Friday, June 10, 2005
Army Hurting
Ouch! The US Army and to a certain extent, the US Marines are really starting to feel the pinch from Iraq. Not only in killed and maimed bodies in Iraq, but also back home in the USofA. Recruiting goals have been missed by so much that the military is lowering quotas so the percentages don't look quite so bad. They've also been lowering standards for enlisted folk. I think for the last couple of months, the Army is looking at misses of somewhere near 30-40%.
Yesterday, I also read that the Army is lowering its standards for officers. They are raising the age limits, and allowing those with certain "legal" problems to get a commission. It's good to know that in this time where the military rank and file is supposed get smarter about its mission and what is right and wrong, the Army is allowing folks in who might already have some problems with right and wrong.
By the way, I'm not attacking the recruiters. Most of them are pretty honorable given the circumstances of their job. They have to convince kids that some training and money is worth taking the chance of being shot at or blown up in some foreign country. Although, the way things are becoming in a lot of cities, patrolling Baghdad is probably safer than working in a 7-11 in Detroit or Los Angeles. At least you get to wear body armor. In fact, see the next entry about my experience with recruiters.
2fers: US Army Recruiting and US Marines Recruiting
