gotcha Jeff. The bottom line is if we need more then we'll recruit more. There''s plenty of young people that are willing and mostly able to defend our nation. IF we have to fight multiple fronts then yeah I can see where it's possible to run short on some long drawn out engaments but this is all just speculation and rumors.
AS of now, our military is in fine form and without a doubt the finest collection of talented young people in the world. DONT short change them, their ready,able and trained to do their part. Next time you come across one, THANK THEM!

Semper Fi :salute:

Wow, you busted me. You're just too smart for any of us here. Yet, here you are after you get banned time and time and time again........ [/b][/quote]
Yeah, peaches. Just too smart for you. But that is a slam dunk. LMFAO

Isn't that attitude what got us to where we are today? If we walk away from Afghanistan before we build a truly stable central government, we will have failed.

I don't think quaqmyre fits the situation in Afghanistan, but I think declaring victory at this point calls for a carrier landing in a flight suit. It would not suprise me to see more troops deployed to Afghanistan in the next year. [/b][/quote]
America has only built one truly stable government in its history as far as I know. A whole lot of verbage, and no real action.

Hands up all the armchair generals on this board that would enlist. And if you would, why haven't you? Its easy to send your neighbours sons and daughters off to war and avoid it yourself. Ask the Bush family for instructions.

Hands up all the armchair generals on this board that would enlist. And if you would, why haven't you? Its easy to send your neighbours sons and daughters off to war and avoid it yourself. Ask the Bush family for instructions. [/b][/quote]
been there, we'll talk after you finish bootcamp : ))


SemperFi :salute:

been there, we'll talk after you finish bootcamp : ))


SemperFi :salute: [/b][/quote]
Past history. Nothing to do with the question.

Thought this was an appropriate place for this link

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/02/06/troops/index.html

I read that article too. I would have put it in an Iran thread. The interesting part to me was the following:

<!--QuoteBegin-Rumsfeld

If a second war front should open, "it might take somewhat longer, it might be done in a slightly different way, but the estimates I get are that, basically, we're capable of performing the tasks that the president has assigned," Rumsfeld said. [/quote]

I should let you guys read all the posts from the people who are TRYING to get into the military but can't because they have bad credit, they have juvenille felonies or adult misdemeanors, childhood asthma, previously broke a bone, they have a GED and not a diploma, etc. Even if you have a child you have to get a waiver and if you're a single parent, you don't get in at all unless you legally assign custody to someone else.

Just lessening some of the requirements would assure more people in the military with zero reason for a draft.

Of course, congress hasn't approved to expand the military and they are, in fact, making the AF and Navy smaller, so it's really a moot point.

I think the Secretary of Defense has a little bit more information, and his saying that recruitment is below what they expected carries a little more weight than a message board.

Unless we are attacked again, opening additional fronts WILL casue further decrease in recruitment, and WILL eventually lead to a draft. (Unless of course we start leveling entire countries)

I think the Secretary of Defense has a little bit more information, and his saying that recruitment is below what they expected carries a little more weight than a message board.

Unless we are attacked again, opening additional fronts WILL casue further decrease in recruitment, and WILL eventually lead to a draft. (Unless of course we start leveling entire countries) [/b][/quote]
Again, if they lessoned the standards, recruitment would be fine. Also note that he was talking about the guard and reserves, not full time military :awinky: The marines are the only ones that aren't reaching goals and so far that was only for the month of Jan. AF has had their troops reduced 20K by congress and the Navy by 15K. Right now if you fail a class in the AF, you are out. It used to be they would retrain you into another specialty.

The guard and reserves are losing recruits because people are realizing they might actually have to serve instead of doing drills 2 days a month, 2 weeks a year and getting a paycheck and decent benefits for, as my friend in the guard says "Playing Army". It was a great part time job until there was a war.

"Hero dies once, coward dies every day"

Just lowering the standards is not the answer. For example, of the things that peaches listed (they have bad credit, they have juvenille felonies or adult misdemeanors, childhood asthma, previously broke a bone, they have a GED and not a diploma) all of the non-medical requirements are there for a damned good reason - people with those in their background are far more likely to fail to make it through boot camp or a first enlistment.

BTW ... the 3% blip for the Marines doesn't concern me much. The problems for the Army National Guard is far more significant.

Uh, who do you think we're going to get if the draft is activated?

yeah, agreed

Uh, who do you think we're going to get if the draft is activated? [/b][/quote]
Peaches,

I don't think we're going to end up with conscription.

Decreasing the standards is not the answer. They are going to have to do what any employer does when faced with an employee recruiting problems.

Peaches,

I don't think we're going to end up with conscription.

Decreasing the standards is not the answer. They are going to have to do what any employer does when faced with an employee recruiting problems. [/b][/quote]
I'll take "Better Pay and Working conditions"

Of course it would make me happier if the cut down on the "need" for more military. You know, maybe use them in the context for which they were form - protecting the United States - instead of whatever the fuck we are doing in the middle east.

No I don't know what they are doing over there, but I do know what they are NOT doing

They are not finding WMD's
They are not fighting terrorist's

And based on Iraq's leaning towards voting in an Ayhatollah (sp) - I looks like they are not doing much of a job at spreading western democracy either.

Well, they're giving good bonuses, so I'm sure that will help. Up to $150K for certain special ops reupping for 6 years.

Mine got a $8K bonus for 4 years and right now his AFSC is giving over $20K for re-enlistment.

It's hard to say they aren't getting much now. We figured out that with his pay, free housing, free food, free medical/dental care, free gym/pool/golf facilities, discounts at the BX and commissary, low cost life insurance etc. He's making about $43K a year. That doesn't include the free education while he's in and the $25K or so for the MGIB. Nor does it include the COLA he'll be getting for Japan and the above mentioned bonuses. No, it's not a lot, but for an uneducated 21 year old, he could do worse. It certainly pays more than first year police and firemen.

Edited to add - my point was that they would decrease the standards before conscription crosses their minds :)

Don't make me get all hostile with you. I'm hoping for a draft...I wanna see the neocon's kids splattered all over the street so the democracy they install can elect even more Iranian Mullah's and tell them their kids died for nothing - reality only works for some people when it touches them.

I wanna see a real draft - this isn't vietnam..the guys in the navy and airforce now aren't in the trenches...back then, you navy guys were in the middle of the shit...neck deep...and you guys earned respect - today those kids are looking for an easy way out - some occupational training. Let's drag some of those flag waving shit machines to the front lines - put em' with the marines/army...let them face what real soldiers deal with and see how people react then when they come back in body bags.

Almost 2K kids have died for these free people to vote for an Islamic theocracy. Congrats...we’re spreading fundamental Islam.

Bin Laden is owning Wolfowitz and Rumsfeld.