Young Officers Leaving Army at a High Rate

[cal04]

Young Army officers, including growing numbers of captains who leave as soon as their initial commitment is fulfilled, are bailing out of active-duty service at rates that have alarmed senior officers. Last year, more than a third of the West Point class of 2000 left active duty at the earliest possible moment, after completing their five-year obligation.

It was the second year in a row of worsening retention numbers, apparently marking the end of a burst of patriotic fervor during which junior officers chose continued military service at unusually high rates. Mirroring the problem among West Pointers, graduates of reserve officer training programs at universities are also increasingly leaving the service at the end of the four-year stint in uniform that follows their commissioning.

To entice more to stay, the Army is offering new incentives this year, including a promise of graduate school on Army time and at government expense to newly commissioned officers who agree up front to stay in uniform for three extra years. Other enticements include the choice of an Army job or a pick of a desirable location for a home post.

The incentives resulted in additional three-year commitments from about one-third of all new officers entering active duty in 2006, a number so large that it surprised even the senior officers in charge of the program. But the service's difficulty in retaining current captains has generals worriedly discussing among themselves whether the Army will have the widest choice possible for its next generation of leaders.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/10/washington/10army.html?hp&ex=1144641600&en=e302c78ef39fdd7c&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[lovuian]

1. There has to disallusionment big time and Iraq

is an awful war... they have had enough...

[rwenos]

2. $15,000 a Month as a Mercenary

Is a powerful incentive. Those guys muster out, spend a year doing what they were doing for $3,000, but get $15,000 a month as privateers.

Then they go home and go back to MBA school or start businesses.

Another unforeseen consequence of "outsourcing war."

Duh.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

8. IMHO, I doubt very many are becoming mercenaries...

...you can pay them all the money you want, but they stand just as good a chance, or better, of being killed or maimed. No amount of money is worth that.

[0007]

10. IMHO it is all about money in times that are becoming tougher

by the day.

[knight_of_the_star]

18. And a bad idea in general

History has shown us what happens to empires that rely on foreign troops and mercs too heavily. Egypt eventually fell apart due to a heavy reliance on mercenaries. The extensive use of Germanic troops in the Roman Legions led to the legions putting themselves out of business when the Germans were mustered out or deserted and lead their fellows against the legions. Many Italian city-states suffered prior to unification due to use of mercenaries leaving them weak when the mercs could be bought out by an opposing force.

[susanna]

19. Evidently, Washington does not share your concerns.

That said, you are right as rain...

[marmar]

3. The destruction of the military, the destruction of the economy...

I guess * is finally succeeding at something. :scared:

[rocktivity]

4. It's the commander-in-chief, stupid!!!

Things must REALLY be bad if they feel they can't hold out until 2009. I'd be worried that I wouldn't get to LIVE until then...

:evilgrin:
rocknation

[babylonsister]

5. I have to recommend this; the new officers see how wrong

this war is.

[eleny]

6. I'll join babylonsister in Recommending!

K&R

[babylonsister]

7. I'll recommend your recommend! Thanks, eleny! nt

[salin]

9. but, but,but....Jr just told an audience in NC that retention

and recruitment rates in the military are strong... never better (or something to that effect.)

[killbotfactory]

11. There is not much pride or glory in fighting an illegal, stupid

ill-planned, unnecessary, hopeless war.

[annabanana]

12. This stupid administration has taken the most important tool

in the toolbelt and destroyed it. It is SO past time to get the keys away from these idiot children..

[hadrons]

13. so much for that talking point of the GOP being pro-troops ....

[Zorra]

14. Anyone with any common sense at all knew that this would happen

three years ago.

When a president lies your soldiers into an unjustifiable war they are not going to want to get themselves killed for your lie.

Republicans still haven't figured this one out.

[Az_lefty]

15. My son-in-law Army Cpt. is leaving...

transferring to the Coast Guard as a pilot. He's tired of all the rotations and wants to spend some time at home. Not to mention, the Army has become a greater pain in the ass than they usually are.

[MiniMe]

16. And PNAC was for building up the army........see what they got? n/t

[Orsino]

17. You go to war with the army you won't have for much longer. n/t

[Pastiche423]

20. Who actually pays the mercenaries?

Is it the government (taxpayers) via contracts?