Report suggests radical personnel changes

[unhappycamper]

Report suggests radical personnel changes
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Dec 9, 2008 9:25:15 EST

A bipartisan think tank takes controversial positions involving military personnel in a new report about national security strategy.

To deal with recruiting and retention problems, the Center for National Policy recommends lifting the military’s ban on open service by gays, barring the services from using stop-loss orders to keep people on active duty beyond their separation dates, and requiring every American youth to serve the nation in mandatory national service — with military duties as one option.

Called “Agility Across the Spectrum: A Future Force Blueprint,” the report, released today, also recommends phasing out the use of civilian contractors as private security guards by 2014, which would require an increase of 92,000 active-duty personnel.

Underlying the proposals is a concern that seven years of war have taken a toll on the military and that relief is needed. “The tempo of combat operations has been unprecedented for an all-volunteer force and strains are beginning to show,” the report says. “Aptitude levels for new recruits are dropping while inducements for recruitment have increased dramatically.”

One sign of the problems, according to the report, is the use of more than 100,000 private contractors in combat zones performing duties traditionally done by service members. The report says private contractors are operating “outside the chain of command,” which causes additional complications.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/12/military_futureforce_personnelreport_120908w/%2e