Dispelling myths about American soldiers

492 Views 33 Replies 11 Participants Last post by Danelle78, Apr 14, 2006

Flagger

Discussion Starter · Apr 12, 2006

http://townhall.com/opinion/columns/...12/193285.html

Quote:

Five of the biggest myths include:

1) The U.S. Defense Department is unable to recruit enough military personnel to defend the country and its interests abroad.
2) Critical combat arms units are not being filled.
3) The military will accept any warm body and any dull brain it can get its hands on.
4) American minorities (and those from lower income urban areas) are suffering disproportionately higher losses on the battlefield.
5) Female soldiers are fighting in offensive ground combat operations.

Read the FACTS in this incredible article.

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Unagidon

· #2 · Apr 12, 2006

Flagger said:
http://townhall.com/opinion/columns/...12/193285.html

Read the FACTS in this incredible article.
QUOTE]

Looks like an awful lot of straw in that dog....

Kathryn

· #3 · Apr 12, 2006

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Raynbow

· #4 · Apr 12, 2006

Let's see... estranged wife of a US Army recruiter here.

Myths #1 & 3 - seen the proof of that with my own eyes.

I've seen recruiters altering documents (legal, medical, educational) so that their "recruit" would be accepted because the brass is pushing down so hard to meet quota.

I've seen the requirements for the quotas take a massive nosedive in the past several years. Instead of wanting so many "quality" (i.e., college educated) contracts per month, they are thrilled to have ANYONE sign a contract (HS dropout? OK!!).

Danelle78

· #5 · Apr 12, 2006

Statistics the Recruiters won't tell you:

Quote:

Conservatively, one out of every three homeless males who is sleeping in a doorway, alley, or box in our cities and rural communities has put on a uniform and served our country ... now they need America to remember them. http://www.nchv.org/background.cfm

I wonder how the current war will affect these statistics.

cielle

· #6 · Apr 12, 2006

I think this source is about equal to Flagger's

Quote:

the Army said that 17 percent (21,880 new soldiers) of its 2005 recruits were admitted under waivers. Put another way, more soldiers than are in an entire infantry division entered the Army in 2005 without meeting normal standards. This use of waivers represents a 42 percent increase since the pre-Iraq year of 2000....

....Equally significant is the Army's currently liberal use of "moral waivers," loosely defined as criminal offenses. Officially, the Pentagon states that most waivers issued on moral grounds are for minor infractions like traffic tickets. Yet documents obtained by Salon show that many of the offenses are more serious and include drunken driving and domestic abuse.

Last year, 37 percent of the Army's waivers (about 8,000 soldiers) were based on moral grounds...As a result, the odds are going up that the soldiers fighting and taking the casualties in Iraq entered the Army with a criminal record.

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/7381

Flagger

Discussion Starter · #7 · Apr 12, 2006

FACTS:

Quote:

But according to a Defense Department document, Who is Volunteering for Today's Military, "Nearly one half of American youth tend to be disqualified [from military service] for health-related reasons, with obesity as the leading cause."

There also is a belief that today's military recruits are somehow less educated or have inherently fewer cognitive abilities than their civilian counterparts. This argument might have been made with a few examples, 25 or 30 years ago: Not in the 21st century, where a young soldier has to be able to effectively operate his rifle, night-vision goggles, a computer, perhaps even a GPS receiver and a satellite phone all while under great physical and emotional stress.

Additionally, between 93 and 95 percent of current recruits have high school diplomas, compared to 75 percent of their civilian counterparts.

cielle

· #8 · Apr 12, 2006

Those numbers are from 1999.

goodcents

· #9 · Apr 12, 2006

6

Quote:

Originally Posted by cielle
Those numbers are from 1999.

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cielle

· #10 · Apr 12, 2006

goodcents, you're ruining my credibility!

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Flagger

Discussion Starter · #11 · Apr 13, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by cielle
Those numbers are from 1999.

Evidence of this? Sorry those are current numbers.

JessicaS

· #12 · Apr 13, 2006

While combat groups are being filled, the problem is that *some* combat groups have such high death rates that the better and more qualified soldiers are pulling all the strings they have to avoid them.

They are being filled, but with less qualified candidates.

Also, that is not an ARTICLE that is a column there is a rather large difference between the two.

Also, the link says "opinion" in it. That means he can say whatever he wants. He isn't required to adhere to facts. So it is not at all clear what the facts are.

He doesn't have to have the "current numbers" (and didn't state that they were current) he can use them from whatever date he wishes..he can use numbers from 1946 if he likes

Also, is he a soldier? If not then, I would rather get information from people who actually know what they are talking about thanks.

~ATenthMuse~

· #13 · Apr 13, 2006

As far as the actual numbers, you can check them by month. Here's the info for March.

Raynbow, the techniques you say you've seen used by your dh, I think have been used for a long, long time... not something they've just started doing recently. My dad was a recruiter and I've known several... heard the same things from each.

As far as waivers go, I don't know about waiving dui's or domestics, but I do know this, I myself had to have one. Reason: I am a high school drop out and I guess one of the people some are so concerned about joining and serving in the military. I won't go all into it, but I dropped out of high school twice. I went into the military years later. Don't judge by the drop out title though. I'm in my second year of college and my GPA is 3.7. Not entirely stupid, I'd say. I can analyze literature and could probably still set up satellite communications and take apart/clean an M16.

Abimommy, the guy was in the Marines. His bio is on a tab at the top of the article.

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JessicaS

· #14 · Apr 13, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by mum2a&a

Abimommy, the guy was in the Marines. His bio is on a tab at the top of the article.

It says he is currently writing a book about pirates, while extremly noble and worthwhile, doesn't necessarily entail that he is serving now.

My brothers in law are soldiers. I am not saying what he is saying is bologna, but that there is more to it than he is saying and more to it than I know.

It isn't so simple.

~ATenthMuse~

· #15 · Apr 13, 2006

Right. He's not. I was just giving you the tip because you seemed to want to know.

cielle

· #16 · Apr 13, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by mum2a&a
Not entirely stupid, I'd say. I can analyze literature and could probably still set up satellite communications and take apart/clean an M16.

I'm afraid I might have misrepresented myself as someone who thinks all soldiers are stupid. I definitely do not think that. I think there are some questionable recruiting practices but that's not the same as thinking all soldiers are dumb.

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~ATenthMuse~

· #17 · Apr 13, 2006

3

Quote:

Originally Posted by cielle
I'm afraid I might have misrepresented myself as someone who thinks all soldiers are stupid. I definitely do not think that. I think there are some questionable recruiting practices but that's not the same as thinking all soldiers are dumb.

Gotcha.

I just hate to have high school drop out equated with stupidity. That's not always the case. I've met people with less than average intelligence in the Army that have bachelor degrees.

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RowansDad

· #18 · Apr 13, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by mum2a&a
As far as the actual numbers, you can check them by month. Here's the info for March..

The problem with DoD's numbers is that the per month quotas were lowered after last year's recruiting failures and that the Army is currently below the number of recruits it had last year at this time:

Army recruiting goal met, lags last year

"The Army met its recruiting goal for March, but lags behind last year's pace as it nears some of the most challenging recruitment months of the year.

"March marked the 10th month in a row that the active-duty Army has met its recruitment goals, aided by an aggressive campaign that includes financial bonuses and a significant increase in the number of recruiters.

"It has recruited 31,369 soldiers since Oct. 1, compared with more than 32,100 as of this time last year. The goal for each year: 80,000."

More here:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/n...ationworld-hed

The Pentagon lowered the monthly quotas because it tired of the monthly "Army missed its quota again" stories.

The good news is that the Army is doing very well in its retention efforts.

Army surpassing year's retention goal by 15%
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washing...s_x.htm?csp=34

However, defense experts are very spooked by growing numbers of officers leaving active serivce:

Young Officers Leaving Army at a High Rate
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/10/wa...gewanted=print

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JessicaS

· #19 · Apr 13, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by RowansDad

The good news is that the Army is doing very well in its retention efforts.

Is that including the soldiers that were stop lossed?

~ATenthMuse~

· #20 · Apr 13, 2006

I'm totally not surprised that that they lowered the quotas. Also, I'd read somewhere about young officers leaving at a high rate.

Even more fascinating than the numbers for active duty, are the stats for the reserves.

I think I know where that guy found his info: http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2...13mythfact.pdf

I have no doubt that they are hard up, the reserves anyway. Right now, I'm receiving 20% disability from the VA, possibly more soon. And yet, I get emails several times a month from my very own career counselor. Most recently and for your amusement:

"I am SFC X, Career Counselor for the United States Army Reserve.
I am writing you to first of all extend my deepest gratitude for your service that you have given to your country. You have served the Army well.
I hope that you are reaping the benefits of your great service.
This would include, but is not limited to educational assistance and military base privileges… Oh, you are not enjoying these benefits?
If not, I would invite you to set aside a few minutes so that I can explain some of the new rewards of renewing your service to your nation.
No, I am not a recruiter.
I am a soldier that has taken on the duty to welcome back our greatest asset… a prior service member. THIS MEANS YOU!!!!!!!.
Thank you for your time and I hope to speak with you soon."

There's so much more. The bonuses are insane, but not as much as I'd have to be...

(If I need to take the email off just let me know

)

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