[DuncanWaring]

It's not entirely surprising, given the circumstances, and not necessarily a long-term situation.

Keep in mind that the classes of 2000 and 2001 started in 1996 and 1997 respectively, and those candidates who were actually honorable and interested in serving their country were possibly less likely to apply due to the CIC at the time. Thus, the candidate pool was tilted toward the "free education, five-and-out" contingent.

If my conjecture is correct, the situation will persist for the next few years, until the class of 2005 (started in the summer of 2001) hits the five-year point, and then the retention rate will start to come back up.

[txroadkill]

I also think another tell would be how many people are signing up at West Point? Is there a decline in applicants? And what about the rest of the Officer Corp? Most come from ROTC, are they leaving too? Are there less people signing up to ROTC??

What about the Navy? What do the numbers at Annapolis say? Are the Marine officers leaving at the same rate? Where are they going? How many of those WP Grads are going into the civilian side of defense?

I think this is just the left finding another number they can twist to bash Bush and the war.

[balch3]

Great point. These were all Clinton appointees. The Army is better off without them. No doubt the ones who came in under our President will reverse the trend.

[Cogadh na Sith]

Keep in mind that the classes of 2000 and 2001 started in 1996 and 1997 respectively, and those candidates who were actually honorable and interested in serving their country were possibly less likely to apply due to the CIC at the time. Thus, the candidate pool was tilted toward the "free education, five-and-out" contingent.

There is some real truth to that. I was a 4-year scholarship ROTC guy--same criteria as academy selection, but without the kiss-the-ass senatorial appointment. (There was no way I could get an appointment from Nuevo Mexico 'cuz my name doesn't end in -on, -es, or a vowel...)

I left in '95 as a Captain after my service obligation because the Army of the 90's sucked!

Along with my cohort, I was boarded to assess to active duty, then I was boarded to be retained on active duty after a year, I was boarded to 1LT! I was boarded again at 3 years to remain on active duty, then I was boarded to Captain and they only took the top 1/2!

The only time this happened before was after WWI. In the nineties, the Army was cut in half.

Of course as a junior officer working for a MAJ or CPT with a 'Russian Studies' or History Degree in 1995 was a nightmare, they would throw you under a bus to stay on active duty because there were no jobs for them 'on the outside'.

There is a huge gap in the army now at the senior major/LTC level. Nearly my entire year group left and the West Point grads of 2000 were left working for the guys who sucked more Clinton **** than Monica Lewinsky

[river rat]

I could have saved some time, if I had read your post before adding mine....

Good points!

Semper Fi

[jude24]

Thus, the candidate pool was tilted toward the "free education, five-and-out" contingent.

Oh, horsecrap. There's easier ways for people that talented to get a free education than enduring West Point.

[wtc911]

Keep in mind that the classes of 2000 and 2001 started in 1996 and 1997 respectively, and those candidates who were actually honorable and interested in serving their country were possibly less likely to apply due to the CIC at the time. Thus, the candidate pool was tilted toward the "free education, five-and-out" contingent.

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An utterly baseless speculation that demeans every USMA grad of that time period.