deployment. My first to Iraq in '03 was for 8-months with 3rd ID, my second was for a year again with 3rd ID and my third was to Kuwait in support of OEF/OIF/OND for a year, so I have 3 deployments. Personnel that deploy for 4/6 months per their branch of service or specialty branches within said services, could feasibly have double-digit deployments by the standards I view, but having 21 deployments is a bit of a stretch, a person would have been deployed for between 3.5 - 7 years with very minimal down time between deployments.

Response by PO3 David Fries made Aug 11 at 2015 7:29 PM

2015-08-11T19:29:20-04:00

I was pre- OEF/OIF, deployment for me were our 6+ month deployments to Okinawa. We then did training in other locations ( Korea, Guam), but those were part of our deployment. Others did West-Pacs or Med Floats.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2015 10:48 PM

2015-08-11T22:48:52-04:00

Rotations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and even Kosovo are the easy answer. Where you start running into gray areas are missions like the MFO-Sinai, State Partnership Programs, State level deployments, etc. If an RC unit is mobilized for 90 days and sent to Africa or South America to train foreign troops, is that a "deployment" or a training mission? What about an RC unit mobilized to support a CTC or CONUS mission? I spent some time in Kuwait as a part of Operation Spartan Shield. Does that qualify? Should it? If you include SAD missions, "training missions," and combat tours they could add up.

I have a cousin whose probably pretty close to 8. I only see him once every couple of years. If memory serves he's got a trip to Bosnia, Kosovo, 3-4 rotations in Iraq, and 2 rotations in Afghanistan.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2015 11:41 PM

2015-08-11T23:41:22-04:00

For me, anything that requires me to be away from home that I can count in "months". Now, a 30 day TDY to Alaska like I did is not a deployment. I "deployed" to ADAB, UAE for 4 months in 2011 and then to FOL Curacao for 6 months in 2012.

Response by CPO Joseph Grant made Aug 11 at 2015 11:52 PM

2015-08-11T23:52:29-04:00

It depends on service and warfare community. I count 90 days under ice in a submarine that can't surface through the ice when/if something goes wrong as a deployment. I don't count my 3 ballistic missile patrols as deployments (even though a mistake by a LCDR damn near offed 3 of us). I figure it comes down to how up close and personal you are to the enemy.

Response by Maj William Gambrell made Aug 12 at 2015 12:19 AM

2015-08-12T00:19:04-04:00

I have seen some joke deployments during my time. I have known some officers go down to Tampa and work at USCENTCOM or USSOCOM as a deployment. But, the ones I laughed at the most were when I was at NSA, Ft Meade. Several officers, got deployments to USCYBERCOM and literally walked a 50 yards down the hall to another desk.

Response by SGT Kristin Wiley made Aug 12 at 2015 7:57 AM

2015-08-12T07:57:32-04:00

I count combat deployments, but I have definitely been confused when asking Marines in Hawaii if they've been deployed. Then they proceed to tell me they've been to Guam, Korea, and Japan... yeah I've been all those places too, but I don't say they are deployments. When dealing with civilians any time away from my permanent duty stationed I call a 'deployment' for the sake of simplicity. Like currently I'm 'deployed' (TDY) to Virginia.

Response by CMSgt Mark Schubert made Aug 12 at 2015 8:01 AM

2015-08-12T08:01:00-04:00

In the AF, it's only Title 10 orders that qualify as "deployment" time.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 8:34 AM

2015-08-12T08:34:10-04:00

I claim 3 deployments, but it's usually followed by "2 combat tours and 1 humanitarian tour". Some people say that my deployment to Haiti doesn't count, but as far as I'm concerned I was in a foreign country doing what my country asked me to do. So I count it.

Response by SGT Lawrence Corser made Aug 12 at 2015 8:58 AM

2015-08-12T08:58:16-04:00

Combat Zone, not Kuwait or uzbek, But actual ammo in the weapon. the rest are just TDY.

Response by SFC Chris Crossley made Aug 12 at 2015 9:36 AM

2015-08-12T09:36:26-04:00

From a DOD website “The relocation of forces and materiel to desired operational areas. Deployment
encompasses all activities from origin or home station through destination,
specifically including intra-continental United States, intertheater, and intratheater
movement legs, staging, and holding areas.”

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Aug 12 at 2015 3:28 PM

2015-08-12T15:28:15-04:00

Whatever your service regulation states it is. I have three deployments, but depending on who I'm talking to only one of my deployments count because it was a "combat" mission.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 3:30 PM

2015-08-12T15:30:15-04:00

1SG Private RallyPoint Member I agree the term is used inconsistently. That doesn't make people wrong, but the context in which you list the number of your deployments definitely needs to be available for proper evaluation of what that means.

For example when I say I've deployed twice on an aircraft carrier, I mean I went on two "cruises" for 9 and 10 months. I don't list training, even when extended. My total time on an aircraft carrier isn't 19 months, it's closer to 24.

I also list a deployment I had to Japan for only 3 months. But I also ensure I qualify it. I say what I did there and that it was only 3 months, because to me that isn't a "normal" deployment.

With many services and components of services changing the way they rotate in and out of theater and on and off ships, the definition needs to remain intentionally vague.

Does a Sailor who deployed for 5 3 months deployments deserve any less merit than one who deployed for 2 10 months deployments? No, but they also need to not say they deployed 5 times to try to argue they have done more. The differences need to be understood, but not criticized.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Aug 13 at 2015 6:03 AM

2015-08-13T06:03:13-04:00

At least in the Navy, a deployment is at least 90 days away from home port. That is the criteria to be awarded the Sea Service Deployment ribbon. With that said, I had 7 deployments in 20 years.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 13 at 2015 6:16 AM

2015-08-13T06:16:16-04:00

I think if you are operational it is a deployment. I have three so far. Two to Iraq and one for OEF but it wasn't Afghan. It was to work with and build an allied nation. I would even count Kuwait as a deployment. But as others have stated that some specialized units for a short time. The 75th Rangers do this. It is not uncommon to see a guy that has been there a while with 10 plus deployments.

Response by SGT William Howell made Aug 13 at 2015 7:22 AM

2015-08-13T07:22:19-04:00

She is a dyslexic retard. She got 21 confused with 2.

A deployment comes with a ribbon. For E-7 and above it comes with a BSM.

Response by MAJ Jim Steven made Aug 13 at 2015 7:35 AM

2015-08-13T07:35:22-04:00

I count it as...'you took a serial numbered weapon to it'
But I don't really count KFOR and SFOR missions because my time was so short in both. Korea was a PCS.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Aug 14 at 2015 8:13 AM

2015-08-14T08:13:31-04:00

It depends, and it varies by service and compo. During Kosovo and Bosnia - 179 days was lifetime. Before that, it was situational dependent (in my career) - Grenada, Panama, DS, Somalia... During OEF/OIF it was 12 months, and then 15 months during the surge for the Army. During the surge, our Brigade TF was joint and combined and we had over 8000 troops. AD was Army was 15, by then ... Army Guard and Reserve were 12 months from mob to demob (no longer 12 months BOG), Marines were 9 months, Navy 9 Months, USAF had 90 days, 6 months, and even 30 day personnel. SOF all different. WIAS tasking individuals all varied. So, when someone says I deployed 12 times... I needed to know more... I have heard Airmen say I have 7 deployments and when you add them up, they are less than one Army deployment. Nevertheless, they all count.

Response by SFC Chris Crossley made Feb 25 at 2016 12:20 PM

2016-02-25T12:20:41-05:00

For your reading enjoyment I bring you AR 525-93, Army Deployment and Redeployment, 12 November 2014, ***UNCLASSIFIED***

This regulation establishes Army deployment and redeployment policies and delineates roles, responsibilities, command relationships, and authorities for deployment and redeployment planning, execution, and support. It applies to unit personnel or equipment movement in support of operations, overseas deployment training, and training center rotations.
http://www.apd.army.mil/pdffiles/r525_93.pdf

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Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Feb 25 at 2016 12:30 PM

2016-02-25T12:30:33-05:00

On your ORB/ERB, section 1 tracks your overseas time. But it further breaks your overseas time into combat, operational and resident tours. Resident is being PCS'd to Korea, Germany, Hawaii, etc. Those are NOT deployments. Combat and operational overseas tours are. Can also look at it this way: did you get TCS orders for it and a campaign ribbon out of it? If yes, they you were on a deployment....

Response by SPC James Dollins made Feb 25 at 2016 12:39 PM

2016-02-25T12:39:53-05:00

Well I would say that a 12 month deployment should be considered a deployment as it is. But... There are units that do not do a year deployment. Most of USASOC doesn't deploy for a year. So I could see them having a good # of deployments. So there are some cases where soldiers could have that many under their belt.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 16 at 2018 11:54 AM

2018-04-16T11:54:41-04:00

DoDI 1336.07, Encl 4, specifies that a PERSTEMPO event could be non-deployment (code N) or deployment (code Y). Additional Deployment codes for Y are:
A Operation
B Exercise
C Unit training
D Mission support temporary duty
F Home station training
And regardless of whether or not orders specify the event as PERSTEMPO:
"Members of the Reserve Component shall be considered to be deployed or in a deployment on any day on that, pursuant to orders that do not establish a permanent change of station, they are performing active duty or full-time National Guard duty as defined in sections 101(d)(1) and 101(d)(5) of Reference (d) at a location that is not their permanent training site and is either 100 or more miles, or 3 or more hours travel time, from their permanent civilian residence." Those sections say, respectively, "The term “active duty” means full-time duty in the active military service of the United States. Such term includes full-time training duty, annual training duty, and attendance, while in the active military service, at a school designated as a service school by law or by the Secretary of the military department concerned. Such term does not include full-time National Guard duty," and "The term “full-time National Guard duty” means training or other duty, other than inactive duty, performed by a member of the Army National Guard of the United States or the Air National Guard of the United States in the member’s status as a member of the National Guard of a State or territory, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia under section 316, 502, 503, 504, or 505 of title 32 for which the member is entitled to pay from the United States or for which the member has waived pay from the United States."

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Apr 22 at 2018 10:08 PM

2018-04-22T22:08:10-04:00

Depends on the service Nick, cause some units will only deploy for 6-8 months- many of the SOF was doing that.