Volunteer force may be ‘severely degraded’ soon, Gen. McCaffery (ret) says

[lebkuchen]

WASHINGTON — The all-volunteer force could be “severely degraded” within two years unless major recruiting and retention reforms are made soon, according to a retired Army four-star.

“We’re in trouble,” said retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey, former commander of U.S. Southern Command. “We’re making some very short-term decisions. This is a problem of resources and political will."

...

Lt. Gen. Michael Rochelle, the Army’s deputy chief of staff, said the current recruiting environment may be the most challenging the service has faced since the draft ended 33 years ago.

He pointed to high schools and colleges who block military recruiters — and noted the San Francisco Board of Education’s recent decision to end JROTC programs there — and indications that the general public has not put enough emphasis on the importance of serving the country.

...

Other panelists noted that private contractors in Iraq can make baseline salaries over $100,000, while young privates often make only a small fraction of that amount.


http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=41593

San Francisco would be Speaker Pelosi's district. Smart folks there.

[wuushew]

1. I completely support that JROTC decision

The military can't bitch about not having enough cannon fodder and be a bunch of bigots at the same time.

[riderinthestorm]

2. If potential recruits were actually serving "the country"

they would be standing in line. There are enough patriots (and poor people). But even the most poor are beginning to realize that they are only serving as cannon fodder for BFEE, Halliburton, Bechtel, the Carlyle Group, the neocons etc.

"The public" is getting more and more horrified at what they are seeing on their teevees and understand that the most important thing they can do is keep their children safe at home instead of putting them in a US uniform right now.

[BrotherBuzz]

3. “severely degraded” within two years ? What the Hey!

The military has been “severely degraded” for over two years and may be terminal in another two years.

Barry McCaffrey is addressing a problem that should have been tackled a long time ago. It will take, at the minimum, a decade to rebuild the military personnel and equipment to it's pre-invasion strength.

[Disturbed]

5. Can one blame young men and women for not joining

the Military at a time when they may be risking their lives for Wars of Empire by an Admin. that has lied about the reasons for an Illegal Invasion of a Sovereign Nation, Iraq?

[BrotherBuzz]

6. Not at all

This dumb draftee is sad to see our military misused and degraded, but until the political climate changes, I will encourage young men and women to avoid military service until the Bush* administration answers Cindy Sheehan's question, "What noble cause?", to their satisfaction.

Still waiting....Chirp, chirp, chirp

[jannyk]

4. the 'general public' has finally seen through the bullshit

"....that the general public has not put enough emphasis on the importance of serving the country."

I'd suggest that when the top Generals put their emphasis on 'serving the country' and not on serving the political whims of a warmongering draft dodger, the situation might improve. That, when the 'general public' see Pace/Abizaid et al, bare assed lying to the country they swore to serve and protect to cover their own arses, as well as that of the psychopath in chief, while their young recruits die for them daily - that the country is better served by staying home and fighting them.

How the fuck has our country been 'served' by invading Iraq Rochelle?