Posted on 08/07/2004 1:38:37 PM PDT by Ragtime Cowgirl
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Military Update: Army finds no lack of recruits for infantry
By Tom Philpott, Special to Stars and Stripes European edition, Saturday, August 7, 2004 Whether for patriotism, adventure or economic opportunity, recruits are streaming into Fort Benning, Ga., this summer for infantry training and a frontline role in the war on terrorism. Even as news outlets emphasize the chaos and casualties of Iraq, and a divided U.S. citizenry debates the wisdom of the war there, the Infantry Training Brigade at Benning is flush with volunteers, many of whom can expect to face combat in the coming months or years. The swell of volunteers is more evidence, officials contend, of the resiliency and vitality of the all-volunteer U.S. military. Lt. Col. Allen Smith, deputy commander of the Infantry Training Brigade, said in a phone interview that the courage of these young men, arriving in groups of 220 almost every Friday, will compare well, in time, to the celebrated, draft-induced Greatest Generation of World War II. Despite the dangers and hardships of Iraq and Afghanistan, Smith said, We still see a very dedicated young man [enlisting] to serve his country. Tom Brokaw wrote the book about The Greatest Generation. We say, well, this generation has a lot [too]. Its just that history hasnt identified yet what this generation is going to do. Fort Benning, the hub of Army infantry training, is bustling as the Army tries to grow by at least 10,000 troops a year through 2006 and to rebalance forces to meet wartime commitments and ease the burden of too frequent deployments on active and reserve component units. The Army is growing as fast as we can, said Gen. Peter Schoomaker, its chief of staff at a July 26 press conference. He described efforts to recruit more youth, to retain more experienced soldiers and to attract separating Navy and Air Force members under a Blue to Green initiative. The Infantry Training Brigade at Benning has grown from 24 companies to 30 since spring, and will reach 37 companies by December. The increase in training capacity will be enough to produce 10,500 more infantrymen a year, atop the current annual average of 14,000. Apart from the obvious strain on recruiters who must scramble to sign enough volunteers, the heavier stream of infantry recruits poses infrastructure and supply line challenges at Benning, Smith said. Modular barracks are spouting. Firing ranges are so taxed that coordination of schedules must be precise. Dental and medical staffs need to expand. Extra buses have been leased to transport recruits between training sites. Extra bunks, wall lockers and personal gear, including helmets and packs, are on order. So far the brigade has avoided shortages that could slow training but its a great worry as the end of the fiscal year approaches. Brigade statistics show the typical infantry recruit is 20 years old. All are men because women are banned from the infantryman specialty. Seventy-nine percent of infantry recruits are white, 8 percent black and 13 percent are other races including Hispanic. Seven percent have some college education, 65 percent are high school graduates, 21 percent did not graduate but passed a General Educational Development (GED) exam. Seven percent of infantry recruits are listed only as non-high school graduates. Ten percent are married. After 14 weeks and a graduation, most infantry soldiers go on to other training like airborne school, Ranger indoctrination, Special Forces training or specific instruction on the Bradley Fighting Vehicle or Dragon anti-tank missile. Some soldiers, however, go directly to a divisional unit and if that unit is headed to Iraq or Afghanistan, so are they. Some Army officials, like many outside observers, expected a dip in recruiting for the combat arms after U.S. forces invaded and occupied Iraq. That hasnt occur, Smith said, and he isnt sure why. [Almost 1,000 U.S. servicemembers have died and more than 4,600 have suffered wounds.] Despite the Armys push to train infantrymen, Smith said, training standards have not changed. No one is cutting corners. At graduation, even with tours in Iraq or Afghanistan looming, families are so appreciative of changes in their sons, seeing them transformed to soldiers, Smith said. I just tell them, Hey, its the drill sergeant that works that magic. Graduate soldiers and families, Smith said, are no more likely today to dwell on the dangers ahead than they were before the war in Iraq. There is apprehension but it is not widespread. There is inquisitiveness but not massive [worry] over what they face. That they are there at all, as volunteers, is a small miracle to many Americans. To comment, write Military Update, P.O. Box 231111, Centreville, VA 20120-1111, e-mail milupdate@aol.com or visit: www.militaryupdate.com |
Queen of Battle....
I just tell them, Hey, its the drill sergeant that works that magic.
Congressman Billybob
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The home of the brave.
Bravo !
Sand Hill rocks, especially in July!!!!
"Brigade statistics show the typical infantry recruit is 20 years old. All are men because women are banned from the infantryman specialty. Seventy-nine percent of infantry recruits are white, 8 percent black and 13 percent are other races including Hispanic."
Lets see; the US population is about 70% white, yet 79% of the infantry recruits are white. And here I was thinking that it was mostly minorities being sent into battle. That's what I gathered from listening to Democrats in congress and Hollywood celebrities. I'm shocked that they were so wrong about this.
but, ... but,.... Rangle, Kennedy, Clinton, Dashale, Gephart, Boxer, etc. all say that recruiting is down, re-enlistment is down, the burden falls too heavy on the poor, blah - blah - blah, we need to return to the draft to make service more equatable. The same bunch that cried that the draft must end using the same reasons for ending the draft only now turned to support a return.
Do they think that we are that dumb that we don't remember?
11C Bump.
My daughter graduated from basic at Ft Leonard Wood in June and I was amazed at the racial makeup of the audience and the graduates. It could have been a Republican convention, or something.....But what an incredible group of kids (and one 38 year old ret. Marine who was chosen top trainee). Great Generation II in the making.
God bless them!!
Harmony Church weren't no "Hilton" in July, 1983, I can assure you.
But thank you, MikeinIraq, for your service today! No better place than Sand Hill or Harmony Church to get a infantryman ready for Iraq any time of the year!
Although to set the story straight, I am not here as an infantryman (or as an artilleryman which is what my MOS actually was: 13F), but as a contractor...
This country produces GREAT kids. (OK, maybe the 60's didn't, but those ones redeemed themselves by producing this lot)
Now, if we can just get them all to vote....
Exactly. These idiot talking heads and Demonrats are talking about a draft when we don't even need one. What the hell!!!??? The non girly-men are ready to take it to the enemy and there are still enough patriots in this country to kick just about any other country on the face of the earth's ass. The piss-ant sandal wearing tree hugging sissy cowards are causing trouble at political conventions and attacking SUV sales centers in the middle of the night while our proud men and women take it to the Mooslim trash who want us all dead.
We have an all volunteer army and blacks make up from 10-13% of the general population. How much you want to bet 2-5 years from now, the war on terrorism will be coined as "the war where poor ghetto kids die for oil for the rich white man..."
Bump!
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