Just read this on Yahoo News:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Army, facing recruiting woes and a reorganized force, will relax requirements for new officers, welcoming older candidates and allowing more tolerance of past minor crimes, officials said on Thursday.
Trying to stem the loss of current personnel, the Army also has made it more difficult to kick soldiers out of the military for alcohol or drug abuse, being overweight or "unsatisfactory performance," according to a recent memo.
"We are an Army at war and increasing levels of attrition of first-term enlisted soldiers in both the training base and units is a matter of great concern," the memo stated.
These changes come as the Army struggles amid the Iraq war to sign up new soldiers at the same time it restructures its force to add numerous additional combat brigades. The regular Army has missed four straight monthly recruiting goals and is in danger of missing its first annual goal since 1999.
Lt. Col. Bryan Hilferty, an Army spokesman, said in a statement the Army was seeking 300 currently enlisted soldiers and 300 civilians with college degrees, up to age 42, to enter Officer Candidate School. Its graduates are second lieutenants, the Army's lowest-ranking officer.
The average age for graduates of the 14-week program is 27. Hilferty said current policy normally requires a waiver for anyone over 30 to enter the school. The oldest person to get such a waiver was 40, Hilferty said.
A May 25 memo also stated commanders "may recommend waiver of civil or military offenses" that otherwise might disqualify an applicant. Hilferty said this was not meant to lower quality standards for officers, adding, "Felonies cannot be waived. Drug offenses and sex offenses are not waived."
"An example may be a conviction for underage drinking that occurred prior to enlistment several years ago," Hilferty said of offenses that might be waived.
Col. Joe Curtin, another Army spokesman, said as the Army creates more brigades, there is a greater demand for lieutenants as well as the higher-ranking captains and majors.
Curtin downplayed the issue of having junior officers much older than those in the current Army, stating they would possess the virtues of experience and maturity.
REDUCING ATTRITION
Separately, a May 5 Army memo sought to stem the numbers of soldiers being kicked out or allowed to leave the Army before their volunteer commitment ends. By reducing attrition by 1 percentage point, the Army can keep 3,000 soldiers in the ranks who otherwise would have to be replaced by new recruits, it said.
The memo informed battalion commanders, responsible for 300 to 1,000 soldiers, they cannot remove soldiers from the military for reasons such as "alcohol or other drug abuse rehabilitation failure," "failure to meet body fat standards," pregnancy and "unsatisfactory performance." These commanders generally have made such decisions in the past.
The decisions will now be elevated to brigade commanders, responsible for 3,000 to 5,000 soldiers, the memo stated.
"It's one more check to ensure that a soldier who's being recommended for release may have some redeeming values," Curtin said. "Let me give you an example. You may have a soldier who is the best mechanic in the company yet can't meet height and weight standards. Is there a way to fix that?"
"Each soldier retained reduces the strain on Recruiting Command and our retention program, which must replace every soldier who departs the Army early," the memo added.
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
