Soldiers would rather go to Iraq then Recruit

In Sundays NYT

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/27/nyregion/27recruit.html?th&emc=th

Physical ailments, mental breakdowns, suicide attempts; all related to failing to meet goal. And, let us keep in mind this is not the fault of civilian leadership. Don't take my word for it, just ask bush, he'll tell you its not his fault.

Edited to correct subject line

From the article:

The Army's recruiters are being challenged with one of the hardest selling jobs the military has asked of them in American history, and many say the demands are taking a toll.

A recruiter in New York said pressure from the Army to meet his recruiting goals during a time of war has given him stomach problems and searing back pain. Suffering from bouts of depression, he said he has considered suicide. Another, in Texas, said he had volunteered many times to go to Iraq rather than face ridicule, rejection and the Army's wrath.

An Army chaplain said he had counseled nearly a dozen recruiters in the past 18 months to help them cope with marital troubles and job-related stress.

"There were a couple of recruiters that felt they were having nervous breakdowns, literally," said Maj. Stephen Nagler, a chaplain who retired in March after serving at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, where the New York City recruiting battalion is based.

more>

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1345204


Overall, retention rates for the 1st ID and 1st AD indicate little problem in keeping soldiers. In the past two years, both divisions have exceeded retention goals.

It is obvious that the Army's rosy scenario reports that recruiting is going just fine are complete bullshit

From the article:

The recruiter in New York who had considered suicide said he has seen at least four marriages break up among the 9 or 10 recruiters in his area since 2002. He said he has been subjected to threats of discharge and "zero-roller training," when superiors comb through recruiters' phone logs and other materials, then lambaste them for failing to enlist anyone.

After more than a decade in the military, he said he still loves the Army. "It's just this detail," he said. "This is hell."

A Texas recruiter - a gruff man whose home is decorated with military commendations - said that he suffers from severe headaches lasting up to six hours. "I never had them until I got out here," he said. "They're from recruiting."

He and other recruiters said they sometimes feel angry enough to hit someone. Two years ago, he said, two recruiters in his office brawled over who should get credit for a new recruit. "We call this the pressure plate, like on a land mine," he said, pointing to the recruiter patch on his uniform. "If you push it too hard, we'll explode."

Damn George Bush. He's ruining people's minds and doesn't give a fuck.
Bush still wants to go to war with Iran and Venezuela so how are they going to do it? My guess? A) Draft (some secret way) B) Something else happen to make people want to join.

Now there's a couple of words fraught with peril!




Hmmm...what's meant by "other changes", I wonder.

Other thoughts...specifying "outstanding criminal cases" would seem to eliminate resolved criminal cases.
It would appear that while you are scrubbed from eligible voter rolls you are still eligible to answer roll call in Baghdad. That needs to be fixed!

"Most months, at least one must have a high school diploma"...I suppose that means some months they're looking for cannon firers and other months cannon fodder.

so called moral standards and qualifying people in boot camp that should be failed. So what you could wind up with is a large part of our military being unqualified, criminals and unable to pull their weight when the chips are down. This will cause even more problems for us abroad because the stress and strain of combat is the last place you want to put people like this. Evidence exists today that even people considered so called highly qualified can't deal with the insane crap of war in a sane manner.

After the war America will suffer because the Army and Marines will want to get rid of these same people. They will reinstitute the old standards as a means of doing this and will dump all these people who are even more screwed now back on our streets and wash their hands of them.

the French Foreign Legion of old...a haven for miscreants and misfits?

Surely they wouldn't want our Army looking French! :eyes:

..first offenders. The Army and a salary, or jail. That used to be a popular tactic before the AVF and the quality floors were imposed. They'll probably also increase their total number of CAT III and IV recruits (dummies, basically).

There has always been a waiver process available for otherwise highly qualified candidates who have a criminal record. Depending on the seriousness of the offense, one can get a waiver at the local level or sometimes the approval has to come from HQ. The smarter you are, the easier it is to get a waiver.

It used to be the number of HS grads had to be greater than 90%, and the non-grads had to do very well on the ASVAB. They're probably recruiting more rocks just to keep the ranks filled out.

I am one of many sailors who avoided recruiting duty like the plague.

Careers are destroyed over 'quota'. People work themselves to death trying to make 'quota'. People are punished for failing to make 'quota'.

But official, 'quota' does not exist.

Do you think that's true or is it more BS from the Pentagon?

the military and Navy or AF recruiter can use the fact that the chances are extremely low of you being on the front lines in Iraq as a selling point. Sounds sick but, it is a reality.

The Air Force and the Navy are looked at as being more technical then the Army. Also, not as much chance of being shot. Largely, both of those services are seen as offering more opportunity for jobs in the civilian sector for those not planning to make it a career.

But Navy recruiting is easier now because the Navy is cutting sailors like crazy. 40,000 sailors fewer in 2004 (I was one of them, thanks George for not honoring my contract), a unknown amount fewer this year. Easy to make your quota if the service is downsizing.

Air Force rarely has recruiting trouble, they just tell everyone they're going to advanced electronics school then flunk them out on the first day and make them cooks/groundkeepers/security.

Also: if you are desperate to serve but don't want to go to Iraq... well, Air Force and Navy doesn't have many units 'in' Iraq. Roadside bombs don't hit ships 10 miles off the coast.

Their DEP pool is full to the brim.

Also, the Army is RECRUITING FROM THE ACTIVE NAVY. It is called the "BLUE TO GREEN" program. A bit fat? Unable to pass that First Class Test? Join the Army, off to Iraq, and you will get promoted--if you live.

I am sure they can ask to go to Iraq to get out of it, but if they are pulling in even half their goal, they're stuck.

i guess most of these guys are career oriented and want to stay in the service. but if it was me and i planned to leave soon and they couldn't court marshall me for not meeting a 'quota' i would just kick back and not worry about it.

But Navy/Marine Corps recruiter is a voluntary assignment. IF you can make/exceed all your quotas for a full tour (3 years, about 2 1/2 years actually as a recruiter) it's a guarenteed promotion to CPO/Gunnery Sgt...
But it breaks as many men as it promotes, and it's not easy.
I spent my two shore duties trying to go to college and staying with my family. I didn't want to spend it working harder than on sea duty for a chance (if I was lucky/good) to get promoted.

No wonder I retired as a PO1 instead of a CPO.

(I wanted to add... Once you volunteer, you can't get out without either failing/screwing up badly OR some kind disaster happening. So, once volunteered, your stuck or screwed.)