Upping the Age For Reserves

[Annie]

Which brings me to my own 8th grade class today. We are studying WWII. While discussing preparedness, rather lack thereof, we were talking of current times. Question from the teacher, , "How many would consider joining the military from high school or college"? 8 out of 24, 2 girls. "How many would like to hear about opportunities from the military"? 15 out of 24. "How many think there may be a draft within 5 years"? 24 out of 24. "How many would serve willingly if there were a draft"? 24 of 24. "Females are not drafted. How many women would volunteer if a draft were instituted"? 4 out of 10.

Something to think about.


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1896&e=2&u=/nm/20050321/us_nm/iraq_usa_recruiting_dc

Army Raises Enlistment Age for Reservists to 39

Mon Mar 21, 2:26 PM ET U.S. National - Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Army, stung by recruiting shortfalls caused by the Iraq (news - web sites) war, has raised the maximum age for new recruits for the part-time Army Reserve and National Guard by five years to 39, officials said on Monday.

The Army said the move, a three-year experiment, will add about 22 million people to the pool of those eligible to serve, from about 60 million now. Physical standards will not be relaxed for older recruits, who the Army said were valued for their maturity and patriotism.

The Pentagon (news - web sites) has relied heavily on part-time Army Reserve and Army National Guard soldiers summoned from civilian life to maintain troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan (news - web sites). Roughly 45 percent of U.S. troops currently deployed for those wars are reservists.

At home, the all-volunteer Army has labored to coax potential recruits to volunteer for the Guard and Reserve as well as for active-duty, and to persuade current soldiers to re-enlist when their volunteer commitment ends.