On Recruitment/Retention

[Annie]

http://www.mudvillegazette.com/archives/003717.html

October 21, 2005
Recruiting in perspective
Greyhawk

Secretary of the Army Francis J. Harvey, in a letter to the Washington Post:

On Oct. 11 the Defense Department released its recruiting figures for fiscal 2005. Much attention has been given to the Army missing its goal of 80,000 recruits by 6,600. Despite some alarmist rhetoric, the Army is not in a recruiting crisis or considering a draft.

To put this year's shortfall in perspective, the total of 73,400 people recruited is within 2 percent of the average recruitment each year for the past 10 years.

A notable point - that 2 percent figure. Recruiting has been nearly steady-state for a decade over all branches of the military - we recently looked at facts and figures here. While one fact remains undeniable - the Army did fall short of it's raised recruiting goal this year - a corollary is false, that being "because of the war".

Although in fact, one group of recruits was undoubtedly deterred from joining for just that reason - those who enlist solely "for an education" or "for the benefits". No doubt that incentive is still weighed as a major factor by those considering a future in uniform in any branch of service, but 4 years of the war on terror has now eliminated any expectation that such benefit comes at no cost to those who choose it. Having seen much media coverage of those who decided to bolt at the first sound of the guns while admitting their motive for enlisting was only for personal gain, we can assume many such people exist. You can also take my word for it based on personal experience - I've met several over the past two decades. Now of course, they must find other avenues to achieve their goals.

The unappreciated fact is that based on the real numbers, any loss of such potential troops has been offset by a like number of new recruits who are willing to move towards the sound of the guns. I've met several of them over the past two decades too - and many more over the last four years. I prefer their company to that of the other sort.

Theodore Roosevelt:

"It is war-worn Hotspur, spent with hard fighting, he of the many errors and valiant end, over whose memory we love to linger, not over the memory of the young lord who "but for the vile guns would have been a valiant soldier."​

http://www.mudvillegazette.com/archives/003726.html

Ummm, a lot of links:

Should I Stay or Should I Go?
Greyhawk

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that 80% of Utah National Guard troops intend to reenlist - a number similar to retention rates nationwide. Army and Air Guard members have served numerous deployments to the Middle East and elsewhere, and many of the Utah troops surveyed are now preparing for Iraq.

Utah has shouldered more than its share of mobilizations. Shortly after the terrorist attacks on the U.S., Utah led the nation when more than 80 percent of its forces were placed on alert or mobilized. Those early deployments have resulted in Utah Guard members serving more tours than their counterparts nationwide.

Nationally, of the nearly 500,000 Guard and reservists deployed since September 2001, only about 76,600 have been called up twice - and all but 2,200 of them volunteered for a second tour, according to the Pentagon. And nearly one-third of the volunteers - for both Guard and reserves - listed a Utah address.

I'd be remiss in not taking this opportunity to salute Utah Guard member Chief Wiggles - one of the earliest (if not the first) milblogger from Iraq. But as this article makes clear, there are many more like him at home.

And we'll let them explain their motivations - for staying in or getting out - in their own words.

From the 80% staying in:
"Age 55 Guard retirement."
"It's who I am; it's what I do."
"Camaraderie."
"Duty, honor, country."
"Fight the war."
"Full-time job."
"I'm an American and we are at war."
"I actually like my job."
"If not me, who will do it?"
"I love it!"
"It's the right thing to do."
"Lisa."
"Love for my country."
"Loyalty to country and retirement."
"Patriotism and paycheck."
"Protection of U.S. way of life."
"The country needs us."
"USA, brother!"

From the 20% getting out:
"1st Sgts. & platoon leaders."
"Don't care anymore."
"Family."
"Got another job."
"I want to be free."
"Lack of leadership."
"Medical insurance is very bad. They don't pay!!!"
"Nobody can get the pay right. Takes too long to fix."
"Not enough money or bonuses."
"Not worth the risk."
"Tired of higher rank bullheadedness and lower rank slothfulness."

Would anything make you change your mind and re-enlist?
"$50,000."
"A conflict that I believe in."
"Better training. Better leaders. Less inspections."
"Change leadership."
"Dream on!"
"Get rid of the stupids."
"Health benefits for guard members."
"Maybe if they paid me $1,000,000."
"No."
"None."
"Nope."
"If my wife said yes, but that will never happen."
"Promotion and big bonus."
"Reduce the stupidity."
"Retirement - same as full-time soldiers."
"There's not enough paper to list everything."
"Three years for $30,000 signing bonus."
"Truck load of cash."
"Two-rank promotion and a desk job."
"Yes, GI Bill extension, $25,000 re-enlistment bonus."

Time will tell if the stupidity is reduced.

But the best quote of the piece comes from 1Lt Bruce Bishop, a Salt Lake County firefighter and Afghanistan veteran who's currently deployed to Louisiana. I can hear Dave Letterman introducing this one: The number one reason for staying in the Guard is:

..."because as I look around at the state of this nation and see all of the weak little pampered candy-asses that are whining about this or protesting that, I'd be afraid to leave the fate of this nation entirely up to them."​

​

Update: A look at two organizations experiencing varying degrees of success at Iraq war recruiting here.

(Also see a recent discussion on recruiting here.)


Posted by Greyhawk at October 25, 2005 07:07 PM | Trackbacks (11)
Say Anything linked with Here’s To An American Retreat
SusiePie linked with The Quote of the Year
TacJammer linked with Quote of the Day
Reasoned Audacity: Politics in Real Life linked with Why Do They Serve?
MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy linked with Reasons to Enlist / Re-enlist
The Indepundit linked with Why They Serve
Sortapundit linked with Ain't Much More You Can Add to That...
Pirates! Man Your Women! linked with Damn skippy.
Ace of Spades HQ linked with Soldier! Why Did You Reenlist?
EagleSpeak linked with Mudville Gazette puts up the post and quote of the
JamulBlog linked with Quote of the Day

 

[Bullypulpit]

..."because as I look around at the state of this nation and see all of the weak little pampered candy-asses that are whining about this or protesting that, I'd be afraid to leave the fate of this nation entirely up to them."

Actually, I find the more more worrisome prospect to be leaving the fate of the nation up to those who currently hold the reigns of power.