Army troops, budget stretched to the limit (Long but well worth the reading)

GovExec.com ^ | Sep 8, 03 | James Kitfield

[SLB]

This is long but factual. Not the normal cry baby approach. Just a simple straight forward article on what the military is facing in the comng years if changes do not happen soon.

[SLB]

FYI

[libtoken]

The Gov.Exec article is a repeat (with one deleted paragraph) of the National Journal article "Stress Fractures" of 6 September 2003. Did one article copy from another, or did both of these use a previous article as the source?

[libtoken]

Actually, the Gov.Exec article does quote the National Journal and the writer (James Kitfield).

[jospehm20]

I remember thinking at the time that the loss of the three extra divisions that Clinton axed in the second drawdown of 1993-1994 would come back to bite us. We at least need to get out of the Balkans ASAP. We have a division worth of folks in Hungary, Bosnia and Kosovo.

[D. Brian Carter]

There is a bit of the "crybaby" element in this article, actually, although it's not as blatant and whining as many of the other articles I've seen.

My gut reaction to this is: a. yes, it is obvious our level of personnel in the armed forces, especially the Army, is too low, thanks to many years of downsizing and reduction of budgets; b. something needs to be done about the strength and size of our forces; c. the job of a PROFESSIONAL soldier is to be a SOLDIER, which includes being away from home for long stretches in uncomfortable, hostile conditions; d. until there is a solution for the problems of long and back-to-back deployments, the PROFESSIONAL SOLDIER is going to have to suck it up and DO HIS JOB.

[Salgak]

And the problem is, to re-constitute those three divisions, the 100-odd ships, and the 6-7 Air Wings that x42 killed off, is the work of a decade plus. Not to mention that as the economy improves, recruiting will start to tank: Kids do not like the idea of being Al-Qaeda bomb-fodder in Iraq. . and the Active and Guard/Reserve retention is already starting to drop. . .

To quote Apollo 13 astronaut James Lovell: "Houston, we've got a problem. . ."

[xzins]

Awesome and accurate article.

America's soldiers have FAMILIES. When they look in their eyes they realize what most people say their priorities are: (1) God, (2) Family, (3) Job.

At some point, many of them will choose their family OVER their job.

This article is an endorsement for a draft during any major conflict. It will cut down on the wait between volunteer campaigns and when voluteers actually sign up and in what numbers.

[Salgak]

The job of a PROFESSIONAL SOLDIER is to fight and win wars, NOT to be a glorified cop. These occupations need to be done by a vastly expanded MP force, not combat infantry and armor. . .

[jospehm20]

I believe they will suck it up and do there jobs with all
the professionalism that we have come to expect from our
soldiers, up until it is time to re-enlist. The problem is
that this is a volunteer Army and you have to get folks to
volunteer for it. There will be difficulties retaining folks
unless they can find a way to get them home once in a while.
I would not be bit surprised to see a boat load of people
get out of the reserves once their units come home.

[D. Brian Carter]

The war's not over, bro, and until it is, the soldier's job is to follow orders and deal with the trials and tribulations of being a soldier.

[taxcontrol]

I have frequently commented to friends that the Army is 1 light division and 2 motorized divisions short. Marines are at least 1 Brigade short.

Army Reserves are at least 8 support Bn short. I don't know about the Marine Reserves.

[Salgak]

Really ? Ask the public, and the troops. "Active Hostilities over". "Mission Accomplished". Iraq is now occupied. Yes, there IS a guerilla war going on, for some troops, but for the most part, it's peacekeeping/MP duties for Infantry and Armor troops. . .

[CheneyChick]

Not exactly. When a PROFESSIONAL SOLDIER enlists, he or she swears (or affirms) to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, to bear true faith and allegiance to the same and to "OBEY THE ORDERS OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE ORDERS OF THE OFFICERS APPOINTED OVER ME ACCORDING TO REGULATIONS AND THE UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE, SO HELP ME GOD".

THAT is the job of the PROFESSIONAL SOLDIER.

Cheers, CC

[Salgak]

Yes, and professional soldiers have honor, and honor their committments. But committments are a two-way street: changing the lenghth of deployment while deployed is a sure-fire way to hurt morale, and guarantee a lower re-up rate. Just like the cuts in Veteran's benefits: we all signed up, with promises made by recruiters. Then, AFTER we paid our price in service, blood, and lives, some bureaucrat decides we don't deserve what we already paid for. .

[CheneyChick]

Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless-Service, Honor, Integrity, Personal Courage. These are the Army Values.

I don't disagree with you that changing the length of deployment is a morale buster and a huge challenge for retention (you have no idea how well I know this). However, we are only responsible for the commitments we make and must keep. That is the mark of a true professional.

Cheers, CC