Guard Reports Serious Drop in Enlistment--NYT

[Demeter]

(Includes the single most fatuous comment I've ever seen in ANY newspaper article:)

" "People have the misconception that everyone goes to war and gets killed," said Sgr. Daniel Mak, an Army Guard recruiter in Brooklyn.


Guard Reports Serious Drop in Enlistment
By ERIC SCHMITT

Published: December 17, 2004


ASHINGTON, Dec. 16 - In the latest signs of strains on the military from the war in Iraq, the Army National Guard announced on Thursday that it had fallen 30 percent below its recruiting goals in the last two months and would offer new incentives, including enlistment bonuses of up to $15,000.

In addition, the head of the National Guard Bureau, Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum, said on Thursday that he needed $20 billion to replace arms and equipment destroyed in Iraq and Afghanistan or left there for other Army and Air Guard units to use, so that returning reservists will have enough equipment to deal with emergencies at home.

The sharp decline in recruiting is significant because National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers now make up nearly 40 percent of the 148,000 troops in Iraq, and are a vital source for filling the ranks, particularly those who perform essential support tasks, like truck drivers and military police.

General Blum said the main reason for the Army National Guard's recruiting shortfall was a sharp reduction in the number of recruits joining the Guard and Reserve when they leave active duty. In peacetime the commitment means maintaining their ties to the military with a weekend of service a month and two weeks in the summer. "

[Wickerman]

1. "one weekend a month my ass"

as was seen on a troop moving truck in Iraq. I wish I could find the image

Go Figure.

[Not_Giving_Up]

2. My goodness...I wonder why no one wants to sign up now?

I mean, with all of those wonderful commercials with the young people telling their parents that they've found the career of their dreams helping other people (bleed), I just can't imagine why people aren't rushing to sign up. The youth of this nation is not as stupid as Bushco would like to think they are.

[durablend]

"People have the misconception that everyone goes to war and gets killed,"

GHAST! :wtf:

You mean that sort of thing is only in people's imaginations?!? :shrug:

[Moderator]

3. duplicate topic

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1078952