# how long is a tour? (military question)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-a-tour-military-question/50739>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 18, 2001, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-a-tour-military-question/50739 "2001-01-18T19:45:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![vandal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/858c86/32.png) [@vandal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vandal)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2001, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-a-tour-military-question/50739/1 "2001-01-18T19:45:07Z")

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I frequently hear this term used. Something along the lines of – “I did two tours in 'Nam.” Well, what is a tour, and how long do they last?

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**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2001, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-a-tour-military-question/50739/2 "2001-01-18T19:49:09Z")

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When I was in the Army, a tour was a year, but that was in '61-'63. I was in Korea for one year, but no actual hostilities. It may have been less for Nam considering the environment.

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**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2001, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-a-tour-military-question/50739/3 "2001-01-18T22:22:47Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by barbitu8 \*  
> \*\*It may have been less for Nam considering the environment. \*\*

Nope, it was a year there too.

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**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2001, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-a-tour-military-question/50739/4 "2001-01-18T23:42:21Z")

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A Tour is a Tour…

“Tour” refers to an assignment, which is as long as it is.

Tours in Viet Nam were usually one year, while a tour on a ship could be several years, and a tour in Antartica could be 6 months, and my tour of Recruiting duty was 3 1/2 years, but my tour at SUDEVGRU ONE was 1/2 years. A buddy did one tour that lasted 9 years at CRUITCOM…

Get the idea…?