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1 1 (November 5, 2021)

handle is hein.crs/govegrd0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Updated November 5, 2021 Defense Primer: Personnel Tempo (PERSTEMPO) As a result of the nation's extended involvement in contingency operations around the globe, some servicemembers have experienced prolonged, frequent, and/or stressful deployments. In addition, preparation for deployments (e.g., training, exercises, temporary duty assignments) can lead to extended working hours or frequent travel away fromhome station. The pace of operations for individuals is commonly referred to as personnel tempo (PERSTEMPO) and can affect quality of life, work satisfaction, and overall morale for members and their families. Congress oversees the Department ofDefense's (DOD's) PERSTEMPO management, policies and programs. In addition, congressional actions to authorize force size (i.e., end-strength) can affect the number of personnel available for deployment. Appropriated funds for military pay and benefits (including leave and morale programs) may compensate troops for time spent away. Background and Definitions During the mid-1990s, though the nation was not engaged in major conflict, a combination of force drawdowns and increaseddeployments in support ofpeacetime missions (e.g., peacekeeping and humanitarian operations) putstress on servicemembers, particularly those in high-deploying specialty units. A 1996 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that DOD did not have consistent goals or policies for managing personneltempo. Recognizing a need to more accurately measure the pace of operations on military personnel, in 1999, Congress first added a statutory definition for deployment, established high-deploymentthresholds (thendefined as 182 days or more out ofthe preceding 365 days), and required Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) approval to exceed those thresholds. The law, known as the FY2000 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA; P.L. 106-65), also required the Under Secretary ofDefense (USD)for Personneland Readiness (P&R) to develop standardized terminology and policies for operating tempo for units (OPTEMPO) and personnel (PERSTEMPO) and required DOD to track and report on these categories. Shortly after the September 11, 2001, attacks, the SECDEF suspended statutory high-deployment thresholds under the waiver authority in law. However, under department policy (DOD Instruction 1336.5), the Services continued to track deployment days. As operations in Afghanistan and Iraq intensified, many raisedconcerns thatindividuals within certain military occupational specialties were experiencing both lengthy andfrequent deployments. While the PERSTEMPO measures captured deployment duration, they did not adequately capture the down time, or dwell time, members had between deployments. In 2007, DOD established deploy-to-dwellplanning objectives, andin the FY2012 (NDAA; P.L. 112-81), Congress established a statutory definition of dwell time (see Table 2 for a timeline of selected events). Current definitions take into account a broad range of activities thatkeep servicemembers away fromhome (Table 1). Activities notincluded as deployment events, include, for example, military duties extending beyond normal working hours but conducted at the member's hon duty station, also known as permanentduty station. Table I . Statutory Definitions and Thresholds Term Definition PERSTEMPO The amount of time servicemembers are engaged in their official duties at a location or under circumstances that make it infeasible for a member to spend off-dutytime in the housing in which the member resides. OPTEMPO The rate at which units are involved in all military activities, including contingency operations, exercises, and training deployments. Deployed or in a Any day on which, pursuant to orders, deployment the member is performing service in a training exercise or operation ata location or under circumstances that make it impossible or infeasible for the member to spend off-dutytime in the housing in which the member resides when on garrison duty at the member's permanent duty station or homeport. Current high One-year 220 days deployed out of the deployment previous 365 days. Two-year 400 days thresholds* deployed out of the previous 730. Dwell time The time a regular member of the armed forces or unit spends at the permanent duty station or home port after returning from deployment, or the amount of time a reservist remains at the member's permanent duty station after completing a deployment of 30 days or more in length Sources: 10 U.S.C.§991 and 10 U.S.C.§I 36(d). Notes: Contingency operations are as defined in 10 U.S.C. §101(a)(I3)(B).*High -deployment thresholds have been waived since 2001 underthe SECDEF authority in 10 U.S.C. §991 (d). Accordingto a November I, 201 3, USD (P&R) policy memo, involuntary extension of a deployment beyond 365 days requires SECDEF approval.

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