HAAP-hazard

The Army has this program called the Home base and Advance Assignment Program (HAAP). The idea is that you volunteer for a "dependent-restricted tour" in a less-than-popular place (such as Korea), and then return to your previous duty station.

It appeals to people who've already spent a number of years in a location they like, or have homes they want to return to. Instead of being forced into a permanent change of station (PCS), they sign up for HAAP. Though it requires being away from their families for one year, they get return to their homes and maybe even retire at that location.

Unfortunately, the Army isn't bound to its side of the deal. According to AR 614-200 §9-2g, "The home base or advanced assignment may be changed or canceled due to the changing needs of the Army," and there's no effective arbiter who can say the Army is wrong.

Effectively, the Army can do whatever it wants with you, regardless of whether you have a HAAP or not. "Thanks for volunteering for a year away from your house and family," Army says in these situations, "but you're going to have to move anyway." Like Lando Calrissian, you just hope Darth Vader doesn't alter the deal any further.

This has already happened to two E-7 (sergeants first class) that I've worked with. The first one, a 91B mechanic, even owned a house near Fort Hood -- the largest military base in the world -- but the Army still couldn't find a spot for him.

Really? No spot in Fort Hood for a 91B4O? That's hard to believe.

One first sergeant has an explanation for this. He says the Army does this deliberately with E-7s, who generally have around 20 years of service. If they go back to their favorite duty station, there's really no reason for them to put in for retirement.

Instead, there's more incentive for them to stick around for another four more years, then retire when it looks like they'd have to move again. Though it works nicely for them, it's not in the Army's long term interests, especially when it's trying to draw down on personnel.

So is it fair? Not really. But it is legal, and the Army told you so in its regulation.