So, what would you know about spending time away from home and family? when was the last time you deployed for 9 months?
Ooohh!
Life can be just as frustrating for those non-formed-units personnel who support OOA committments - the South Atlantic, Cyprus, the sandbox etc - as well as for those on "hardship" formed unit tours. Making people sit around unnecessarily away from home because of a cock-up (perceived or real) is not the way to encourage retention, particularly in the current climate of cutbacks and rock-bottom morale.
It doesn't bother me any more as I have taken that ultimate promotion to the rank of "Mr!"