Congressional report reveals 26% of US Army deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan peak

The Senate Committee on Veterans, Emergency Management, Federal and World Affairs convened on February 27, 2025, to discuss critical issues surrounding national security and military deployment standards. The meeting highlighted the historical context of military engagements, particularly focusing on the prolonged deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The discussion opened with a statement emphasizing the importance of setting high standards for the deployment of guard forces, framing it as a matter of national security. A member of the committee referenced the overextension of U.S. military forces in the early 2000s, particularly during the Iraq War and the Afghanistan conflict. They pointed out that by 2008, the military had reached a peak deployment level, with 26% of active-duty Army personnel engaged in operations related to Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

The committee member provided statistics indicating that when accounting for units preparing for or recovering from deployments, nearly half of the active-duty Army was affected by these operations, leaving only half available for domestic defense. This context was crucial in understanding the reliance on National Guard units, which constituted 11% of the personnel deployed during that time.

The discussion also reflected on the outcomes of these military engagements, with a consensus emerging that the U.S. had gained little from its involvement in these conflicts. The member noted that Afghanistan had reverted to Taliban control, Iraq faced ongoing insurgencies, and Syria was under the influence of Al Qaeda-affiliated groups.

The meeting concluded with a call for a reevaluation of military deployment strategies to ensure that national security is prioritized without overextending military resources. The committee plans to continue its discussions on this topic in future sessions, aiming to establish clearer guidelines for the deployment of guard forces in the context of national security.