Above: U.S. sailors of the USS Monterey stand next to their vessel in the Black Sea port of Constanta, Romania, Tuesday, June 7, 2011.
Posted on 07/20/2011 12:40:11 PM PDT by montag813
Above: U.S. sailors of the USS Monterey stand next to their vessel in the Black Sea port of Constanta, Romania, Tuesday, June 7, 2011.
Advocates for the "DREAM Act" have relentlessly attempted to sell it to a skeptical public through a variety of rhetorical assertions. One of the 2 main components of the DREAM ACT calls for eligible "Dreamers" to serve in the U.S. military to gain a path to citizenship. Advocates have repeatedly insisted that the DREAM Act is critical to U.S. military "readiness" - that the military needs these "Dreamers" or else we would not have sufficient troops to adequately handle our current and future commitments. This is also the rationale used by some Republicans to sway them towards support of the legislation. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), chief sponsor of the bill, has this to say about the military requirement on his website:
The DREAM Act would benefit the U.S. Armed Forces. Tens of thousands of highly-qualified, well-educated young people would enlist in the Armed Forces if the DREAM Act becomes law. The Defense Department’s FY 2010-12 Strategic Plan includes the DREAM Act as a means to help “shape and maintain a mission-ready All Volunteer Force.” Defense Secretary Gates, who supports the DREAM Act, says it “will result in improved recruitment results and attendant gains in unit manning and military performance.”However the facts do not support Durbin's sales pitch. Because the U.S. Military, it was revealed this week, is cutting back on recruitment, and even reducing staff. Part of this is economic, with proposed defense spending cuts, including the reduction of the Defense budget by 78 billion dollars over the next 5 years. The other reason is reduced future commitments. The largest budget cuts would come after 2015, when an estimated 47,000 troops comprised of the Army and Marines will be anticipating a 2014 pullout from Afghanistan.
The Navy is currently working on what is being called "unprecedented steps" of actually "firing" 3,000 low ranking Petty Officers. In fact, all branches will be reducing their troops:
In August, the Navy will convene a board to review the cases of 16,000 sailors and eliminate 3,000 positions, about 1 percent of the force. Navy officials say the jobs cuts will be based on experience and individual performance records.EXCERPT - READ REST HERE
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Highly qualified, well educated? YGTBFKM.
One the highest qualifications to serve in our military should be US CITIZEN, not some foreign national trying to be a citizen. How do you do a background on someone who snuck across the border? Third world nations are not renowned for their education either...
It's the spolied, entitled, lazy, angry, urban, never-played-on-a-team, video-game-playing, cheeto-eating, Americans who are the worst soldiers until a Drill Sgt whips them into shape or sends them home to mommy.
“truly love this country” ??? Tell ‘em to gets in line!!!!
Um, what? Too many people who also love this country don’t serve. You don’t think serving in the military should bump you to the front of the citizenship line?
Ping!
YGTBFKM -— lol
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