Military recruitment exceeding goals

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=5811324

(New Haven-WTNH, Dec. 13, 2006 5:53 PM) _ Declining support for the war in Iraq is not discouraging young Americans from signing up for the military. New numbers out show recruitment is up in Connecticut and nationwide.

by News Channel 8's Alan Cohn


The Navy and Air Force are meeting their recruitment goals. The Army and Marines are actually exceeding theirs. Polls may show dissatisfaction with President Bush's handling of the war is at an all time high, but that's not stopping young men and women from enlisting.

20-year-old J.J. Vagnone from Stamford is one of the U.S. Army's new recruits. "It's just a really good decision good move on my part to better myself."

Apparently a lot of young men and women feel the same way despite daily news of mounting U.S. casualties and bloodshed in Iraq. The Army alone exceeded it's goal in November of a little over 6,100 new recruits. snip

Military recruiters claim they can guarantee that young man will be able to join the Army band. Another big factor is money. A $40,000 enlistment bonus and almost $73,000 for college.

[Nutmegger]

1. That money sounds good when college tuition is increasing

at a steady pace. I almost joined.

[Monkeyman]

12. You have not heard then They are not paying Education bills now

Some Schools have not let the kids in class

[Nutmegger]

13. Really?

That's a damn shame. :grr:

[EFerrari]

21. This is the ugliest of all shell games.

F@ck these people.

[Monkeyman]

22. The Dem's had a Bill called the Bill of Rights For the 21st Century

It will cover these redeployments and Education

[EFerrari]

23. I will never forget that on the very DAY we went into Iraq

the Dim Son was at it, cutting VA benefits.

We need to follow that bill.

[Target_For_Exterm]

2. And health care. I knew a guy that joined up only because

he couldn't get healthcare any other way, and his wife was sick.

[Roland99]

3. Well, once he's out of active duty, he'll be forgotten like the rest.

[peacebird]

4. what Military recruiters neglect to mention about that "Army BAND" slot is that

General George Washington is the maestro and John Phillips Soussa arranges the compositions...... oh and the Saints all sing in the chorus.

[EFerrari]

5. Documentary on the recruiting of Latino kids:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=379x890

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. Ask the FAME group in Detroit

they've just been granted "equal time" to go into high schools with the truth about recruiters and their promises. A young man was told he would join the Army band, enlisted, and wound up in Iraq, and he's not playing Susaphone, either.

[hadrons]

32. I remember in High School in 1985 my school let the Army Band in ....

and a music teacher pointed out the next day "why would anyone risk enlisting and getting shot at because they heard some Army band"

[Der Blaue Engel]

7. But didn't they reduce their recruiting goals?

I remember reading that here a while back. Don't know if it was permanent, or how much of a reduction it was, but I wonder how much that is in play here.

[journalist3072]

15. Exactly my first thought! They have lowered their recruitment standards

In fact, I've talked about it on my blog frequently:

http://progressiveminds.bloghi.com/2006/11/04/army-recruiters-caught-on-tape-lying-to-students.html

http://progressiveminds.bloghi.com/2006/10/09/u-s-army-lowering-expectations-to-help-meet-recruitment-goals.html

http://progressiveminds.bloghi.com/2006/08/15/gao-report-finds-military-recruitment-violations-on-the-rise.html

http://progressiveminds.bloghi.com/2006/07/06/unpopular-iraq-war-causing-hate-groups-to-infiltrate-military.html

[leftofthedial]

8. mass poverty

desperation

and complete lack of prospects for most Americans

[etherealtruth]

10. I have no doubt recruitingnumbers are up in Michigan ...

... for that very reason.

[DRoseDARs]

9. When you cast a wider net, you tend to catch more fish...

...considering the military both raised the eligible age AND lowered the standards, who here is surprised that people like 20-year-old J.J. Vagnone from Stamford are signing up on promises of being coddled and of NOT being sent to Iraq?



"You know, I like playing drums you know that, and he's like, you don't have to see combat, you can just be in the Army band and I said OK, let's see what we can do. So I'm here," Vagnone said.

Vagnone says the influence at his home was encouraging. "My mom is behind me 100-percent she realizes there's no combat. She supports our troops, doesn't support the war, but she supports the troops."



:eyes: They're not going to spend $113,000 on you just so you can beat off in the Army band, JJ...

[Selatius]

11. 40,000 enlistment bonus, 73,000 for college, and a lie--that's why they're signing up.

"Nah, I'm not going to die. People die in Iraq, but what are the odds my number is up? Besides, I barely make enough to pay the bills; this is a good opportunity to improve the situation."

Also, army recruiters don't have the best reputations for truth telling.

If they're telling you that you don't have to go into combat and enter the Army drum band instead, tell them to put that in writing and then get back to me on what they did when you told them that.

[DRoseDARs]

14. No, no, no. That's not why. JJ gets to be in the band and never see a day of combat...

...the recruiter TOLD him so and his mommy, who supports the troops not the war in Iraq but supports the troops, believes it.

[sarge43]

24. No problem with a guaranteed MOS assignment upon enlistment..

Absolutely no one can guarantee or promise you'll stay in that MOS for the duration of enlistment and that is how that works.

[yankeedem]

16. The question that has to be asked is

is someone dumb enough to believe he's never going to go into combat because he's needed for the band fit for service?

[Selatius]

17. There is a saying that goes, "There's a sucker born every minute."

Read from that what you wish.

[theoldman]

18. Let's face it. If everything was so rosy in the recruiting

department the military would be able to send thousands of additional troops to Iraq. In reality the military does not have enough people. This is what some of the top generals have sail in public.
Someone is lying.

[rug]

19. Maybe they're joining for the golf courses.

[Monkeyman]

20. Sad truth of this most are coming from low income families

[NotGivingUp]

25. People have to STOP signing up to KILL people!

I don't care what they fricking get!!! Oh, gee, I can get my college education paid for if I go out and kill these innocent people. That's wonderful. And we get to foot the bill for this insanity.

[NNN0LHI]

26. I am with you brother...sister? n/t

[burythehatchet]

28. and they may not even consider

the psychological effects. Sure, there's a relatively small possibilityof losing life, but the probability of suffering a mental challenge is great. This is why in ancient cultures societies maintained warrior classes - generations and families whose role was to protect the nation.

[valerief]

27. How are they REALLY getting these kids? At gunpoint? I just don't

understand why any of them would sign up with this BushWar going on.

[Porcupine]

29. See the Education forum. Critical thinking is NOT a priority

at high schools. The kids that I've talked to who are of recruitment age are pretty dim. It's sad.

[latebloomer]

31. I know of several young men

who are gung-ho to enter the military. It is born of high testosterone levels, wanting to be macho, a lack of other viable opportunities, and total ignorance of what war is really like. Family and friends can harangue and beg them all day long-- they have their minds made up and they're going.

[rtassi]

30. recruitment exceeding goals ...

google "Universal Soldier" by Donovan!

[KG]

33. um, why do i think this is a lie?

after several years of falling short of goals, and in the face of growing list of KIAs, suddenly people are lining up around the block to enlist?

yea, right.

[Lasthorseman]

34. College money

won't help a twenty-five year old who dies from depleted uranium poisoning.