US Army recruiting problems

Link

 

nine weeks and off to iraq?? what happened to their phase 2?

 

You have to consider the sources used for one thing.

"Veterans for Peace" - Is a Heavily Leftist Organization of the disaffected. Some of their "Veterans" have expanded the truth at times of their Service.

IVAW is a Typical offshoot Organization infamous for "Ranger" Jesse Macbeth and Numerous other fraudulent Veterans.

Jane Fonda, of NVA Propaganda photo fame is a supporter. Thats telling for anyone who understands what her actions did for Morale to those Serving in the US forces in Vietnam.

When they mention the statistic that 2/3's of G.I.'s do not get any College Money, there are numerous reasons why- Not all are the US Army's fault.

I have watched Soldiers sign up for schools and then when it cuts into their Free time, decide to walk away from continuing their education. Last Year I watched as 7 NCO's took a Distance Learning term every Tuesday & Thursday at the Armory. After 3 months time, only 1 still was producing schoolwork, and He did finish.

Field Training, Deployment, Familiy, Friends all pull on the G.I.'s time


Now, the Obligatory Brains leaking onto Boots quote.....

If she's working as a Mortuary Affairs Specialist(Fancy New speak for Graves Registration) that comes with the job, dealing with the dead, especially in a war. I'm sure those of you who have served Operationally have seen far worse, I have images I'll never forget. But then I knew I wasnt joining a knitting circle back in 1981.

As to educational standards being lowered, thats true. However, the USA's Most decorated Servicemember in WW2 never got past the 5th grade-Audie Leon Murphy. I Myself was a Non Regents Diploma Recruit with a New York State GED(General Equivalency Diploma, I wasnt Stupid, but a lazy 17 year old bored with public schools which didnt encourage academic achievement in My Area of NYC). My testing scores were high enough to be offered a slot at the USMA Prepatory school, Ft. Monmouth(I declined).

I was a Field Artillery Surveyor (MOS: 82C10)bored out of my skull, and volunteered for Infantry training as it was more exciting to me than the T-16 Theodolite of the Survey Section. Having a Father who served, Grandfathers who served, Great Grandfathers in the Irish Brigade of the American Civil War, I was under No Illusions about the Infantry being a Dirty, unromantic Life.

Now the Bullsh_t about the recruiter being sent to fight if he cant make quota is total Shite. If a recruiter cant make quotas, he may recieve Less than stellar NCO Ratings, May be passed over for Promotional consideration, even transferred to another district. But the writers fiction of "Sorry here's your gun- get on the Plane" is cheap fantasy for those wouldnt know how the US Army works.

As to why a Young Man joins, Yes, you usually find a range of reasons from Patriotism to Adventure to needing a Job, or hoping to learn a marketable skill for later Civilian life.




9 Weeks and off to Iraq is Bullsh_t though.

Army Basic Training is 9 weeks long as is, then the Soldier goes off to Advanced Individual Training(AIT) for whatever skillset he has enlisted for. They can be 3 weeks or 5 months and longer.

 

thanks for the info
i thought some things didnt add up

so how long is AIT for an infantryman?

 

https://www.benning.army.mil/198th/

OSUT(One Station Unit Training for Infantry (11B) is 14 weeks long, but that Combines Basic & AIT together. Reserve Infantry School is 2-3 weeks long dependent on Location. A Trainee coming from another Base(say Ft. Sill, OK) would fall in with the Infantry trainees at week 11.

Camp Ethan Allen in Vermont runs a Infantry Reclassification course that pushes the Soldier Physically with its Mountainous terrain and Foot Marches with Full Body Armor, Rucksack and Rifle or Machinegun. (they also run the Army's Mountain Leader Course). The 10th Mountain Division is a Mountain unit in name only, keeping it for tradition, not employment. The VT. National Guard does have a Mountain Trained Unit- the 3rd Bn,172nd Infantry

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/3-172in.htm

 

hardly news more like propaganda...

 

And Bad at that, they didnt update their 60's propaganda doctrine

 

The bonuses paid to my mate to re-enlist in the Army Reserve, were significant enough to allow him to pay a hefty down payment on a house.
Several local National Guard and Army Reserve units, I have contacts with, have no issue recruiting the numbers and quality of personnel they seek.
So ina pretty unscientific way, my information says to the answer "is it worth it", the answer seems to be a resounding "Yes"

As to Training, it has been mentioned that after "Basic", there is AIT. So no one is in the army 9 weeks and then straight off to Iraq...

On a generic note, it is my experience, that American soldiers have less time spent on their personal training, than was/ is the case in the British Army.
I personally put this down to an American doctrine that places its emphasis more heavily on the whole army as a system matched against its opponents. As opposed to the British Army that seems to place a greater premium on the individual soldier's capability.

 

Hmmmmm, 4000 plus KIA since 2002, and 6570 suicides each year.

 

yeah that did sound compete nonsense
i have heard that the regular US army are undertrained tho
seems like theres a real gap between army and USMC

 

Nice post.

 

wait, is the starting pay actually $400 a month?? or is that a lie?

 

It's either a lie or a misprint, I'd guess at a lie though!

http://www.goarmy.com/benefits/money_basic_pay.jsp?bl=Careers+%26+Jobs

 

haha i was on that exact page looking it up
that article is complete bull

 

Actually for the first 4 months the pay is $1,294.50 per month. This is for a recruit without eligibility for bonuses. Bonuses can be for a needed civilian skill, education past high school (Uni degree bonus is $8000 per year) Also, recruits are housed, fed and clothed by the Army. When they are allowed to live off post they get additional allowances for food and housing that vary with the cost of the area. Soldiers who must work in civilian clothes also receive a civilain clothing allowance in addition to uniform allowance. Of course if a kid walks into recruiting and already is fluent in certain foreign languages there is a large recruiting bonus.