| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"Harry Hope" |
| Date: |
17 Dec 2004 09:20:43 AM |
| Object: |
National Guard Reports Serious Drop in Enlistment. |
General Blum's remarks come just a few days after the chief of the
Army Reserve, Lt. Gen. James R. Helmly, told The Dallas Morning News
that the Army Reserve recruiting was in a "precipitous decline" that
if unchecked could inspire renewed debate over the draft.
From The New York Times, 12/17/04:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/17/politics/17reserves.html?ei=5094&en=ec0828fe89a6661d&hp=&ex=1103346000&adxnnl=1&partner=homepage&adxnnlx=1103295196-enbqNlKJQsJEe6FZmCWLuw
Guard Reports Serious Drop in Enlistment
By ERIC SCHMITT
WASHINGTON -
In the latest signs of strains on the military from the war in Iraq,
the Army National Guard announced on Thursday that it had fallen 30
percent below its recruiting goals in the last two months and would
offer new incentives, including enlistment bonuses of up to $15,000.
In addition, the head of the National Guard Bureau, Lt. Gen. H Steven
Blum, said on Thursday that he needed $20 billion to replace arms and
equipment destroyed in Iraq and Afghanistan or left there for other
Army and Air Guard units to use, so that returning reservists will
have enough equipment to deal with emergencies at home.
The sharp decline in recruiting is significant because National Guard
and Army Reserve soldiers now make up nearly 40 percent of the 148,000
troops in Iraq, and are a vital source for filling the ranks,
particularly those who perform essential support tasks, like truck
drivers and military police.
General Blum said the main reason for the Army National Guard's
recruiting shortfall was a sharp reduction in the number of recruits
joining the Guard and Reserve when they leave active duty.
In peacetime the commitment means maintaining their ties to the
military with a weekend of service a month and two weeks in the
summer.
Over the last 30 years, General Blum said, the Guard has counted on
these soldiers with prior military service for about half of its
recruits.
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, however, many of these soldiers have been
hesitant to join the Guard because of the increasing likelihood that
America's citizen-soldiers will be activated and sent to Iraq or
Afghanistan for up to 12 months.
Indeed, many of the active-duty soldiers the Army would like to enlist
in the Reserves have recently fought in Afghanistan or Iraq, and some
have no inclination to do so again.
________________________________________________________
Bush's destruction of our military continues.
Harry
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| User: "Ken Cornelius" |
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| Title: Re: National Guard Reports Serious Drop in Enlistment. |
17 Dec 2004 10:23:18 AM |
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"Harry Hope" <rivrvu@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:r9u5s0970iao43f2e4desp1qau5it6q6hl@4ax.com...
General Blum's remarks come just a few days after the chief of the
Army Reserve, Lt. Gen. James R. Helmly, told The Dallas Morning News
that the Army Reserve recruiting was in a "precipitous decline" that
if unchecked could inspire renewed debate over the draft.
From The New York Times, 12/17/04:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/17/politics/17reserves.html?ei=5094&en=ec0828fe89a6661d&hp=&ex=1103346000&adxnnl=1&partner=homepage&adxnnlx=1103295196-enbqNlKJQsJEe6FZmCWLuw
Guard Reports Serious Drop in Enlistment
[cut]
Geez, I cannot imagine why.
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| User: "Blue Dawn" |
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| Title: Re: National Guard Reports Serious Drop in Enlistment. |
17 Dec 2004 10:40:26 AM |
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On Fri, 17 Dec 2004T, Harry Hope <rivrvu@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
National Guard Reports Serious Drop in Enlistment.
How can that be? Didn't 59,000,000 people vote to endorse the Iraq
War just about 6 weeks ago? I expected millons of these patriots to
inundate the recruiting stations. I guess they want their neighbors'
sons and daughters to die for them while they are busy counting their
tax cuts.
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