Category IV Recruits and Sen Kerry's "botched" comments

[EVDebs]

GI Schmo: How low can Army recruiters go?
By Fred Kaplan
Posted Monday, Jan. 9, 2006

http://www.slate.com/id/2133908/

""Three months ago, I wrote that the war in Iraq was wrecking the U.S. Army, and since then the evidence has only mounted, steeply. Faced with repeated failures to meet its recruitment targets, the Army has had to lower its standards dramatically. First it relaxed restrictions against high-school drop-outs. Then it started letting in more applicants who score in the lowest third on the armed forces aptitude test—a group, known as Category IV recruits, who have been kept to exceedingly small numbers, as a matter of firm policy, for the past 20 years. (There is also a Category V—those who score in the lowest 10th percentile. They have always been ineligible for service in the armed forces and, presumably, always will be.)...""

Requires us to examine how BushCo's botched Iraq policies, requiring recruitment of unthinking soldiers incapable of contemplating the consequences of carrying out a disastrous policy in Iraq, demands more of those same soldiers to eventually say "Sir, NO SIR". Murtha was right, Kerry is right, and this dustup is merely a further distraction from the permanent bases in Iraq policy that BushCo is pushing down American throats. Dissenters are not welcome but are necessary in this democracy (if we can keep it).

And this little gem from Sen McCain should be kept in mind every time he opens his pie-hole:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2529596&mesg_id=2537980

[MADem]

1. Cat IVs ARE rocks with feet; in need of constant supervision, by and large

The bad news is twofold. First, the number of Category IV recruits is starting to skyrocket. Second, a new study compellingly demonstrates that, in all realms of military activity, intelligence does matter. Smarter soldiers and units perform their tasks better; dumber ones do theirs worse.

A new study? Hell, we've done that "new study" every damned decade since the frigging Korean War. And the results are ALWAYS the same. Smart kids get it, dumb ones don't. I mean, really--surprize, surprize, Gomer!

Every once in a great while, you get a CAT IV who either was high when he took the test, or is just a lousy test-taker--a kid who is clearly, by speech, initiative, and basic intelligence, smarter than his category (never HER, they didn't take CAT IV females as a rule). When I found kids working for me who were clearly smarter than their scores, I'd send them to a test tutor, and have them retake the ASVAB. I only had one kid out of a few dozen over the course of many years who didn't improve substantially in that case.

But by and large, they're in need of continuous supervision if they are CAT IV. No initiative. Don't expand the scope of the job. Teach, teach, and reteach the basics....they're way more trouble than they're worth, unless they can be kept under close and continuous guidance and have a very limited, repetitive and defined role.

[Ian David]

3. Category IV Guards

FATHER: You're marrying Princess Lucky, so you'd better get used to the idea! Guards!

TWO GUARDS enter and stand to attention on either side of the door. One of them has hiccoughs and does so throughout.



FATHER: Make sure the Prince doesn't leave this room until I come and get him.

FIRST GUARD: Not ... to leave the room ... even if you come and get him.

FATHER: No. Until I come and get him.

SECOND GUARD: Hic.

FIRST GUARD: Until you come and get him, we're not to enter the room.

FATHER: No ... You stay in the room and make sure he doesn't leave.

FIRST GUARD: ... and you'll come and get him.

SECOND GUARD: Hic.

FATHER: That's Right.

FIRST GUARD: We don't need to do anything, apart from just stop him entering the room.

FATHER: Leaving the room.

FIRST GUARD: Leaving the room ... yes.

FATHER: Got it?

SECOND GUARD: Hic.

FARTHER makes to leave.

FIRST GUARD: Er ... if ... we ... er ...

FATHER: Yes?

FIRST GUARD: If we ... er ...

(trying to remember what he was going to say)

FATHER: Look, it's simple. Just stay here and make sure he doesn't leave the room.

SECOND GUARD: Hic.

FATHER: Right?

FIRST GUARD: Oh, I remember ... can he ... er ... can he leave the room with us?

FATHER (carefully): No .... keep him in here ... and make sure he doesn't ...

FIRST GUARD: Oh, yes! we'll keep him in here, obviously. But if he had to leave and we were with him.

FATHER: No ... just keep him in here.

FIRST GUARD: Until you, or anyone else ...

FATHER: No, not anyone else - just me.

FIRST GUARD: Just you ...

SECOND GUARD: Hic.

FIRST GUARD: Get back.

FATHER: Right.

FIRST GUARD: Okay. Fine. We'll remain here until you get back.

FATHER: And make sure he doesn't leave.

FIRST GUARD: What?

FATHER: Make sure he doesn't leave.

FIRST GUARD: The Prince ... ?

FATHER: Yes ... make sure ...

FIRST GUARD: Oh yes, of course! I thought you meant him!

(he points to the other GUARD and laughs to himself)

FIRST GUARD: You know it seemed a bit daft me havin' to guard him when he's a guard ...

FATHER: Is that clear?

SECOND GUARD: Hic.

FIRST GUARD: Oh, yes. That's quite clear. No problems.

FATHER pulls open the door and makes to leave the room. The GUARDS follow.

FATHER (to the GUARDS): Where are you going?

FIRST GUARD: We're coming with you.

FATHER: No, I want you to stay here and make sure he doesn't leave the room until I get back.

FIRST GUARD: Oh, I see, Right.

They take up positions on either side of the door.

PRINCE: But, Father.

FATHER: Shut your noise, you, and get that suit on!

He points to a wedding suit on a table or chair. FATHER throws one last look at the BOY and turns, goes out and slams the door.

The PRINCE slumps onto window seat, looking forlornly out of the window. MUSIC INTRO to song ...

The door flies open, the music cuts off and FATHER pokes his head in.

FATHER: And no singing!

SECOND GUARD: Hic.

FATHER (as he goes out): Go and have a drink of water.

FATHER slams the door again. The GUARDS take up their positions. The SON gazes out of the window again ... sighs ... thinks ... a thought strikes him ... he gets up, crosses to his desk and scribbles a quick note and impales it on an arrow ... takes a bow down from the wall ... and fires the arrow out of the window.

He looks wetly defiant at the GUARDS, who smile pleasantly.



More:
http://mzonline.com/bin/view/Python/HolyGrailScene18

[Ian David]

2. See also: Project 100,000 (McNamara's "Moron Corps")

McNamara's "Moron Corps" - Salon
But in doing this, the film overlooks the darkest aspects of his reign as a Vietnam War mastermind, including his shameful brainchild, Project 100000. ...
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2002/05/29/mcnamara/index.html

[EVDebs]

4. Begs the question, Was G W Bush a Category IV ? nt