Army Chief of Staff McConville pitches longer tours for families

Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville wants longer tour options for Army families, saying the traditional system of required moves to new duty stations every three years is an antiquated way of doing business.

“I don’t see why people can’t stay four, five, six, seven, eight, nine years,” McConville said Tuesday during a town hall held at the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

For years, the military has generally struggled to manage permanent change-of-station moving seasons, which peak during the summertime when school is out. McConville said the Army is reviewing how it handles moves and suggested that longer tours could be part of the solution.

“Part of the future that we see in the talent management system is we do look at preferences … where you want to go and what you want to do,” McConville said. “If we can accommodate that (longer tours), why shouldn’t we?”

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