Sign Up For 8, In for 35

Talk Left points us to this AP story how the 9th Circuit has, as Jeralyn wrote, "refused to invalidate the military's 'stop loss' policy." I have no sense of what the law really is here, so I won't comment on the decision itself (though, obviously, the policy is troubling).


But, the AP story leaves out some rather important details. The man filing the appeal, Emiliano Santiago, was two weeks away from finishing his 8 year commitment when the stop loss kicked in. He was then given a new service contract when the stop loss order was invoked.

Making it all the stranger is that the Army presented him with a new contract that extended his service until 2031. Army spokesperson Hart says the date was arbitrary, meant to allow for "wiggle room." Says Santiago, looking at another 27 years in the Army over and above the eight he signed up for: "It's crazy."