Come on, 12+ hours is inhumane treatment.

active duty means on call depending on what happens

12 hours can be a short day for a combat assignment

12 hours a day is standard for many jobs..... Personally depending on what's going on some days I can be as low as 7.5 or higher than 12.

In the military you are there for fighting wars. If you get attacked are you going to go sit out the back for a rest because you have worked more than 12 hours? If you are a civvie in an admin job then maybe your hours will be controlled. If you are a soldier doing an admin job, you are a soldier first and admin person second.

There is a temp 27 hour position all soldiers have to pull ultimately, over 8 years it adds up how many times you do it.

cq

there's a movie called "Patton" where they mention a US division is gonna march 90 miles in 72 hours and then fight once they get there.

also there's a book "Marines of Autumn" by James Brady where a Marine talks about the postwar Army that drilled four hours a day if the weather was good, and then gets its ass kicked.

the military, since the 1980s, has tried to be an outfit that is prepared to kick ass, not compare favorably to Panda Express for a quality of life experience

Factory workers also often work 12 hours shifts Justinian. Academics often work 12 hours days. Successful business leaders often work 12 hours a day.

The simple fact is that in this world, if you want to make money and succeed, you have to work.

I see you guys need a more graphical understanding of what I mean.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46vYZFU1Dew&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fmgx.com%2Fblogs%2F2008%2F04%2F29%2Fangry-army-dad-exposes-soldier-living-conditions%2F&feature=player_embedded

If you think our imperial troops should live like this, then there's something wrong with you. They are inhumane living conditions, and it's no wonder why the army has trouble satisfying its recruitment standards. At least the army is improving the conditions, but you get my point.

As for 12 hours of sleep, ok maybe you have a point. Many people are working long hours and you can still live a comfortable life, but when our military personnel are sleep deprived (except troops in combat who are up 72 hours at a time) their mental faculties are compromised.

Actually, if the army was more assertive with giving soldiers civilized living conditions on base, then maybe they wouldn't have a problem with attracting new recruits and then people could work less than 12 hours a day.

> Otto the Autopilot wrote:

> >They are inhumane living conditions

The long hours of missions serve a purpose, usually it's to avoid detection. If we made soldiers work normal working hours, some missions would not be possible. Then the enemy gets an advantage and our people die. "Humane" working conditions don't mean shit when you're working to keep yourself + your friends + your country alive.>

I don't think you bothered to consider my point. I specifically referred to non-combat troops. Of course exceptions need to be made for troops in combat (i.e infantry), but most army personnel are not serving in combat.

Then it's an issue of simple discipline.

Eventually, when the US really needs people (even if they're line position logistics people or some other administrative work), these guys will be required to work MUCH longer than 12 hours a day.  For example, logistics people would be essential for any effective offensive.  Supply personnel are definitely essentials right before and during combat operations.

The only people who may not be affected by spikes in combat are those in positions such as accounting and legal services... and I dare you to say lawyers and accountants work only 8 hours a day even in civilian service. 

Anyway, if there is a time when people will be working for 16, 20, or even 24 hours a day, a sudden transition would be a shock to the system for people working 8 hours a day.  That's double the normal work schedule!  And that shock would happen at the worst moment possible (major offensive).  The 12 hour work day helps to alleviate it.

We are not Europeans.  We are Americans.  We know freedom isn't FREE.