Posted on 07/09/2007 7:39:46 PM PDT by yorkie
The Army failed to meet its recruiting goal in June, raising concern that the unpopular Iraq war and strong economy could wreak even more havoc on enlistments.
Army officials acknowledged Monday that the service missed its recruiting target for the second month in a row, but would not provide exact numbers. But two defense officials said the Army fell short of its 8,400 goal by about 15 percent - which is more than twice the June shortfall and would mean that roughly 7,000 recruits signed up.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the recruiting numbers are not scheduled for release until Tuesday.
Last month the Army said it recruited 5,101 new soldiers in May, about 7 percent short of its 5,500 goal for that month.
Army spokesman Col. Dan Baggio said the Army is still on track to meet its annual goal of 80,000 recruits for the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30, since it exceeded targets earlier in the year.
But, he added, "This is not necessarily a rosy picture. We're not taking this lightly."
The slip in May was the first time in about two years that the Army did not meet recruiting goals. It came as the Pentagon is struggling to increase the overall size of the Army and Marine Corps, as part of an effort to provide the warfighting capability needed.
The military is fighting two wars - in Iraq and Afghanistan - and fielding the combat units needed for the conflicts has put massive strains on an already stretched Army.
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
Time to revive the Republican driven need for a draft, just in time for campaign ‘08. What a coincidence!
Maybe this is why Bush is pushing for a treaty to end the Korean War.
“The United States stations 29,500 U.S. troops in South Korea as a deterrent against North Korea, a legacy of the Korean War, which ended in a 1953 cease-fire that has never been replaced by a peace treaty.”
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/07/02/asia/AS-GEN-Koreas-Nuclear-US-Military.php
25,000 troops on permanent R&R in SK is shocking, given an army stretched to the breaking point in Iraq.
Treat the current conflict as a war instead of a police action. Send our soldiers to kick Iranian rear end instead of sending them for five tours in Iran’s back yard.
Treat enlisted combat soldiers well after their enlistments are up. Do so in employment, in the courts and in general. Ditch all kinds of PC social practices, and repeal the laws that went with them.
Then enlistments would go up. Otherwise, live with the consequences. Send your rough, tough, warrior girls.
If you think the recruitment is bad now....wait until we have a Hillary in the WH.....the dems will have to reinstate the draft as suggested by Cong. Rangel in order to keep the troops at any decent level!
This is only going to get worse.
As a Marine in Iraq had on a sign, America is not at war, the Military is at war. The rest of America is at the mall.
One way or another, Iraq will be pretty much over in a year or so. But the threats from China, a mischievious Russia, a nuclear Iraq or North Korea, or pains in the a$$ like Venezuela looms on the near horizon.
We are going to need to rebuild the military on a scale of the Reagan buildup, and it will need to start in the next President’s term. But you don’t see anyone, save a Duncan Hunter, who is worried about it.
A draft is needed, or forget about being a superpower. And it will have to include the rich and powerful, who have enjoyed a free ride on the bravery of a small part of the middle class while they enjoy their opulence.
Wait for Hitlery. There’ll be a draft soon enough.
Whatever could you mean?
No way would a political party (That also wants us to win in Iraq) spread the notion of a draft and plant this seed into the publics conciousness (Sharpton, Rangle...)!
Two months in a row the Army has not made quota and counting...
Semper Fidelis,
fontman
A draft is needed, or forget about being a superpower. And it will have to include the rich and powerful, who have enjoyed a free ride on the bravery of a small part of the middle class while they enjoy their opulence.
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