Army Reserve battles an exodus - DRAFT now far more likely by 2005

[Dems Will Win]

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/content/news/daily/1124focus.html

Branch misses its retention goal by 6.7 percent

By Robert Schlesinger
The Boston Globe

WASHINGTON | The U.S. Army Reserve fell short of its re-enlistment goals this fiscal year, underscoring Pentagon fears that the protracted conflict in Iraq could cause a crippling exodus from the armed services.

<snip>

http://www.sss.gov/perfplan_fy2004.html

EDITED BY ADMIN FOR COPYRIGHT REASONS

[vi5]

1. Wasn't it reported that they just met all their enlistment goals?

Or was that just new recruits and not re-enlists? I could be remembering it wrong. Even though that number was dubious because they had already lowered their projections several times.

[OldSoldier]

11. Enlistment goals is new troops

Retention goals is re-enlistments.

It used to be proforma: you joined the Reserves and stayed in until they wrapped you in a flag and fired three volleys over your casket. Plenty of Reservists considered Annual Training their annual vacation and drill weekend time with the boys. (There is a reason the active-duty troops sneer when they call 'em weekend warriors, and why my drill sergeant always split up the three groups of troops at times when it was necessary with "if you are a Reservist stand here, if you are in the National Guard stand here, and if you joined the Army stand here." I do like the fact that the Reserves and the Guard have taken Colonel McGuinness's motto, "you don't have to practice being miserable," to heart)

But that was before we had a national command authority that practiced gunboat diplomacy as its only foreign policy.

Now? If numb-nuts gets elected in 2004, or even re-installed, there will probably be no more reserves or National Guard. They'll all have gotten out.

[goforit]

22. But this is when the Draft will be their strateegery.

And these thugs have nothing but little princesses for children.

This is why leadership is so important that not even the present
generals have as well,let alone the commander in chief, obviously.

Failure is not a selling point.

[The Zanti Regent]

29. Everyone here is missing the point

I don't expect the draft.

What I DO expect is that the Nazi Republicans will hire foreigners to do our fighting for us. Think of the thousands of Indians who would love to have even 10% of an American soldier's pay!

Yes, the Hessians are back, a signal that the US of A is following the same road to ruin as Rome did!

[truthspeaker]

2. that's right

"That's right, Secretary Rumsfeld. If you treat them like shit they won't re-enlist."

Rumsfeld: "What? Chalabi never told me that! I don't believe it!"

[Military Brat]

3. There will be drafts and rumors of drafts

Or Jesus said something like that, didn't he? I've been telling people for 2 years now that the draft is coming. There were little bits and snippets on the radio, an obscure article here and there, nothing major and nothing ever followed up by big media. It's how the media spoonfeeds us the s*** right before the administration tears off our heads and shoves bush's agenda down our throats.

:mad:

[Dems Will Win]

4. Everyone should print up the SSS 2004 Activation Plan and bring it

to their candidate meetups. (Do the other candidates have meetups or is it just Dean? There are seven in my county alone with 200-300 coming out of a population of 160,000)

[berner59]

5. Does it mean that anyone born in '85 goes....

...or is it 20 by June 15th... I will get my son (a freshman in college this year...) fired up!! He's already a registered Dem so there's the 1st step... Dems should jump on this issue - that would get Moms fired up like you've never seen!! Plus this was a big baby boom year so there are LOTS of boys born in '85...

[sventvkg]

6. Mom, if it comes stand by your son as you MAKE him burn draft card

DO NOT LET HIM GO TO DIE FOR BUSH....This will be the 60's all over again and we will FIGHT, MARCH, FIGHT, MARCH, SIT IN, and yell and scream in Washington..What are they going to do if they throw a Draft and nobody shows up???????? Don't go..Pass that message on.

[davidinalameda]

7. scary

my niece's boyfriend is probably about the right age--in college, probably about 20 or 21

he could easily get shipped over to Iraq.

[proud patriot]

12. Indeed a close friend's son will be 20 in june 2005

He just registered to vote last year .

The voter registration form was my birthday present to
him on his 18th birthday . 2 weeks later when I saw him
he was so excited to tell me that he registered .

"Unless You Wanna Live On Your Knees, Throw Down" Paris

[Media_Lies_Daily]

8. Folks, it won't be just the guys being drafted...

The language in the legislation that is currently sitting in committee in both houses of Congress (S. 89 and H.R. 163), states that males AND females will be subject to the draft.

[laylah]

19. I have two daughters...

PLEASE provide me links to your information. :scared:

Jenn

[Dems Will Win]

24. That draft bill will never get by Tom Delay, don't worry. Worry about

this!

If the Draft is activated, women already have to sign up if they are a doctor nurse or allied health care professional. 3.4 million people including women will register and up to 6,000 drafted. Then they will start inducting computer experts, engineers and especially Islamic-language linguists. Alert your daughters to try other professions although computer jobs are probably fairly immune.

Or tell them to get out there, you too, and work against Bush like you never have before! Then no one is drafted (I have explained many times why a Dem would not have to start a draft).

[PaDUer]

23. * daughters are going??

Wonder what camp they're going to?..are they "entertaining" the men so they're not depressed?

[TXvote]

30. Non-Gender Biased

BULL crap is what they are calling it.

And it would be mandatory 2 year services served between the ages of 18-25. Hmmm, but what about college?

And worst of all, it was propsed by a Democrat (Rangel, NY) to "level the playing field" so it is liberally indefensible.

Oh my what a tangled web they weave.....

[Bandit]

9. It was largely the result of a larger than expected exodus of career reser

I thought there was a stop on all ETSs. How could there be an exodus when they aren't allowed to quit?

[Dems Will Win]

13. For most, it's just 90 days extra on duty

Special Skills are enslaved for the duration however.

[Yavin4]

10. When We Go Into Iran and Syria....

there will have to be a draft.

[Dems Will Win]

14. Just staying in Iraq with 100,000 troops through 2006 will require a draft

They don't send anybody twice--although they are thinking of it.

The 101st Airborne and the 4th Infantry Divison rotate out in March 2004. Those Divisions and the 3rd Infantry, who conquered Iraq, are our crack troops. They'll be putting in Band members,the Coast Guard and clerks to replace them next year.

[SemperEadem]

15. does this mean that those who don't re-enlist aren't patriotic

and supportive of the president and the troops?

since the refuqlicans always want to say that any dissent automatically means we don't support the troops... what if the troops themselves don't support the pres' war, as seems the case with the crisis in enlistments?

[drewb]

20. That's why I got out... After 13 years...

Couldn't stand to be a part of it anymore... How's the song go? "I ain't gonna march anymore".

I WISH THEY WOULD RE-INSTATE THE DRAFT, MAYBE IT WOULD WAKE AMERICA UP AND GET THESE LAZY ASSES INTERESTED IN WHAT THEIR GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN DOING ON THEIR BEHALF!!!

[drewb]

21. It's "I Aint Marching Anymore" by Phil Ochs...

Chorus...
It's always the old to lead us to the war
Always the young to fall
Now look at all we've won with the saber and the gun
Tell me, is it worth it all


http://www.leoslyrics.com/listlyrics.php?id=9132

[saigon68]

27. PHIL OCHS WAS THE CONSCIENCE OF NON-VIOLENCE

He died almost penniless in 1978, without the devil to oppose he gave up the fight. He was a classic in Mad City.

The VVAW I belonged to played his stuff all the time.

Looks like we'll be back in action soon.

[drewb]

28. Welcome home Saigon68...

Welcome home indeed....

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

16. Well, freakin' DUH.

‘‘The Army has invested an enormous amount of money in training these people, and they’re very hard to replace,’’ said John Pike of globalsecurity.org, an independent research group in Washington, D.C.

Shoulda thought of that BEFORE they started "Operation Meat Grinder".

Idiots...

[newyawker99]

17. Dems Will Win

Per DU copyright rules
please post only 4
paragraphs from the
news source.

Thank you.


NYer99
DU Moderator

[NickB79]

18. Next day's headline: Researchers amazed by dramatic rise in homosexuality

My best friend and I have both agreed, we have no problem sleeping with each other if that's what it takes to keep us out of the Iraq draft.

That, or I hear Ontario is a beautiful place to live :-)

[Trek234]

26. Canada will ship you back ASAP

nt

[NickB79]

31. Dammit

Back to plan A.

[7th_Sephiroth]

32. if they can find me

and are willing to risk the lives of RCMP members to get me there

[neuvocat]

25. kick