[Nathans_Dad]

Ok, here is my understanding:

Stop losses can be used to retain certain key personnel. Whether or not you are vulnerable to stop loss depends on your job, how specialized that job is, and whether the DoD has enough people in the pipeline to fill your shoes. Stop loss is not a permanent thing. They may stop loss you for a short period of time, from my understanding it is usually 6 months or less, but cannot keep you from separating indefinitely.

The article you cited says that the troops being stop lossed were in a specific position. Basically they were told that they cannot separate in a window from 90 days prior to their bucket (term for when you are vulnerable to deploy based on the schedule for your unit) and 90 days after their bucket ends. I would imagine this is because it is pretty tough to train up a new recruit well enough to go into a combat zone in 90 days.

Do stop losses suck? You bet. Is it part of the deal you signed when you gave Uncle Sam your John Hancock? You bet.

I still don't see how you took this article and got the idea that "the military was holding over everyone and not letting anyone out"...

P.S. My separation was approved by the USAF a couple weeks back, should join the civilian sector in summer 2007...