On Farthest U.S. Shores, Iraq Is a Way to a Dream (NYT)

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

On Farthest U.S. Shores, Iraq Is a Way to a Dream

By JAMES BROOKE

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/31/national/31recruit.html?hp=&pagewanted=print

SAIPAN, Northern Mariana Islands - By jogging at sunset on the white sands of a palm-fringed beach here, 17-year-old Audrey O. Bricia is doing more than toning up for her next try in this island's Miss Philippines contest. She is getting in shape for United States Army boot camp.

(snip)

The Army has found fertile ground in the poverty pockets of the Pacific. The per capita income is $8,000 in American Samoa, $12,500 in the Northern Marianas and $21,000 in Guam, all United States territories. In the Marshalls and Micronesia, former trust territories, per capita incomes are about $2,000.

The Army minimum signing bonus is $5,000. Starting pay for a private first class is $17,472. Education benefits can be as much as $70,000.

"You can't beat recruiting here in the Marianas, in Micronesia," said First Sgt. Olympio Magofna, who grew up on Saipan and oversees Pacific recruiting for the Army from his base in Guam. "In the states, they are really hurting," he said. "But over here, I can afford go play golf every other day."

(snip)

[fshrink]

1. Fresh meat, old story.

[daleo]

2. Like ancient Rome

Captured territories eventually provided troops for the empire. It worked for quite a while.

[neweurope]

3. The land of the Free - one of the last ones still holding on to them

old colonies. Enjoy it while it lasts...

------------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

4. Kick for PM crew

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

5. Kick for AM crew

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

6. My god, the outsourcing of the Military continues...

This is shameful.

I'm so happy the recruiter is able to play golf every other day. I wonder if he'll block off any time for funerals.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

7. Kick for those that missed it

:kick: