WASHINGTON (AP) — The top Army general says he may be forced to extend deployments of soldiers in Afghanistan next year because budget cuts will drastically limit training for brigades who may have to replace them.
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno says the military will be able to fund training and operations for combat units in Afghanistan now and for those deploying in the summer and fall. But he says there will be delays in training for those deploying in 2014.
He says if he can't make up the training delays he will have to send forces that aren't ready, or extend deployments of units already there.
In 2007, the Army extended the yearlong deployments to 15 months to meet Iraq war demands. Deployments are now about nine months.
