The Army officially returns to 12-month deployments, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said it’s a huge step in the right direction for the armed forces and their families. “I think it was a timely decision, a needed decision,” Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said in an interview with the Pentagon Channel, “and it’ll have a very positive impact on our mission as well as our overall force and their families.” In announcing the change yesterday, President Bush noted that July was the third straight month of reduced violence in Iraq. As part of the success policy, he said, starting today, soldiers deploying to Iraq will serve 12-month tours rather than 15. “It’s a significant step, because 15-month deployments took an extraordinary toll,” Mullen said. “So to bring that back to 12 months for every active duty Army unit, I think, is a huge step in the right direction.”