For military personnel, a tour of duty is usually a period of time spent in combat or in a hostile environment. In an army, for instance, soldiers on active duty serve 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the length of their service commitment. Soldiers in World War II were deployed for the entire war and could be in active service for 4–5 years.[1]
Following a tour of duty, sailors often have the opportunity to reunite with family and loved ones
In World War II, Royal Air Force doctors had started to notice symptoms of battle fatigue in their pilots. Before 1942, there was no official limit for an operational tour. Some pilots had been flying over 200 missions with only a short break. Then the Senior Medical Officer of the RAF station Biggin Hill intervened, after asking one flight sergeant how many missions he had done and was surprised to hear 200 over 2 years. A tour system was then adopted; the length of it varied, depending on the period, theatre, and Command requirements of the time.[2] In Western Europe, it was set at 200 hours operational flying. In 1944 in South East Asia, the day fighter pilot's tour was 300 hours or 12 months. In Bomber Command, the tour length was exceptionally based on the number of successful combat sorties (missions). The first tour was 30 sorties, and the second was 20 sorties. In Coastal Command, the maximum length of a tour depended on tasks and varied from fighter and strike squadrons’ 200 hours to flying boats and four-engine land-plane crews’ 800 hours.[2]
The tour of duty for B-52 crewmen is four to six months.[3]
NavyEdit
In navies, a tour of duty is a period of time spent performing operational duties at sea, including combat, performing patrol or fleet duties, or assigned to service in a foreign country; a tour of duty is part of a rotation, where the ship may spend a six-month tour of duty, then spend one month in home port for maintenance, then a period of time on exercises, then return to her tour of duty.[citation needed] In 2018, most overseas tours for military personnel in the US Navy have been capped at two or three years. For US Navy sailors assigned to Japan, tour lengths might increase to four years.[4] This would also include tours to Guam and Spain. Sailors extending their tours by at least 12 months will receive preferential consideration for announced billets.[5]
In the Royal Navy (UK), operational tours can last approximately 9 months. Although with the Royal Navy Reserves, this is only 6 months.[6] A junior doctor may be on board a ship for a seven-month stint.[7]
ArmyEdit
A general tour of duty for soldiers comprises service that can last from half a year to four years. Generally, duties that last longer than two years are eligible to receive medals of merit related to their service. Tours of duty can also be extended involuntarily for service members, such as in September 2006, when the tour of duty was extended for 4,000 US military personnel in Iraq.[8] They were increased up to 15 months for tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.[9] As of 2018, typical tours are 6-9 or even 12 months' deployment depending upon the needs of the military and branch of service. Soldiers are eligible for two weeks of leave after six months of deployment.[1]
In the UK, tours of duty are usually 6 months.[10] In 2014, UK army tours in Afghanistan were extended to 8 months.[11]Army doctors accompany their regiments on tours of duty for up to six months every two to three years.[7]
^ abPowers, Rod (June 4, 2018). "Understanding Military Active Duty". thebalancecareers.com/. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
^ abSotahistoriasivut, Juhan. "The lengths of the RAF operational tours". juhansotahistoriasivut.weebly.com. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
^United States Congress (1972).Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the ... Congress, Volume 118, Part 27 at Google Books
^Hlavac, Tyler (January 17, 2018). "Navy looks at increasing tour lengths for sailors assigned to Japan". stripes.com/. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
^Werner, Ben (May 6, 2018). "Navy Increases Tour Lengths for First Time Forward Deployed Sailors". usni.org. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
^"FAQ". royalnavy.mod.uk. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
^ abStephenson, Jo (6 January 2010). "Careers The military doctor". BMJ. bmj.com. 340: b5437. doi:10.1136/bmj.b5437. S2CID 29434738. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
^Barnes, Julian E. (2006-09-26), (PDF), Los Angeles Times, archived from the original (PDF) on April 11, 2022
^"US extends troops' tour of duty". bbc.co.uk. 11 April 2007. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
^Evans, Mark (28 April 2015). "10 things you didn't know about going on a tour of duty". The Telegraph. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
^"Afghanistan tour lengths for deployed UK personnel". gov.uk. 14 May 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
October 14, 2023
tour, duty, other, uses, disambiguation, examples, perspective, this, article, represent, worldwide, view, subject, improve, this, article, discuss, issue, talk, page, create, article, appropriate, october, 2015, learn, when, remove, this, template, message, m. For other uses see Tour of duty disambiguation The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject You may improve this article discuss the issue on the talk page or create a new article as appropriate October 2015 Learn how and when to remove this template message For military personnel a tour of duty is usually a period of time spent in combat or in a hostile environment In an army for instance soldiers on active duty serve 24 hours a day seven days a week for the length of their service commitment Soldiers in World War II were deployed for the entire war and could be in active service for 4 5 years 1 Following a tour of duty sailors often have the opportunity to reunite with family and loved ones Contents 1 Air force 2 Navy 3 Army 4 See also 5 ReferencesAir force EditIn World War II Royal Air Force doctors had started to notice symptoms of battle fatigue in their pilots Before 1942 there was no official limit for an operational tour Some pilots had been flying over 200 missions with only a short break Then the Senior Medical Officer of the RAF station Biggin Hill intervened after asking one flight sergeant how many missions he had done and was surprised to hear 200 over 2 years A tour system was then adopted the length of it varied depending on the period theatre and Command requirements of the time 2 In Western Europe it was set at 200 hours operational flying In 1944 in South East Asia the day fighter pilot s tour was 300 hours or 12 months In Bomber Command the tour length was exceptionally based on the number of successful combat sorties missions The first tour was 30 sorties and the second was 20 sorties In Coastal Command the maximum length of a tour depended on tasks and varied from fighter and strike squadrons 200 hours to flying boats and four engine land plane crews 800 hours 2 The tour of duty for B 52 crewmen is four to six months 3 Navy EditIn navies a tour of duty is a period of time spent performing operational duties at sea including combat performing patrol or fleet duties or assigned to service in a foreign country a tour of duty is part of a rotation where the ship may spend a six month tour of duty then spend one month in home port for maintenance then a period of time on exercises then return to her tour of duty citation needed In 2018 most overseas tours for military personnel in the US Navy have been capped at two or three years For US Navy sailors assigned to Japan tour lengths might increase to four years 4 This would also include tours to Guam and Spain Sailors extending their tours by at least 12 months will receive preferential consideration for announced billets 5 In the Royal Navy UK operational tours can last approximately 9 months Although with the Royal Navy Reserves this is only 6 months 6 A junior doctor may be on board a ship for a seven month stint 7 Army EditA general tour of duty for soldiers comprises service that can last from half a year to four years Generally duties that last longer than two years are eligible to receive medals of merit related to their service Tours of duty can also be extended involuntarily for service members such as in September 2006 when the tour of duty was extended for 4 000 US military personnel in Iraq 8 They were increased up to 15 months for tours in Iraq and Afghanistan 9 As of 2018 typical tours are 6 9 or even 12 months deployment depending upon the needs of the military and branch of service Soldiers are eligible for two weeks of leave after six months of deployment 1 In the UK tours of duty are usually 6 months 10 In 2014 UK army tours in Afghanistan were extended to 8 months 11 Army doctors accompany their regiments on tours of duty for up to six months every two to three years 7 See also EditRoulementReferences Edit a b Powers Rod June 4 2018 Understanding Military Active Duty thebalancecareers com Retrieved 15 August 2018 a b Sotahistoriasivut Juhan The lengths of the RAF operational tours juhansotahistoriasivut weebly com Retrieved 15 August 2018 United States Congress 1972 Congressional Record Proceedings and Debates of the Congress Volume 118 Part 27 at Google Books Hlavac Tyler January 17 2018 Navy looks at increasing tour lengths for sailors assigned to Japan stripes com Retrieved 15 August 2018 Werner Ben May 6 2018 Navy Increases Tour Lengths for First Time Forward Deployed Sailors usni org Retrieved 15 August 2018 FAQ royalnavy mod uk Retrieved 15 August 2018 a b Stephenson Jo 6 January 2010 Careers The military doctor BMJ bmj com 340 b5437 doi 10 1136 bmj b5437 S2CID 29434738 Retrieved 15 August 2018 Barnes Julian E 2006 09 26 Soldiers In for Extended Tour of Duty PDF Los Angeles Times archived from the original PDF on April 11 2022 US extends troops tour of duty bbc co uk 11 April 2007 Retrieved 15 August 2018 Evans Mark 28 April 2015 10 things you didn t know about going on a tour of duty The Telegraph Retrieved 15 August 2018 Afghanistan tour lengths for deployed UK personnel gov uk 14 May 2013 Retrieved 15 August 2018 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tour of duty amp oldid 1174205805, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
