Pentagon defends quality of U.S. military recruits

[sabra]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N10358112.htm

Pentagon defends quality of U.S. military recruits

WASHINGTON, Oct 10 (Reuters) - The Pentagon on Tuesday defended the quality of recruits entering the military even as the Army accepted older enlistees and more with past criminal problems, no high school diplomas and lower aptitude marks.

"I don't think they're lesser-quality recruits," David Chu, U.S. under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness, told a Pentagon briefing.

...

"There are clear indications that they're lowering standards of recruitment," said retired Army Col. Andrew Bacevich, a military expert at Boston University.

By accepting more recruits who previously might have been rejected, the military is creating more of a risk of wartime misconduct by U.S. troops, said defense analyst Charles Pena of the Independent Institute think tank.

"We can't afford any more Abu Ghraibs," Pena said, referring to the prisoner abuse scandal.

[Ian David]

1. If they're so proud of them, then put them on Presidential Protection Duty

Usually, the Marines and such protecting POTUS are supposed to be the elite ones.

Let's pass a bill that says all the soldiers around Bush have to be "Exemption Recruits" at the lowest end of the aptitude scores.

I can't wait to see photos of The President's Marine Honor Guard picking their noses and showing their boogers to one another as Bush boards Air Force One.

I bet Bush would return the gesture with a booger-finger of his own.

Project 100,000 updated for The New Millennium. Rumsfeld's Moron Corps.

[gratuitous]

2. "I don't think they're lesser-quality recruits"

Why do these lies just get printed without comment? No rational, logical person would assert that by lowering the recruiting standards, you don't get "lesser-quality recruits." Otherwise, the recruits would have met the higher standards. Or are the standards wholly arbitrary and meaningless? If they are, why have them?

It just boggles the mind what these fuckers think they can get away with; and even worse is that they're usually right.

[Virginia Dare]

3. Supposedly there is gang graffiti showing up in Iraq...

says something about the quality of their recruiting. If true, God knows what havoc they're creating both there and here, by the crimes they're committing there, and by the weapons and other paraphernalia they're probably smuggling home.

http://cbs2chicago.com/local/local_story_121103636.html

[tinymontgomery]

4. Better they do crimes over there

so we don't have to fight crime here!
:sarcasm:

[NOLADEM]

5. I don't think raiding Goodwill is the best way to field an army

But, I could be wrong.

[0007]

6. Rummy thinks this group has potential