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DCRunningDiva
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 Posted: 05/13/05 - 20:47 Post subject: Military Recruiting
Apparently we are having a hard time getting new recruits for both the Army and the Marines these days. The Army has been offering numerous incentives such as $20K sign on bonus, 15 months of service and then 2 years in the guard or reserves, etc. People aren't being baited. So, my questions are 1) what is it going to take to get new recruits? and 2) do you think that some of this lack of interest is due to today's generation of kids really having no true patriotism?
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camelia bedelia
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Posted: 05/13/05 - 21:11 Post subject:
Don't you think it has something to do with the fact that we are at war and joining the service could mean getting killed? To judge whether or not it is because of a lack of patriotism in this generation, you would have to compare recruitment rates from now, to other war times. It is a lot easier to be a "patriot" in peace time.
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andydp
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Posted: 05/13/05 - 21:38 Post subject:
I agree with the previous posting - its hard to get people to volunteer to go into "harm's way".
I did my time for 28 years beginning when Vietnam was in full swing (1972). I stayed in and enjoyed the pay and benefits but... I KNEW if the baloon went up I'd have to earn my money the hard way.
Recruiters have a tendency to gloss over the REAL stuff and talk about the bennies. If you tune in the TV you'll see what REAL stuff soldiers and Marines do.
I think today's generation is probably more patriotic than mine. Except for a few notable ones, many of this current generation are going back for the second or third time. I still cannot forgive some of my contemporaries for their attitudes back in the 60's and 70's.
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copteacher
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Posted: 05/14/05 - 05:47 Post subject:
I think there are too many options too for younger people. Many people do not want to put their life on hold for 4 + years to go to college to go in the military.
Also if the economy tends to be good the military has trouble meeting their quotas.
Not everyone fights too, you can join and sign a contract for a support position. The only branch that consistently gets into it is the marines, the USAF and the USN have very few front line troops and rely more on their support troops.
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camelia bedelia
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Posted: 05/14/05 - 08:57 Post subject: Re: Military Recruiting
| rtpd113 wrote: |
on topic please |
I posted under the wrong log-in Joe,. but then I couldn't delete the post. I guess I assumed that was obvious.
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copteacher
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Posted: 05/14/05 - 09:32 Post subject: Re: Military Recruiting
| camelia bedelia wrote: |
I posted under the wrong log-in Joe,. but then I couldn't delete the post. I guess I assumed that was obvious. |
okay, I will correct it.
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Noley
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Posted: 05/14/05 - 13:55 Post subject: Re: Military Recruiting
| DCRunningDiva wrote: | | Quote: | | 1) what is it going to take to get new recruits? and |
What is it going to take? Perhaps the guarantee that there's an end point to our military invasions and interventions to help other countries.
I think that our country being at war probably plays a big role in this. How could a young man or woman not see this and not be apprehensive about signing any papers right now.
I'm sure seeing reports of our men/women getting killed in the line of duty is not going to get kids to sign up easily.
| Quote: | | 2) do you think that some of this lack of interest is due to today's generation of kids really having no true patriotism? |
I think they're patriotic, but don't want to look at what they'd be facing if they did sign up. Let's face it, who at 18 wants to sign a dotted line to take them to a different country and perhaps face death? Plus, they're not seeing an ending point to it all right now. I know I would not have joined the military right out of HS if our country was in the state as it is now. No way.
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runaroundsue
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Posted: 05/14/05 - 16:27 Post subject:
| camelia bedelia wrote: | | Don't you think it has something to do with the fact that we are at war and joining the service could mean getting killed? To judge whether or not it is because of a lack of patriotism in this generation, you would have to compare recruitment rates from now, to other war times. It is a lot easier to be a "patriot" in peace time. |
Not to mention that with this war, we actually saw reservists replacing the actives IN Iraq, not the actives in nearby areas going to Iraq and reservist taking over their posts in foreign countries and homebases. Reservists are weighing if the second paycheck is worth their "life" versus worth their life being unsettled.
Another thing is that many specialists HAD to remain active beyond their committments because of Stop/Loss program. They can say that they will offer $20k for 4 years committment and then change their minds and you're in for 6. They own you. I would think that RTPD's support position probably gets a little "iffy" in time of war also. Believe me we were freaking when hubby was sent to Seattle WA to learn emergency transport when he had already signed his separation papers. We didn't stop holding our breaths until we were in the UHaul heading north because we were seeing physicians' contracts being "extended".
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Sahara
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Posted: 05/14/05 - 18:00 Post subject: Re: Military Recruiting
| Quote: | | 1) what is it going to take to get new recruits? |
A pull-out date for Iraq and Afghanistran... or for a short-term boost in enlistment, capturing Osama Bin Laden with full-court propaganda/coverage from our media and government .
| Quote: | | 2) do you think that some of this lack of interest is due to today's generation of kids really having no true patriotism? |
I think the lack of interest is more a lack of confidence in the current administration's plan for the war. BUT, those who have confidence in the administration in general are signing up. My nephew is case in point. He is in his third year of enlistment; he is very patriotic and wanted to serve his country. He comes from a military family who is very right-conservative. He's not sure if he wants to re-up because of bureaucracy and because of lack of quality peers. I gently try to guide him to alternatives.
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Pug
The Movie Geek
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Posted: 05/15/05 - 12:20 Post subject:
I do think that quite a bit of the problem in getting recruits is the fact that we are in a war and that we are so separated from Sept 11. I imagine the amount of recruits went up right after we were attacked, but now we seem to be mired in a long war that is not entirely popular within this country.
On the other hand, if we were in peace time a 20k signing bonus would be very, very tempting. That said, I'm married. Enlilstment right now would be a scary proposition just in regards to family. I'd have to be drafted. I'm not sure what my odds would be if a draft was reinstated.
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Gogirlgo
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Posted: 05/16/05 - 11:35 Post subject:
Or it could be indicative of how people who might otherwise sign up don't have a lot of faith in this administration's leadership right now.
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robp
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Posted: 05/16/05 - 12:04 Post subject:
I doubt seriously if the majority of 18-19 yr olds who are signing/not signing up for the military have a real good grasp on whether they have faith in the current administration. Very few kids in that age group follow politics closely. My bet would be that since there are a decent amount of options available to high school grads the military doesn't look quite as enticing when there is a war going on.
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copteacher
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Posted: 05/16/05 - 14:35 Post subject:
| Gogirlgo wrote: | | Or it could be indicative of how people who might otherwise sign up don't have a lot of faith in this administration's leadership right now. |
that statement is as inidicative as people volunteering for the peace corps or missionairies. No basis whatsoever.
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Gogirlgo
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Posted: 05/16/05 - 15:54 Post subject:
| rtpd113 wrote: |
that statement is as inidicative as people volunteering for the peace corps or missionairies. No basis whatsoever. |
Plenty of basis. Look at the recruitment numbers. Do you know how hard it is to get into the Peace Corps? I'm just throwing out a possible explanation. Unlike Rob, I know plenty of 19 year olds who are extremely knowledgeable about the politics of this war, but he may be right in that people who would be applying in the first place may not be.
However, the fact that you don't agree with my hypothesis doesn't make it baseless.
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Pug
The Movie Geek
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Posted: 05/16/05 - 16:03 Post subject:
| Gogirlgo wrote: |
Plenty of basis. Look at the recruitment numbers. Do you know how hard it is to get into the Peace Corps? I'm just throwing out a possible explanation. Unlike Rob, I know plenty of 19 year olds who are extremely knowledgeable about the politics of this war, but he may be right in that people who would be applying in the first place may not be.
However, the fact that you don't agree with my hypothesis doesn't make it baseless. |
Semi-related: I did look into the Peace Corps when I was graduating from college. Tough, rigid standards. You almost have to be planning on the Peace Corps by your sophomore year or you won't have the requisite experience to be able to go when you graduate.
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