Now * has screwed up the guard & reserves

[trof]

Local troops say they are wasting time in Kuwait

September 03, 2003 - Local (Mobile, AL) soldiers say they should be home because they're doing little if anything in Kuwait. Their jobs have been given to Iraqi civilian contractors.

They say they do not mind serving their country, when they are needed to do what they are trained to do. As the civilian soldiers sit in the desert their families here at home struggle.
<snip>

Because of the resentment of over-extended duty in an area that is not "at war", in the traditional sense, experts predict large number of retirements and lower recruiting levels in the years ahead for the guard and reserve. For now, the 120 members of Mobile's 226th ACS will stay in Iraq until at least April. The unit was activated in February and deployed to Ft. Stewart, GA, where they sat for two months. They arrived in Kuwait in April, now the Army says they have to do a full year in Iraq.

http://www.msnbc.com/local/WPMI/D-61BA0964-E758-4E01-9268-D31A40B703EB.asp?0na=x2258CU2-

way to go whistle-ass

[Dogmeat]

1. Is a Draft Inevitable?

I keep making this point to anyone who will care to listen. I don't know if it will be in time for the 04 elections, but this is bound to put the military way under its enlistment quotas within a few years. Can you imagine the reaction if the draft-dodging chickenhawk clowns in this administration tried to institute a draft? You might say they would be dogmeat.

[trof]

2. Dogmeat would be a step up.

I do think a draft is politically impossible.

[Mari333]

3. Everyone in my sons Guard Unit is pissed

and they are going over to the fucking Sinai, then possibly to Iraq...my son is supposed to get out in November..he served his goddamn 6 years..but they wont let him out..he wont go...he says fuck them...he will do everything to get out and there are ways..
No one wants to join the Guard now, and those in there are pissed..so much for fucking Homeland Security............

[trof]

6. Screwed, blued, and tattooed.

Not sure why that popped into my head, but it sounds apt.
As a former guard guy it really pisses me off.
The air national guard taught me how to fly and that gave me a not too bad career.
I have a soft spot a mile wide for guard folks.

[HootieMcBoob]

4. yup

I've been saying this for a while now. Retention levels are going to fall drastically because of this and nobody is going to enlist.

OK I take that back --

They might enlist in the Navy or Airforce but not the Army. The Army always gets the shit end of the stick.

[Catch22Dem]

5. Yay Air Force

:)

[gratuitous]

7. Oh, I don't know . . .

Seems like there's always someone who's not paying very close attention, who gets enamored of the myths of glory and warrior derring-do, who will buy what a recruiter is selling. Not to mention the 24/7 advertising on shows that appeal to young men and the bombardment (you should forgive the expression) of mail, email, phone calls, posters and everything else the military throws at them.

Additionally, the corrupt Bush administration is doing its darnedest to tank the economy so that a stint in the service starts looking like a reasonable choice even for folks who don't "need" the services as a way out of poverty.

Retention levels may fall, but with stop loss orders, that hole can be plugged, and more aggressive recruitment coupled with a lousy economy makes the military look like the only way to advance in life.

Would our society be so gung ho for war if we had to use the actual bones and blood of the people killed in war to run our automobiles, instead of the remnants of long dead and extinct plants and animals?

[nostamj]

8. wrecking the job base

is, I fear, yet another sick and cynical element of the neocons plan.

they will need fresh bodies, lots of them.

they don't want to re-institute the draft.

so, they'll make it the best/only option...

they are, as you know, sick and cynical.

war is profitable for this cabal. and since they live only for private wealth, war will escalate as long as it is profitable.

[leftofthedial]

9. Personally, I plan to join the Texas Air National guard

and then head to Alabama for the duration with a big stash of drugs and 50 cases of tequila.

I think its a great program.

[TacticalPeek]

10. Better throw in a short-hair wig, just in case. n/t

[leftofthedial]

11. good idea

nice catch.

I'm also gonna stash a whole shitload of bottles of pee for later use.

[SammyWinstonJack]

12. LOL

Well if it's good enough for Whistle Ass! :evilgrin: