US force, battered by Iraq, hikes re-enlistment and new enlistment bonus

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N161248.htm

<snip>Blum told reporters the Army Guard had fallen short of recruiting to retain its 360,000 members over the past two months due in large measure to strains caused by Iraq.

He said the re-enlistment cash bonus would immediately be tripled from $5,000 to $15,000 to sign up for six years. The bonus for new enlistees will be boosted from $6,000 to $10,000 to join for six years.

"I think we're in a more difficult recruiting environment," Blum said. "There's no question that when you have a sustained ground combat operation going that the guard's participating in, that makes recruiting more difficult."

"We are putting our money where our mouth is," the general said, adding that in addition to seeking the arms funds as part of planned future military supplemental funding requests the guard was increasing recruiters by 1,400 to a total of 4,100 to entice new members from high schools and colleges.

IRAQ STRAIN ON FORCE

More than one third of the 148,000 U.S. troops now in Iraq are National Guard or Army Reserve members.

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[wtmusic]

1. 'Getting our ass kicked makes recruiting more difficult'

is somewhere between the lines there...

[snacker]

2. So true....

[Goathead]

3. And who the hell would join the Nat'l Guard or Reserves

when the Defense Department has made it more than clear that Nat' Guard and Reserve soldiers are treated as second class in a combat zone? Their pay is shit, they aren't afforded the same medical treatment as regular Army, and they don't have adequate armor. Screw that!

[Tempest]

4. Bush expanding the coalition of the bribed

To include U.S. troops.

This goes beyond pathetic.

[Supersedeas]

25. Mercenaries are us, too.

[wildwww2]

5. Next they will be hunting down my 48 year old ass to go kill in their

corporate profit war crime. Since I`m a Marine Corps veteran. And they are definitely going to need more cannon fodder. I`ve got a real suprise for their Nazi asses if they try. I`ll keep it under my hat for now. I would not have thought it possible but I know of other people almost my age who have been out for 20 years and they got called up. This country of mine has never tried so hard to suck so bad. It makes me ashamed that I ever served for these ungrateful fascists.
Peace
Wildman
Al Gore is My President

[cliss]

16. Good. Nor are my 3 teenage

"cannon fodder" boys going either.

I agree with everything in your post. You said it better than I could.

[Just Me]

21. My one and only son's life,...WILL BE PROTECTED,...

,...one way or another, in spite of these dictators of the human food chain gang.

My son already knows the difference between the potential of human disease and human contribution to this earth. He understands that the "disease" is in consuming mode,...and is willing to adjust, accordingly. He is an amazing human being,...very worthy of my protection.

[MattNC]

6. they can afford to offer a lot more than that n/t

[phusion]

7. Navy spamming

I just got spam to my .edu account from the Navy today. First time that's happened...

Navy's not really fighting *'s war, though...

[movonne]

9. I feel that when the time comes, the Navy will be fighting *'s war.

I think I read here that they have already started taking some of the Navy.

[Palacsinta]

11. Blue to Green program

I think it's called. IE Incentives for sailors to join the Army when their Navy time is up. Also, I think the Air Force has what's called, I don't think officially,though..... the "Air Force Infantry".

[sandnsea]

8. Halliburton employees

Maybe if they stopped outsourcing our military, they'd have the money to protect the troops properly and pay them properly and provide benefits when they die. And maybe even pay Iraqis for rebuilding their own country. Wouldn't it be ironic if the left started focusing on how to really fix this mess, were proven right, and the right had to eat humble pie. Just a thought, trying to figure out the fastest way to get out of Iraq. Just yelling "Bring the troops home" without any plan on how to do that doesn't seem the wisest route.

[jeffvail]

10. Mercenary?

In theory we have a volunteer army: people joing because it's "the right thing to do" and to "serve the country". At what point, when money is used as a recruitment tool, do we lose sight of that (important) consideration, and transition to a mercenary force??

Does monetary enticement further skew our force towards lower income demographics? Seems like it will to me.

[Stinky The Clown]

12. Next they'll be running ads in India, Bangladesh, Somalia, East Timor,

and every other dirt poor country on earth looking for warm bodies. For the non-Americans, who have always been able to serve in our Armed Forces, they'll promise either citizenship or a cushy outsourced job in their home countries.

In actuality, they did this when I was in during the Vietnam era. They were offering pretty big bonuses for certain specialties. At the same time, some, as happened to me, were actually "laid off"! I got out after 26 months due to an oversupply of my rate(SK).

Go figure ..... :shrug:

[jeffvail]

13. specialty based bonuses

Yeah... they still do that. For example, some imagery analysts could get a $60k bonus for signing up for another 5 years (and this is for someone who's pay is under 30K a year). Guess what: even after September 11th and before Iraq, it wasn't working. Imagery units were forced to hire private contrators to do a large part of their workload...

[Tempest]

15. Already doing it in Mexico

The U.S. military runs recruitment ads in Mexico.

Have been since 2002.

[maxsolomon]

14. can't we just build some robots to do it?

i hope enlistment plummets to nothing.

[lebkuchen]

17. Where will they find the $ to move the 1AD/1ID to Eastern Europe

and out of Germany?

Has Khazakstan come into an inheritance? Are Poland, Romania and Bulgaria going to come up with the cash to rebuild their infrastructure so that the US can deploy its equipment that much faster out of these donkey-cart economies to "where the action is?"

[Mokito]

18. So that's what a life is worth nowadays!

$10,000 - $15,000

Of course, all that money is of no use when you're DEAD!

[wildflower]

19. Someone please explain to me...

Why, if there is such ardent support for this "War on Terror," because we need to "fight them there so they don't come here," has enlistment not gone UP?

In wars such as WWII, many people believed in the cause and willingly sacrificed. And this war is allegedly about our own national security! So if people really truly believe that, why are more not enlisting?

I'd argue it's because they realize the high price they'd be paying, except they tout that as a good thing. Liberal radio hosts who protest the treatment of soldiers get called up by conservatives and called traitors.

Support the troops! Except when one complains - then they are treasonous whiners, while their commanders are fair and just. Because the cause is fair and just. Right?

And allegedly, "the American people have spoken," nearly half of them (or more, depending who you talk to), and support this administration's policies.

So I ask again, why why why is enlistment not going UP?

-wildflower

[Mokito]

20. Because chickenhawks are fierce breeders?

Just a thought.

[wildflower]

22. LOL...:)

[yorkiemommie1]

23. they think 'someone else' is going to do it

i read an article where some young republican said she wouldn't enlist because she wanted to 'go into politics'.

i do think that it would be most inspiring to see jenna and barbara enlist. seeing mommy and daddy bush wave bye-bye to the twins as they head off to Iraq while holding a box of cookies gma made would be a wonderful photo op and think of all the young republicans who would feel obliged to follow their shining example.

think of the billboards! think of the print ads and commercials that could be made. and toys! Barbara and Jenna soldier girl dolls! Why Mattel would come back to life w/ a line of Bush soldier girl dolls, outfits, humvees, little soldier girl tents.....

nothing in this world would make me happier than to see them enlist. hell, their daddy and mommy could enlist too.

[Megahurtz]

24. starting to feel a little drafty around here...

:hurts:

[VegasWolf]

26. Anybody at this board want to sign up to fight awol's oil wars

for 15K? Not me.

[Cori Cycle]

27. For the war in Iraq...

is the army giving any incentive to enlist forigen nationals?

If I am not mistaken, during vietnum war, US army enlisted forign naiotnal to serve in the tour. They promised greencard if they came back alive.

[VegasWolf]

28. haven't they already been doing that with Mexicans. heard you have

to do two tours if you want your family to come also.

[Cori Cycle]

29. Isn't that depressing

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