Army aims to slow exodus of captains

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/bal-te.captain28aug28,0,3561083.story?coll=bal-nationworld-headlines

Jonathan Powers, a 27-year-old Army captain from Buffalo, N.Y., spent more than a year in Iraq with the 1st Armored Division and saw "a lot of good things being done" to help rebuild the country.

But when his four-year commitment came up, Powers decided last September to leave the Army because he was wary of additional tours in a war-torn land: "You're going to be in Iraq. That's the Army."

As the American military begins its third year in Iraq and President Bush vows to stay the course, an increasing number of captains and other junior officers are leaving the service, leading some current and former officers to fear an exodus of talent not seen since the Vietnam War.

Captains are effectively the junior executives of the Army, commanding companies of about 120 soldiers. Most have at least three years of active-duty experience -- some many more. This generation of captains probably has more battlefield seasoning and regional knowledge than any since World War II, Army officers say, and their loss would leave a hole that would be impossible to fill.

[DesEtoiles]

1. Bush says captains leaving "a problem"

BUSH: ...The captains are leaving the service. There is a problem. And it's going to require a new commander in chief to rebuild the military power. ... If we don't have a clear vision of the military, if we don't stop extending our troops all around the world and nation building missions, then we're going to have a serious problem coming down the road, and I'm going to prevent that. I'm going to rebuild our military power. It's one of the major priorities of my administration.

BUSH - in the 2000 debate against Vice President Al Gore

http://www.debates.org/pages/trans2000a.html

[blue sky at night]

3. give the man enough time..........

he can ruin anything; see "world".

[gratuitous]

2. So, keep 'em in with bribes or threats?

Let's see what the story says:

The Army is also considering enticing students in college ROTC programs and West Point to commit to eight years of active duty -- as opposed to the current four or five years -- with the promise of graduate school and a choice of Army jobs and installations.

Army officials say that once officers commit to eight years and devote two to graduate study, they would be required to "pay back" the graduate school time. By then, they would have well over a decade in the Army and be likely to serve to a 20-year retirement, officials said.

___________

Ah, the old standby: Lying.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

4. Stop loss orders = backdoor draft! That'll teach 'em!

[DemBones DemBones]

6. Not to mention that "a choice of Army jobs and installations"

is a crock. The military recruiters will promise a kid anything to get them to sign up but the chance that the kid will get the assignments he or she wants is slim, very slim.

[gratuitous]

7. That's exactly what caught my eye

Yeah, some shavetail officer recruit is going to go straight to Hawaii after his training. Only if he's on his way to somewhere else, far less desireable.

[tom_paine]

5. The Busheviks are decimating our Armed Forces

Throughout history, most other Tyrannical and Bush-like Leaders, such as Hitler and Stalin, at least strengthened their nation's defenses.

It's almost as if the Imperial Family is in the pay of a foreign power that desires the destruction of the Amnerican Experiment.

Well...now that I think about it...not almost, is it?

Is Imperial Amerika a vassalage of the Sudis rather than the other way around. I wonder.

[natrat]

8. well they are bankrupting the treasury

so that corporations will own what is left (including us). So it's not much of a stretch to see they are purposely destroying the military for some reason.

[Aussie_Hillbilly]

10. Au contraire

Stalin's 1930's purges weakened the Soviet army so badly they lost to tiny Finland in the '38 Winter War.
Adolf Hitler had to abolish his own Military Intelligence agency because it was spending most of its time trying to assassinate him.

Bush is following a path well trodden by past Authoritarian leaders. Diverting resources to enrich the oligarchy behind him and politicizing the military to protect them. Trouble is, if you politicize the officer corps you get politicians not officers.

Those with options are getting out.

Is Imperial Amerika a vassalage of the Saudis

No. I fear we are all becoming vassals of a clique of Rightist oligarchs, who hold loyalty to no particular country.

[Jackpine Radical]

9. OK--So they give you that choice of assignment.

They send you there for 6 months or a year & then ship you to Iraq. 8 years is a HELLUVA long time. My prediction--it ain't gonna work.