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| Americans Enlist in Record Numbers | |
| 2006-05-16 | |
| May 16, 2006: In the last seven months, the U.S. Army has met or exceeded all of its recruiting goals. In that time, over 160,000 people have enlisted, or re-enlisted. The total strength of the active duty and reserve forces are 1.2 million men and women, all of them volunteers. Except for a few months in 2004-5, the military has been able to maintain its strength, despite wartime conditions. The biggest problem has not been casualties (only about 10,000 soldiers have been killed or disabled so far, less than one percent of overall strength), but the disruption to family life caused by so many troops getting sent to combat zones. This discouraged re-enlistments in reserve units, although mainly among the non-combat troops. In combat units, re-enlistments were at record levels. The army adapted to the shortfalls by increasing signing and reenlistment bonuses for key jobs, paying attention to not sending troops overseas any more than needed, and allowing a few percent more of the recruits to come from the lower end of the recruit pool. But the biggest asset in the recruiting effort has been the world-of-mouth from the troops themselves. They believe in what they are doing, and accomplishing. They believe they are well equipped, trained and led to do it. This angle has not gotten much press coverage, probably because so few members of the press know troops personally. The army recruits largely from the middle classes and non-urban areas. Just the kinds of places and people where you won't find journalists and pundits. When the media does address the recruiting situation, it is dismissed as not relevant. The troops are described as not "getting the big picture," or worse.
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| Posted by:Steve |
| #2 The left immediately points out that "because" of these temporary recruiting shortfalls, the military lowered its goals so as to guarantee meeting them. So until the military again raises its recruiting goals, and meet those higher goals, these stats will continue to be slandered. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-05-16 14:43 |
| #1 "The army adapted to the shortfalls by increasing signing and reenlistment bonuses for key jobs," Ok. Economics still works. "paying attention to not sending troops overseas any more than needed," Which is fine with 138,000 troops in Iraq, and declining, and 10,000 or so in Afghan. Which is why we are barely containing the insurgency in Iraq. Hopefully there will be enough Iraqi forces to make the difference SOON. and hope we dont have any more large,extended commitments. "and allowing a few percent more of the recruits to come from the lower end of the recruit pool. " Hope its really only a few percent. Still and all, this is good news. Whats the situation on midlevel officer retention (capts, Majors) which ive heard is the worst problem. |
| Posted by: Liberalhawk 2006-05-16 12:30 |