Key US Army ranks begin to thin

[RedEarth]

Source: Christian Science Monitor

Washington - Thousands more mid-level enlisted soldiers are leaving the Army than in each of the past two years, forcing the service to increase its use of pay-to-stay programs and find other ways to keep GIs in the fold.

Four years into the fight in Iraq, the Army continues to be successful in retaining enough soldiers overall – "a miracle" to some observers, because the war has lasted so long. But that success masks a growing problem within the ranks: Fewer mid-grade sergeants are opting to stay in the Army as many face yet another deployment to Iraq – and, more important, Army officials say, less time at home.

While a reenlistment shortfall in any Army group is cause for concern, many consider the declining rate among mid-grade sergeants to be a sign of potential bigger reenlistment problems for the Army down the line. In addition, the fact that more mid-level soldiers are leaving could have a long-term impact on the Army's ability to grow future leaders.

The Army has seen the reenlistment rate of mid-grade enlisted soldiers drop 12 percentage points, from 96 percent during the first quarter of 2005 to a low of 84 percent for the first quarter of 2007, according to Pentagon data. As of March, the Army is as much as 10 percentage points behind where it was in retaining mid-grade soldiers at that time in 2005 and 2006. (The overall retention goal for mid-grade soldiers in fiscal year 2006 was about 25,000.)



Read more: http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0502/p01s01-usmi.html

[Auggie]

1. So how are they ever going to mount a surge -- unless they draft?

[sarge43]

2. A draft tomorrow wouldn't solve this problem

Without noncoms, an army is an armed mob and it takes years to make an effective noncom.

[Auggie]

3. Got it

[cliss]

4. Let me guess.

the enlisted officers are disgruntled.


They're not happy with the way things are going in the Pentagon.

They're not happy with.....the Leadership.

Current leadership is not effective, doesn't do a good job of LEADING.

In fact, they're a bunch of Stooges. Butt-kissing YES men. Hmm, how did that happen?
Hint: Mr. Rumsfailed did a lot of Housecleaning in the Pentagon from 2001 - 2007.

[damntexdem]

5. Dubya has been destroying the U.S. military for several years.

The backbone of the army is being depleted. This is not something that will be fixed quickly with a new administration; but it could be ended sooner and the fixes emplaced sooner were Cheney and then Dubya impeached.

[Doctor_J]

6. Mercs - beyond the law, and paid 3-5 times as much as soldiers

kiss your tax money good-bye.

[krkaufman]

7. I'd have to laugh at the morans who proclaimed that Clinton had ruined the military ...

... if the truth weren't so damn awful.

[BlueCollar]

8. no problem

It's all part of the master plan to outsource the military

:sarcasm:

[Stand and Fight]

9. Count me among them...

Saw the writing on the wall in 2004 and got the hell out when I had the chance.