The US Army will shorten the length of tours of duty for personnel deployed in combat zones from a year to nine months, as it pursues its withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan, the Pentagon said Friday.

"This policy will not affect personnel or units currently deployed or deploying prior to Jan. 1, 2012," the secretary of the army, John McHugh, said in a statement, adding the move would be fully in effect by April 2012.

The US Army is looking to allow soldiers to spend two years in the United States for each year they are deployed, but the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq have resulted in consecutive deployments for many personnel.

Those back-to-back war tours have prompted concerns about the health of the soldiers, with an increase seen in reported psychological problems and the number of suicides.

"The reduced deployment length will improve soldier and family quality of life while continuing to meet operational requirements and is an important step in sustaining the all-volunteer-force," McHugh said.

The United States is due to pull 46,000 soldiers out of Iraq by year's end, and has announced the withdrawal of 33,000 US forces from Afghanistan by the end of 2012. Afghan security forces are due to assume full command by the end of 2014.

earlier related report
US soldier pleads guilty in Afghan killing spree
Joint Base Lewis-Mcchord, Washington (AFP) Aug 5, 2011 - A member of a rogue US Army unit pleaded guilty in a military court Friday to one count of involuntary manslaughter of an unarmed Afghan civilian in US custody in May 2010.

Specialist Adam Winfield, 23, of Coral Gables, Fla., had been charged with premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the deaths of three Afghan civilians in Kandahar Province.

He is one of five soldiers accused of killing the civilians for sport and then planting evidence on the body to make it look as if the victims had attacked the soldiers first.

Winfield is a member of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, also known as the Stryker Brigade, based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Seattle.

Another soldier in the unit, Private Jeremy Morlock of Wasilla, Alaska, was sentenced in March to 24 years in prison.

Seven other service members have been charged with covering up the killings.

Winfield also pleaded guilty to one charge of illegal use of hashish. He was allowed to plead guilty to the reduced charge of involuntary manslaughter in exchange for his testimony against other soldiers accused in the killings.

Under questioning by the judge, Colonel David Conn, Winfield admitted he had been aware he was committing a crime and that he failed to prevent it.

"I had means to prevent this from happening, sir. I had a number of options to choose from that day, sir, to take the action necessary," Winfield said. "I failed because I was afraid, sir."

He explained he feared retribution from his superior, Staff Sergeant Calvin Gibbs, the alleged ringleader of the rogue group of soldiers. Gibbs threatened to kill Winfield if he ever told anyone of the killings, Winfield said.

The maximum sentence allowed for the two charges is 17 years in prison, plus forfeiture of pay, demotion to the rank of private, and a dishonorable discharge. Winfield will likely receive a reduced sentence for his guilty plea and expected testimony.

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