Doc Jargon: On Rotation

Photo By Collen McGee | Doc Jargon, cutting through the jargon that is the U.S. Army.  

FORT RILEY, KS, UNITED STATES

06.21.2023

Story by Collen McGee 

Fort Riley Public Affairs Office

Dear Doc Jargon,

My daughter is going to be “on rotation” soon and I was wondering how on rotation differs from being deployed? I always thought that any time a Soldier was away from their home installation they were basically deployed. So if you can shed some light on the differences it would sure help me understand.

Sincerely,

Proud Soldier Dad


Dear Sir,

First, thank you for being there to support your daughter’s choice of career. Your service is valuable and appreciated.

As for the differences between the terms, there are only a few. Both of them are technically a deployment. A rotational deployment is usually to an area without overt hostile engagements and is, “how the United States employs overseas military presence to achieve two goals—deterrence and assurance,” according to a manual from the Army War College.

So, often those going to places in Europe; such as Poland, Romania or Germany, will call their tour a rotation. Those going to Afghanistan or Iraq will refer to it as a deployment.

Both mean our Soldiers are away from family for an extended period and both are important to the safety and security of our nation and our allies.

I hope that helps clear up the nuances of a couple of our military cultural terms.

Sincerely,

Doc Jargon

• Date Taken: 06.21.2023
• Date Posted: 06.23.2023 13:14
• Story ID: 447681
• Location: FORT RILEY, KS, US