Army Having Difficulty Meeting Goals In Recruiting...Getting Drafty ?

[elehhhhna]

Army Having Difficulty Meeting Goals In Recruiting

Mon Feb 21, 4:10 AM ET

By Ann Scott Tyson, Washington Post Staff Writer

The active-duty Army is in danger of failing to meet its recruiting goals, and is beginning to suffer from manpower strains like those that have dropped the National Guard and Reserves below full strength, according to Army figures and interviews with senior officers .

For the first time since 2001, the Army began the fiscal year in October with only 18.4 percent of the year's target of 80,000 active-duty recruits already in the pipeline. That amounts to less than half of last year's figure and falls well below the Army's goal of 25 percent.


Meanwhile, the Army is rushing incoming recruits into training as quickly as it can. Compared with last year, it has cut by 50 percent the average number of days between the time a recruit signs up and enters boot camp. It is adding more than 800 active-duty recruiters to the 5,201 who were on the job last year, as attracting each enlistee requires more effort and monetary incentives.


Driving the manpower crunch is the Army's goal of boosting the number of combat brigades needed to rotate into Iraq (news - web sites) and handle other global contingencies. Yet Army officials see worrisome signs that young American men and women -- and their parents -- are growing wary of military service, largely because of the Iraq conflict.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1802&u=/washpost/20050221/ts_washpost/a40469_2005feb20&printer=1

[whistle]

1. That will bring the entire house of cards down on top of BushCo

[Vincardog]

2. Duh ya think? What a surprise. Do you think the Chimp has heard?

[peacebird]

3. you mean all those patriotic young repubs aren't lining up to join?

they aren't all anxious and atwitter to get into spreading democracy and freedom around the oil rich countries of the world?

really? hmmmmmm....

:evilgrin:

[JohnyCanuck]

4. Why don't they just post a "Help Wanted"

note on Freeperrepublic?

That should solve their recruiting problems in one fell swoop as the Freepers swarm to put their lard asses on line for the Dear Leader's war for Halliburton shareholder profits and the liberation of oil.

[illflem]

5. How about just outsourcing the military to India?

Probably do a better job for cheaper.