US Army seen reaching recruiting goal despite war

ballz2wallz · 08-11-2006, 11:07 AM

US Army seen reaching recruiting goal despite war

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Army, which fell short in recruiting last year, made its 14th straight monthly goal in July and is expected to hit its 2006 target despite the Iraq war making recruiting harder, officials said on Thursday.

it seems the US public isn't as unhappy about the current state of affairs as many have claimed

hsmith · 08-11-2006, 11:08 AM

Can you post the montly recruitment goals prior to 9/11 and now?

motivez · 08-11-2006, 11:14 AM

I'd be interested in seeing those as well

beez · 08-11-2006, 11:16 AM

They've dropped.

ballz2wallz · 08-11-2006, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by hsmith

Can you post the montly recruitment goals prior to 9/11 and now?

i'd be curious to see them too...can't find them.

Thorgrim · 08-11-2006, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

US Army seen reaching recruiting goal despite war

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Army, which fell short in recruiting last year, made its 14th straight monthly goal in July and is expected to hit its 2006 target despite the Iraq war making recruiting harder, officials said on Thursday.

it seems the US public isn't as unhappy about the current state of affairs as many have claimed

yeah they lowered their expectations and added incentives...why do you think neo-nazis and gang members are joining at record numbers?

WickedLou9 · 08-11-2006, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

US Army seen reaching recruiting goal despite war

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Army, which fell short in recruiting last year, made its 14th straight monthly goal in July and is expected to hit its 2006 target despite the Iraq war making recruiting harder, officials said on Thursday.

it seems the US public isn't as unhappy about the current state of affairs as many have claimed

I don't see the connection... ?

People who get recruited do so for lack of other options for the most part. They are genearlly young, poor, uneducated and have a lack of any other real options. To someone who is probably working a menial job with no real hope for advancement, the excitement and opportunity that joining the military can offer is pretty significant.

So with that said, I don't see how army recruitment has anything to do with the general level of support for the ongoing operations in Iraq.

SpicyMcVoodoo · 08-11-2006, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

So with that said, I don't see how army recruitment has anything to do with the general level of support for the ongoing operations in Iraq.

It doesn't have any connection. The only way Iraq affects anything is it may increase the perception that joining the army = death, which makes their incentives seem less attractive. Trying make army recruitment into a referendum on Iraq is retarded.

JaJae · 08-11-2006, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by hsmith

Can you post the montly recruitment goals prior to 9/11 and now?

You'd also have to post the re-enlistment % as well. We're down, but not too bad.

ballz2wallz · 08-11-2006, 01:38 PM

i disagree that people join the military cause 'they have no other choice in life'...there are far too many opportunities in america to be limited to just one thing. if they are really motivated to be something, they will find a way. the military in this case is their choice.

i think it's somewhat of an indication that people are not as disenchanted with the war because, if the general public really was angry, i believe recruitment would be far lower. the fact that there IS a war and that there is potential to be injured or even killed after you join the military is enough to deter any objector, even if their choices in life were limited. thus, i believe people joining the military these days are people who WANT to fight, who WANT to stand up for their country, and who WANT to defend america.

WickedLou9 · 08-11-2006, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

i disagree that people join the military cause 'they have no other choice in life'...there are far too many opportunities in america to be limited to just one thing. if they are really motivated to be something, they will find a way. the military in this case is their choice.

i think it's somewhat of an indication that people are not as disenchanted with the war because, if the general public really was angry, i believe recruitment would be far lower. the fact that there IS a war and that there is potential to be injured or even killed after you join the military is enough to deter any objector, even if their choices in life were limited. thus, i believe people joining the military these days are people who WANT to fight, who WANT to stand up for their country, and who WANT to defend america.

I think you have an overly rose colored view of things

I just don't think that is realisitic. Yes there are some people over there for lofty reasons like freedom and what not, but most of them are there for selfish ones. The military was probbaly the best option for them. I bet it pays far better, especialy with hazard pay, than most other unskilled labor type jobs. It can also pay for an education so that they don't have to do this sort of thing again. And all things considered, there are a few hundred thousand troops over there... the odds of getting killed are relativly low. probbaly similar to the odds of dying or being injured in a car crash.

ballz2wallz · 08-11-2006, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

I think you have an overly rose colored view of things I just don't think that is realisitic. Yes there are some people over there for lofty reasons like freedom and what not, but most of them are there for selfish ones. The military was probbaly the best option for them. I bet it pays far better, especialy with hazard pay, than most other unskilled labor type jobs. It can also pay for an education so that they don't have to do this sort of thing again. And all things considered, there are a few hundred thousand troops over there... the odds of getting killed are relativly low. probbaly similar to the odds of dying or being injured in a car crash.

yeah it pays well during a war. but again, that was their choice to go over there. if they really objected to the war, would they go partake in it if they didn't believe in it? it's hard to think they would..maybe a few, but i hardly think thousands would. maybe KG knows better than i

JaJae · 08-11-2006, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

i disagree that people join the military cause 'they have no other choice in life'...there are far too many opportunities in america to be limited to just one thing. if they are really motivated to be something, they will find a way. the military in this case is their choice.

i think it's somewhat of an indication that people are not as disenchanted with the war because, if the general public really was angry, i believe recruitment would be far lower. the fact that there IS a war and that there is potential to be injured or even killed after you join the military is enough to deter any objector, even if their choices in life were limited. thus, i believe people joining the military these days are people who WANT to fight, who WANT to stand up for their country, and who WANT to defend america.

A lot of people join because they don't know what their options are and don't really have many opportunities available to them.

From my experience a lot of people who join the army are southern white males who aren't eligible for EOP college handouts. The poor white kid in America doesn't really have the opportunities someone else has. The military is the easiest and often the best way to make a sustainable income since they can't afford college.

For many of the people signing up, the military is the best source of income they can find and it's often enough to help their families as well.

SpicyMcVoodoo · 08-11-2006, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

thus, i believe people joining the military these days are people who WANT to fight, who WANT to stand up for their country, and who WANT to defend america.

If you want to defend America, why in the flying fuck would you want to go to Iraq? Is the Iraqi Army going to invade America? The only people you'd be defending if you go to Iraq would be Iraqis who support the American supported government, i.e., our favored side in the civil war.

SpicyMcVoodoo · 08-11-2006, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

i disagree that people join the military cause 'they have no other choice in life'

Of course it's not that they have "no other choice in life"; what a stupid straw man. He said "any other real choice in life." Of course people have many options in this country. It's just that without money and an education, often joining the military is your best option.

Scrum · 08-11-2006, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by SpicyMcVoodoo

If you want to defend America, why in the flying fuck would you want to go to Iraq? Is the Iraqi Army going to invade America? The only people you'd be defending if you go to Iraq would be Iraqis who support the American supported government, i.e., our favored side in the civil war.

Because the administration has convoluted the subject to the point where going to Iraq to help fight their civil war = defending America.

SpicyMcVoodoo · 08-11-2006, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

yeah it pays well during a war. but again, that was their choice to go over there. if they really objected to the war, would they go partake in it if they didn't believe in it?

I think you're giving America's 18 year olds way too much credit. You act as if they've all sat down, researched everything having to do with the war, and concluded that they support America being in Iraq. I bet most cannot even identify where Iraq is on a map before they go. Your theory that recruitment is an indicator of Iraq popularity assumes recruits have actually thought about the war beyond the odds they might get killed in it.

kinggovernor · 08-11-2006, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by JaJae

The military is the easiest and often the best way to make a sustainable income since they can't afford college.

I could work at McDonalds and make more money

kinggovernor · 08-11-2006, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by SpicyMcVoodoo

I think you're giving America's 18 year olds way too much credit. You act as if they've all sat down, researched everything having to do with the war, and concluded that they support America being in Iraq. I bet most cannot even identify where Iraq is on a map before they go. Your theory that recruitment is an indicator of Iraq popularity assumes recruits have actually thought about the war beyond the odds they might get killed in it.

you think that people sign up for the military without thinking about going to war when there are two of them going on right now?

JaJae · 08-11-2006, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by kinggovernor

I could work at McDonalds and make more money

Not from the bottom up. McDonalds is minimum wage. As an E-1 you're making roughly $1300 a month and all bills paid for including housing, utilities, food, education etc or a decent housing allowance.

Even if you're making $10 an hour at McDonalds and you work full time you're only bringing in $1600 a month. That's nothing compared to the health benefits, ability to shop at the PX, housing, utilities, etc.

When you're poor, can't get into or pay for college and aren't really qualified beyond highschool the military looks like a viable option when you're talking money. Let's face it, if the military wasn't a good deal we wouldn't have so many people signing up.