Officer crisis hits Army Reserve

[RedEarth]

The Army Reserve is facing an extreme shortage of company officers, a situation aggravated by a surge in resignation requests.
The shortage — primarily of captains — has seriously reduced the capabilities of the Reserve, and continued losses will further reduce the readiness of "an already depleted military force," according to an Army briefing document submitted last month to Congress.

Army Reserve resignation requests have jumped from just 15 in 2001 to more than 370 during a 12-month period ending in September. To preserve its leadership ranks, the Reserve increasingly has rejected resignation requests, forcing some officers to stay on even after they have fulfilled their initial eight-year service requirement.

The resignation requests are another sign of a military under strain during the protracted war in Iraq, where more than 40 percent of the U.S. forces are drawn from the ranks of Reserve and National Guard.

These Reserve and Guard soldiers attend weekend drills and two-week annual training. When called to active duty, they may leave behind families and civilian jobs for prolonged oversea deployments, and some take a big hit in their family income while facing the prospect of injury or death.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002113845_officershortage09m.html

[The Backlash Cometh]

1. Primarily captains?

Hey, no problem. If the military were run like a business, we'd just bring down management a few notches to fill in the void. Are there any majors, colonels or lt. colonels that will do?

[gWbush is Mabus]

2. time for promotions - Cpl. Peter Principle, you are now Captian!

[KingChicken]

3. It's falling apart, esspecially the reserve, they can't sustain. nt

[MADem]

4. Oh, joy, it's "spot promotion" time

Wear the uniform and insignia, take the responsibility, and then, if you make it, there's no guarantee ya get to keep it...

Streamline the LDO process!!! Get your applications in now! Now, not only can you die, you can order others to do so as well!

Oi, vey....

[VegasWolf]

5. How much education do you need to realize that being in

the military in Iraq is on the losing side of the equation?

[phantom power]

6. Volunteer armies only work when you have the trust of citizens.

Every day, more and more people are going to realize that the Bush Administration doesn't deserve that trust.

They'll either have to bring back the draft, or get out of Iraq, either of which will be a political disaster for them. Couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch of bastards.

[Ilsa]

7. No problem. All they have to do is screw up the economy

even more so 22 year olds can't get a decent job coming out of college. They'll have to join the military to make a decent wage, pay on their college debt, and preserve their dignity, at the cost of their futures.

[Garion_55]

8. getting drafty in here.

brrrr.

[placton]

9. One could say:

"How amazing! The military supports Bush with its votes, then refuses to re-enlist to support his war."