US Army seeks longer enlistments as recruitment falters

[RamboLiberal]

http://news.inq7.net/world/index.php?index=1&story_id=30824

The US Army has asked Congress to allow it to extend enlistment contracts offered to future soldiers by two years in order to "stabilize the force," as top defense officials warned that key recruitment targets for the year could be missed.

The request came as the House of Representatives on Wednesday put its stamp of approval on an 81.4-billion-dollar supplemental spending bill that contains new benefits for US troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But the new money notwithstanding, Army Deputy Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Franklin Hagenbeck told a House subcommittee that yearly recruitment goals for the Army reserve and the National Guard were "at risk."

"In the manning area, we need Congress to change the maximum enlistment time from six years to eight years in order to help stabilize the force for longer periods of time," Hagenbeck went on to say.

[AllegroRondo]

1. Seems pointless

The initial enlistment contract is already 8 years, with your selected number of years as 'active' and the remainder 'inactive'. But we've already seen them recalling or keeping people through the inactive period.

And anyone in over 10 years already has to re-enlist 'until retirement', so a longer contract wouldnt affect them either.

[MarianJack]

2. HMMMMM,...

...it's a little chilly in here. Does anyone feel a draft?

[BikeWriter]

3. This is the draftiest I've felt since 1965.

[leftofcool]

4. Watch out BikeWriter.........

Looks like you and my hubby graduated about the same time from Vietnam. You know they are starting to call back ya'll old guys.

Left of cool

[BikeWriter]

7. They wouldn't want me after my heart attack and depression...

...although I do wish I could help those poor troops. ;(

[LdyGuique]

5. Yeah -- that policy is gonna REALLY increase new enlistments

Not only are we gonna send these people to a war front with repeated deployments, but we're gonna make them stay in longer and deploy even more.

Shouldn't logic be a mandatory course for defense planners?

[applegrove]

6. Read the small writing where it says your enlistment can be rolled

over 40 times in a row.