For third straight month, Army misses recruiting goal

[brettdale]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-05-02-army-recruiting_x.htm

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Army missed its recruiting goal in April, marking the third consecutive monthly shortfall.
Army spokesman Paul Boyce said officials believe that increases in the number of recruiters, as well as new advertising and publicity efforts, will produce a surge in recruiting this summer so that the Army can meet its full-year goal of 80,000 recruits by Sept. 30.

As of April 30 the Army had achieved only 85% of its target for the first five months of the fiscal year, which began Oct. 1.

[bluestateguy]

1. I have to close the windows

because I'm feeling a draft in here.

[MinneapolisMatt]

BWAHAHAHA!

I guess this is one of the few times when I can openly thank GAWD that I'm gay!

-Matt

[Scooter24]

6. Be careful...

Being gay might not save anyone this time around. Congress has the power to repeal that provision and the Rumsfeld could easily suspend gay discharges by the stroke of his pen. The law was written to give the Sec. of Defense full authority in this matter.

10 USC §654

(b)Policy- A member of the armed forces shall be separated from the armed forces under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense if one or more of the following findings is made and approved in accordance with procedures set forth in such regulations:

(1) That the member has engaged in, attempted to engage in, or solicited another to engage in a homosexual act or acts unless there are further findings, made and approved in accordance with procedures set forth in such regulations...

...

(e)Rule of Construction- Nothing in subsection (b) shall be construed to require that a member of the armed forces be processed for separation from the armed forces when a determination is made in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense that—

(1) the member engaged in conduct or made statements for the purpose of avoiding or terminating military service; and
(2) separation of the member would not be in the best interest of the armed forces.
-----------
If a draft was to return, then (e)(2) would grant the Pentagon the authority to draft gay men if they determine that kicking us out "would not be in the best interest of the armed forces." It's as simple as that.

[dsc]

10. actually no

it would have to determine both that we lied to get out of service and that it wasn't in their interest.

[mogster]

2. Hmmmm...

Is this MSM bs, or true info?

"Spring is typically one of the more difficult periods of the year for military recruiters."

Just wondering.

A surge in recruiting, I'll see that before I believe it.

[Scooter24]

7. Could be true...

When kids graduate, not everyone has decided to attend college yet. Those that are stuck sitting at home with nothing to do might contemplate joining the services. June and July's recruitment numbers will make or break this theory.

[signmike]

3. I believe graduation - mid June - becomes their high point

Although this year, it seems Iran is a target at that same time...

[DIKB]

5. If the Irani plans

come to fruition, it will kill recruitment goals, and they will be forced to instate a draft. The public will not accept this, I think something else is planned to get the public in lockstep. Another 9/11 ?

[maveric]

4. Read this from Michael Moore's site:

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/index.php?id=2440

[KG]

8. geez, you'd think all those bush-worshipping college republicans

would be lined up around the block to serve their fuhrer!

oh, right, i forgot, they're all blustering physical cowards, just like their glorious leader. :eyes:

[TalkingDog]

9. My question is...Who the Hell would sign up right now anyway?

I mean how did they even get 6500 people in the first place. Amazingly desperate? Uber-Patriots? Drank the KoolAid?

Okay...that deserves it's own Hiaku

Amazingly desperate
Uber-Patriots
Drink bitter White House KoolAid.

[mopaul]

11. 9-11 brought out the jingoism in thousands of young men

they were used and exploited in this way. revenge fever. i've know several young men who joined for that reason only.

yes, they'll need another event to keep the death drive going.

[peacebaby3]

12. They are offering people already in $1,000 to sign someone up!

My husband is in the Army (yes, he served in Iraq for a year. We hate Bush and voted for Kerry. We had moved and my husband had not had a chance to change his county of registration since he had gotten back so he drove 6 hrs. to vote for Kerry.)

The Army NG is desperate. The $15,000 sign up bonus has not really created that many more recruits and the people it has brought in cannot pass the entrance test (I wouldn't be surprised to hear sometime that they will lower the standards which are already very low, but they might not make it public). Anyway, they have now started a program where they are offering anyone already in the Army NG $1,000 per referral that signs up. They sent out e-mails about a week or so ago and then yesterday, a letter came in the mail.

I'll type up some of the text. This is on official Army NG letterhead.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Pay to the order of YOU the sum of ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS

How would you like to see that in one of your checks? Just a fantasy? Guess again!

Then it discusses the new program called "One for One." It states there is NO LIMIT to the number of referrals that enlist and again mentions as soon as they qualify, you get $1,000 per referral so if you refer 20, that's $20,000 (apparently you don't have to add to be in the Army NG). They give you a card to get the potential recruits basic info and an 800 # to call to make the referral (card included with letter).

Here's the best part and this is word for word how the letter ends:

Good Luck, happy hunting, and CHAAACHIIIINNNNNGGGGGG if you're successful!!!!!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Happy hunting??? I am disgusted! Of course, I have basically always hated the military and the military, in general, has always hated me. I don't fit the "military wife" mold. I have wanted my husband to get out for years, but he liked and believed in what he was doing until the chimp came into office (although he has never been one of these gung-ho idiots.) Now he has less than a year until he can retire and wants to try and stick it out until he has his 20 (which I can certainly understand).

The rumor is also going around that they will be doing another good size IRR call up this summer. I guess we'll see.

[peacebaby3]

13. Kick - because I think ppl. should know about this. n/t

[MountainLaurel]

14. Thanks for that info

Pretty frickin' disturbing.

And congrats to your husband on his retirement. My uncle is due to retire this year from the NG, and I worry that it'll be stopped at the last minute for whatever reason: His job involves ensuring that deploying units have the supplies they need.

[peacebaby3]

15. I worry also.

I worry everyday that my husband will get activated again before he can retire or they'll do a stop loss because there are not enough troops. It's really hard to decide what to do. He really needs his retirement and has worked very hard for it, but it would be horrible if he got called up again. We discuss this almost everyday.

I hope your uncle gets out safe and soon!