Barely able to meet recruitment goals in ’07 despite lowering standards, offering bonuses and accepting heretofore unfit men and women to serve, the military faces ’08 with enormous uncertainty. Is this a positive development or a tragic one compounding the unremitting tragedy that is the Iraq War? NPR has been covering the recruitment story for quite some time. Their latest story is entitled, “THE ARMY FACES TOUGHER RECRUITMENT IN ’08″ and their website – http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17551758 – includes this introduction:
The U.S. Army met its recruiting goals for fiscal year 2007, but had to pay recruiting bonuses and lower its standards. The Army also dipped into recruits from its Delayed Entry Program. It faces an even tougher challenge in 2008 as it seeks to expand enlistment.
The Army has been offering recruits bonuses of up to $20,000. It also brought in more recruits without high school diplomas, who scored low on aptitude tests, and who had to get waivers for criminal offenses. Many defense analysts say this policy is lowering the military’s standards, but the Army rejects that claim.
The Army acknowledges that these measures have made their recruitment job more difficult for 2008. They’ll likely have to accept more recruits without diplomas and hand out more waivers for criminal records.
In the meantime, the Army is losing captains at an alarming rate due, in part, to extended deployments in Iraq.
There are several other articles worth listening to on this subject, also available at the website above, including ones entitled:
New Boot Camp Takes ‘Gentler’ Approach
Nearly 5,000 Soldiers Deserted Army in 2007
Older Recruits Seek to Prove Their Fighting Form
Army Recruiting Continues on Downward Trend
Army Specialist in Recruitment Ad Killed in Iraq
Army Recruitment in May Expected to Fall Short
Iraq War, Parents and U.S. Army Recruitment
Each article dramatizes the gap, for a wide variety of reasons, between the forces the military requires and the numbers they are succeeding in persuading. The question is thus begged: Given how long this disastrous war is destined to continue, how will our government meet the demands for manpower it requires? Is a draft inevitable or will there keep being ways to bring men and women to recruiting offices regardless of the effects on the military’s capacity to wage this ill-begotten war? Of course, I would greatly appreciate the thoughts of others on these and related subjects. As we approach the beginning of the final year of this horrific administration, it becomes ever clearer that one of its most lasting and utterly disturbing legacies will be the need for far too many soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan (recent articles have been indicating that the far too gradual reduction of troops in Iraq may very well be accompanied by an increase in forces in the other war we hear so little about) indefinitely. Where will these men and women be found?
Hi Tom,
This is yet another disturbing aspect of this mess we are in!! I have often thought that it might make sense for everyone to serve out country in some aspect for a couple of years … sort of like the things they did in the depression. With my high hopes, I have hoped that if all people had to do some form of service that it might allow/force people of different classes, races, religions and such to get to know each other better and form a more accepting culture of differences.
I have no idea if that would work. Military service would be only one option … but I can’t imagine that most people would choose the military at this point. And I am not thinking of this as a way to meet getting more soldiers .. it just seemed a good place to say it.
I have no clue what we are going to do … I am just appalled that we have all the money we need to fight but no money for building up this country. Originally there was also tons of money for building Iraq schools and a new postal system … but my guess is all that got lost into the military.
I respect that some people feel very called to serve in the service … I am glad that some people are drawn to serve our country with respect and integrity. I am greatly concerned that our volunteer military is not attracting that quality person anymore … and not surprised at all. I don’t know what we are going to do … I just wish we had never gotten into this mess.
We need to not so anymore invading – that is for sure!! My heart aches for the families of people killed and disabled. It is bad enough anyway, but with the lack of clarity around Iraq, it must be so much worse!! Thank you for letting me ramble!
~ Diane Clancy
http://www.dianeclancy.com/blog