Soldiers currently remain in their first assignments for three years on average. The longer stay at the same base is predicated on reenlistment.

The change means new privates can expect to stay at the same post until they reach the rank of staff sergeant and serve as squad leaders. New lieutenants will remain until they make captain and serve as company commanders or equivalents.

The policy also means more soldiers will be in their assignments long enough to purchase homes. They also will be able to keep their children in the same schools for longer periods of time.

"The focus of this program is to increase readiness and stability for the fighting force and predictability for family members," said Brig. Gen. Sean J. Byrne, the Army's director of personnel policy.

Byrne said that more young soldiers were married and had families than ever before.

The measure comes as the Army is reorganizing its 10 divisions to boost the number of combat brigades from 33 to 48 over the next few years.

Byrne said the Army intended to use the home-basing measure as part of a broader effort, beginning in September, to staff the new brigades and to even out troop rotations in existing ones.

Under that plan, new soldiers will arrive in a brigade at the same time and remain there three years, an average first enlistment. They will remain in that brigade if they reenlist.

Byrne said Army officials thought the new measure would help build stability and cohesion throughout a given unit.

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