WaTimes: Guard recruits fall off steeply

[Rose Siding]

snip>
As the war on Islamist terrorists has required mobilization of more than 214,000 guardsmen -- two-thirds of the force -- personnel who expected to drill a weekend a month and never stray far from home now find themselves subjected to up to two years on active duty.

"We have a recruiting and retention challenge," said Maj. Gen. Bruce F. Tuxill, adjutant general of the Maryland Air and Army National Guard. "Part of the retention problem is the fact that we need to become a much more user-friendly organization for our soldiers."
....
Gen. Tuxill, an ex-fighter pilot, said his units faced a retention problem, not because of the war, but because of leadership missteps.

For example, if someone missed a drill in the past, they were punished. Now, when personnel do not show up, commanders inquire about why. If it is a family problem, they try to help the Guardsmen deal with it and still meet commitments.

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20050725-120614-5096r_page2.htm

[Larkspur]

1. Someone should send this to Hillary Clinton and Al From

They want 100,000 new recruits for the US Army. How are they going ot recruit that number when Army and National Guard recruits are scarce and retentions low?

[Supersedeas]

2. increase the $$'s - money money money

[Larkspur]

3. They tried that. It hasn't worked.

More money to get killed or horribly maimed in an immoral and illegal war is not worth it to many people.

I know that the DLC's real plan is the same as the Repuke's plan -- outsource the high paying jobs to foreign countries so that the only choice Americans have is the military or being a Walmart greeter.

[Kolesar]

5. A third world America with a fantastically wealthy elite

They will vacation in their mountain or seaside resorts while the rest of us eek by with dirty air and privatized water.

[warrens]

4. Damn librul media

Spreadin' them damn lies alla time. Morale is HIGH in the forces and the War for Democracy in Iraq is going just great. But these librul noosepapers won't never tell you that.