US military recruitment levels are ONLY AT 50% OR LESS. DRAFT IMMINENT.

[LynnTheDem]

Uncle Sam Wants Your Kids – Now!

These are totals for the 41 USAREC (Recruiting Command) Battalions, so these stats represent the USAREC mission accomplishment:

Regular Army Volume (all RA contracts):
Mission: 25,322
Achieved: 12,703 (50.17 percent)

Army Reserve Volume:
Mission: 7,373
Achieved: 3,206 (43.48 percent)."

The Army National Guard is faring no better. A Guard retention NCO says: "The word is out on the streets of Washington, D.C. `Do not join the Guard.' I see these words echoing right across the U.S.A."

By the end of this recruiting year, the Regular Army, Reserves and Guard could fall short more than 50 percent of its projected requirement, or about 60,000 new soldiers. And according to many recruiters, quality recruits are giving way to mental midgets who have a hard time telling their left foot from their right.

Unless a miracle happens and the new Iraqi security force decides to stop running and start fighting, we'll be in Iraq for a long time. Most likely with a draftee force.

http://www.sftt.org/cgi-bin/csNews/csNews.cgi?database=Hacks%20Target%20Homepage.db&command=viewone&op=t&id=95&rnd=178.46718236725195

"They've lowered standards for recruits and have resulted to throwing LAN parties to garner interest from potential recruits."

Henry said he likes the action in the America's Army game. But what he is really excited about are the job opportunities in the Army. And recruiters, he said, have been offering to bring order to his life.

Henry has attention-deficit disorder and struggled to graduate from Bothell High School last spring. He said he had been spending most of his time since then "lounging at home."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002111412_wargames07e.html

So much for that bush Administration LIE that the military was meeting its recruitment levels. Of course anyone with any brain capability already knew this; there's a reason the troops are being CONSCRIPTED thru bush's BACKDOOR DRAFT right now and there's a reason RUMSFAILED yesterday said it would CONTINUE. And gee, how WONDERFUL to have an ADD soldier!

Jebus fucking Cripes.

[tjdee]

1. Why, surely all the kids who voted for Bush are signing up??

Since he's got such a man date, shouldn't the recruitment numbers be brimming with young people to go off and fight in inferiorly armored vehicles without body armor, to bring freedom to Iraq?

[LynnTheDem]

4. Ain't it funny how the freepers aren't lining up to die for their bush-god

One would think they'd LOVE to get a few PURPLE HEART BANDAIDS for themselves.

But no, they're COWARDS just like their bush-god, and just like their bush-god they're AWOL armchair warmongerers with a big wide YELLOW STREAK down their backs.

[Ganja Ninja]

2. I expect the Bush administration will used every dirty trick ...

they can think of to avoid a draft. They're already using some pretty shady tactics to hold on to the guys they have. What's worse about this is that by delaying the inevitable, when they do start up a draft, they are going to be rushing green recruits into Iraq. That's when we can expect the death toll to skyrocket.

[LynnTheDem]

3. They're ordering VIETNAM WAR soldiers back to duty!

They're ordering former soldiers who have been out of the military for more than a DECADE to go back to duty!

They're ordering SIXTY-YEAR-OLD MEN back to duty!

ANYTHING rather than order all those warmongering bushbots to WALK THEIR TALK.

So the freepers sit on their big fat arses and cheer on the carnage...but HELL NO they won't go die for their bush-god's lies!

Fucking COWARDS.

[Ganja Ninja]

6. I'd shoot the MF,er that tries to come and drag me off to ...

Bush's war. I'm 51 and I'd fight here before I'd fight there.

[blondeatlast]

8. What a powerful military force we have.

some are serving their 3 tours, and they will be replaced by greens fighting insurgents in street battles.

Can we say QUAGMIRE yet?

[goddess40]

5. Must be why Powell is begging for support in Europe

what a simpering, lying ass

[blondeatlast]

7. Hell, just point them to http://www.werenotsorry.com

Plenty of potential recruits there just crapping in their pants to go!

We need to engage 16 year olds in the election process NOW. They have ample reason to fear.

[GreenPartyVoter]

13. Good plan!

------------------------------------
Would Jesus love a liberal? You bet!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/

[Debbie13]

9. Bush and Cheney kids, plus all the Republican senate and congress kids

better be on the front lines before they send my kids!

[blackangrydem]

10. Currently a HS diploma is required to enlist.

Waiving that requirement would increase recruitment significantly. I think this will happen before we even start talking draft.

[blondeatlast]

11. GED classes as an incentive? Believe it.

Then they no longer have to worry about the GI Bill as it pertains to education funding.

More "starving the beast" in its most primitive, hideous form.

[LynnTheDem]

12. high school NOT a requirement now.

If you don't have HS, the military will still take you; they then put you thru the GED.

[blackangrydem]

14. Several years ago the Army increased it's standards re: HS diplomas

You have to be a HS grad or already have a GED.

If they relax this requirement recruiting would increase significantly. My guess is they will do just that.

[insane_cratic_gal]

17. they require

a Hs dipolma, or ged with some college.. the reason they aren't laxing the policy.. it is for rentention reasons.

HS students, don't have any real world experience to know any better. The enlistment and retention rate for HS is 80 percent. They become lifers.. or stay in for a good deal, not knowing anything else. Recruiting and retention is equally important. Stop loss is to maintain that retention. Otherwise these guys would leave in droves.

With College students the retention is only about 20 percent. They go in get their college money and leave. Smarter? hell yes, they've learned to find themselves, have outside world experience.

[blackangrydem]

18. You're speaking in absurd generalites.

Many come in with no HS diploma and get college while in the Army and lead productive lives in or out of the military.

Many arrive with College and make careers out of the military.

[insane_cratic_gal]

19. here we go again

lol blackangrydem why do we always find one another in the fray?

Not that I don't love debating with you but..we are on the same side right?
the information I presented is actual figures. I'll go hunting for the link for you if you wish it.

[insane_cratic_gal]

21. some links..

<snip>

In 1999, only 43 percent of sailors completing their first hitch elected to reenlist. The figure climbed to 48 percent in 2000 and 57 percent last year. From last October through February, first-term reenlistment rates have passed 64 percent.

It can't all be due to a tired economy, rising military compensation or the war, Clark said. Reenlistment rates were climbing for a few years before Sept. 11.

<snip>

For example, Air Force recruiting is strong. The task of attracting high-quality personnel into the force has not proved to be a problem--not yet. Officials point out that the Air Force easily met its 1997 recruiting goals. USAF's former personnel chief, Lt. Gen. Michael D. McGinty, noted to lawmakers that the Air Force brought in 30,200 first-time enlistees, 99 percent of whom are high school graduates. Fully 79 percent of the new airmen scored above average on the Armed Forces Qualification Test.

Similarly, Air Force officials do not see first term re-enlistment rates as a big problem at the moment. At the end of their initial tour of duty, many enlisted personnel from all the armed services decide that military life is not for them. Service personnel plans have long been adjusted accordingly. Through the end of the third quarter of Fiscal 1998, the Air Force first-term re-enlistment rate was 55 percent. That figure is right at the service's goal for the year


previous mention was navy this is airforce. Note that he mentions the 99 percent were highschool kids.. 55 percent of them re-enlisted(retention)

http://www.afa.org/magazine/oct1998/1098retain.asp

[blackangrydem]

23. Thanks for the link, but that info doesn't make your point

not does it disprove mine. Anyway, I didn't realize we had bumped heads before. It was not intentional.

I happen to believe that most people make the military a career not out of necessity, but by choice. That is one reason that it is so good at what it does.

[LynnTheDem]

20. Yes but you don't need a HS diploma any longer

Hubby is military (active duty army); he says the army will take people who don't have HS and they will administer the GED.

[one_true_leroy]

24. Very true... my brother joined with a GED this past summer.

[leesa]

15. Where are all the young, brave Republicans?

[Supersedeas]

16. but Stop Gap Orders are just about Unit Cohesion, right RUMMY

[Elidor]

22. I for one am going to CHEER when they bring back the draft

And I'm going to make sure the local draft board has the names of several local republicans who, deep in their hearts, know they want to volunteer.

Is this hell? Give me some marshmallows!