The war, military experts said, has scared many young people away

November 18, 2005
Vital Military Jobs Go Unfilled, Study Says
By DAMIEN CAVE
The military is falling far behind in its effort to recruit and re-enlist soldiers for some of the most vital combat positions in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a new government report.

The report, completed by the Government Accountability Office, shows that the Army, National Guard and Marines signed up as few as a third of the Special Forces soldiers, intelligence specialists and translators that they had aimed for over the last year.

Both the Army and the Marines, for instance, fell short of their goals for hiring roadside bomb defusers by about 20 percent in each of the last two years. The Army Reserve, meanwhile, failed to fill about a third of its more than 1,500 intelligence analysts jobs. And in the National Guard, there have been consistent shortages filling positions involving tanks, field artillery and intelligence.

The report found that, in all, the military, which is engaged in the most demanding wartime recruitment effort since the 1970's, had failed to fully staff 41 percent of its array of combat and noncombat specialties.

"I'm not convinced that we can cap the problem," Mr. O'Hanlon said. "I think there's a strong possibility the situation could worsen."

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/18/national/18recruit.html?pagewanted=print

I guess the Vulcans and Neocons thought kids wouldn't realize that dying in a war is going to be hard justify as a growth strategy to gain wealth and power within the ownership society.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

You said it, spanone!

Yo DUH!

is what has scared so many young people away.

:evilgrin:
rocknation

Wow, what a stunning surprise! :sarcasm:

Cheers!

Surely, all the testosterone packing, flag waving, ass kicking bush supporters have taken their sons down to the recruiting office and signed them up right out of high school or even before. In an ultimate display of unity conservatives are giving their flesh and blood to dubya's cause. Unless, of course, I'm wrong. Maybe bush supporters are just cowardly mother fuckers who won't fight and won't let their kids fight for their country.

WTF ?

Sounds like the perfect job for the minutemen or college republican's.

Referred to his troop carrier as "my $3.3 million RPG magnet." I can't believe they actually have a title for roadside bomb defusers. When I was in high school, that was all I dreamed of...heck, it's right in my yearbook. Ambition: Roadside bomb defuser.