[Salvavida]

A lot of that could be stopped by them having so many babies at the E1-E3 ranks. The military has turned into Job Corps. It has become a jobs program.

I couldn't help but notice the single moms toting M-16s that looked longer than they were in Afghanistan. They looked ridiculous. They didn't even look like soldiers.

The Polish on the other hand, looked very much the part of professional soldiers. Because they are.

[elcid1970]

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, E-1 to E-4 did not marry & could be Section 8 discharged for having kids out of wedlock. Junior enlisteds required the commander’s permission to marry, & only with the recommendation of the first sergeant.

Does the Army still require `command sponsorship’ of enlisted family members for the SM to draw quarters allowance & higher subsistence?

They need to keep the commissaries open. It’s part of a soldier’s pay. Average DeCA market basket is 30% less than civilian stores.

Anyway, soldiers on food stamps is a crying shame, IMO.

[Jacquerie]

I couldn't agree more. I forget the name of the Marine Commandant in the mid-80s who wanted to restrict marriage to E-5 and above. The femi-nazis, lead by Patsy Schroeder (Rat-CO) had a fit. Without congressional support, he had to back off. The fact is, our young enlisted are the best compensated high school grads in the nation.