Program to Build Afghanistan Corps Is Said to Be Lagging

[tekisui]

Source: New York Times

WASHINGTON — The military’s effort to build a seasoned corps of expert officers for the Afghan war, one of the highest priorities of top commanders, is off to a slow start, with too few volunteers and a warning to the armed services to steer better candidates into the program, according to some senior officers and participants.

The issue came to light after an unusual rebuke within the Pentagon’s uppermost circle, with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff admonishing the chiefs of the four armed services three weeks ago for not always providing the best people.

The new program — which is expected to create a corps of more than 900 officers and soldiers who will work on Afghanistan and Pakistan issues for up to five years — was announced with much fanfare last fall. So far, just 172 have signed up.

Some military officials argue that it takes time to launch such a program, and that is not lagging.

The initiative was championed by the chairman, Adm. Mike Mullen, and Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the commander in Afghanistan. It is intended to bolster the war effort, which experts say has been hampered by a lack of continuity and deep expertise in the region, and to signal a long-term strategic partnership with Afghanistan and Pakistan.

more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/06/world/06mullen.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

[tekisui]

1. It has attracted 172 volunteers out of a total of 912 positions that the military expects

to fill by summer of 2011.

(from same link)

[gateley]

2. Give. It. Up. Are the British and Russians just rolling their eyes at? "Didn't

the U.S. SEE what happened to us?"

[theoldman]

3. Maybe they need to ask the Taliban how they do it.

The Taliban can train a person in a few months.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted sub-thread

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