Posted on 12/12/2004 10:45:25 AM PST by Racehorse
The Army Reserve is facing what it calls an "extreme" shortage of officers amid Iraq's increasingly violent insurgency, and so far has refused to accept many resignations.
Captains especially are in short supply, and are critical because they lead companies — groups of 100 to 200 soldiers that are the linchpin of combat operations.
The Reserve also is losing entry-level officers, the first and second lieutenants that form the military's cadre of younger officers.
"Obviously we're concerned," Army Reserve spokesman Steve Stromvall said Friday. "The numbers are not that bad right now if you look at it overall, but we want to make sure they stay that way and get better."
The Reserve needs 5,580 company-grade officers — lieutenants and captains — to meet its requirement of 18,700.
While falling short of that goal by about a third, the Reserve also is losing ground with its young officers. Six in every 10 resignation requests come from them, and have gone up dramatically since the war on terrorism began.
[ . . . ]
The Texas Army National Guard is short by 442 officers — two-thirds of them captains, first lieutenants and second lieutenants. Like the Reserve, the Texas Guard can't explain its chronic shortage of company-grade officers. But unlike the National Guard and Army Reserve, the Austin-based Texas Guard has met its recruiting and retention goals.
I remember that captains resigned in droves during Clinton's term.
I wish we were back in the days when young men would lie about their age in order to enlist. What the hell happened to us.
Sounds like they need some field commissions.
Even though he is "Bush The Re-Elected". He would do well to remember the curse of his fathers no new taxes promise. Bush has promised there will be no draft. If he can't attract enough people to the military with it's current pay and benefit package he may be forced to commit the "sins of his father" Doubtless the people serving in our armed forces are patriots in the true sense of the word but there are limits to patriotism. Survival of one's family is one of them. To be a second lieutenant in today's military requires a four degree. The pay one can earn in the civilian world far exceeds that offered by the military and death isn't quite the hazard in the American workplace that it is in Iraq. While not a requirement, those who have attained the grade of captain usually have masters degrees. Anyone care to compare military pay grade O-3 to the salary for some one with an MBA or a masters in computer science or engineering. Little wonder that when wives are forced to get second jobs to keep up the mortgage payments and husbands overseas tours are interminably extended by one stop loss order after another that they seek another employer. IT'S CALLED THE FREE MARKET ( the song take this job and shove it comes to mind )
"Sounds like they need some field commissions."
That is an excellent idea. Let's run that one up the flagpole and see who salutes it. :)
Here are some ideas for retention:
1. Field promotions.
2. Combat pay bonus equal to salary.
3. Zero state or fed tax on spouses incomes.
4. Zero percent $250,000 home loan.
5. Zero percent car financing.
6. Free $750,000 life insurance.
I'll stop here....
I fear that the era of field commissions is dead.
We might as well nurture our own crop of Ghurkas. :)
I'm an easy target when it comes to military pay and benefits. They have never been adequate.
While I am a tremendous supporter of the finest military the Earth has ever seen. I am delighted that the news about the continuing stop loss orders is out there. IT'S CALLED INFORMED CONSENT ! ! ! There's a reason that for generations it's been called "Signing your life away".
Wonder Why? Crap like this:
`Scrounging' for Iraq war puts GIs in jail
Chicago Tribune (via Yahoo news) ^ | 12/12/04 | Aamer Madhani
Posted on 12/12/2004 7:56:15 AM PST by saquin
Six reservists, including two veteran officers who had received Bronze Stars, were court-martialed for what soldiers have been doing as long as there have been wars--scrounging to get what their outfit needed to do its job in Iraq.
Darrell Birt, one of those court-martialed for theft, destruction of Army property and conspiracy to cover up the crimes, had been decorated for his "initiative and courage" for leading his unit's delivery of fuel over the perilous roads of Iraq in the war's first months.
My recruiter promised me OCS and the army just decided it didn't need to give it to me after I signed. I already had a 4 year degree from a top school and off the charts scores. They managed to mess up promised loan repayment benefits too. I did my reserve service enlisted and left as soon as I could. Remember the end of the cold war? They were downsizing, they wanted people to leave. Every bureaucratic snafu just wasn't important to unravel. So now I work for a software company, and the army doesn't have me. Their loss.
"An it tommy this and tommy that, and chuck im out the brute!"
"But its 'savoir of 'is country' when the guns begin to shoot"
"... an its tommy this and tommy that, and anything you please"
"an tommy ain't a blooming fool! You bet that tommy sees."
Moral - treat servicemen like human beings in ordinary times and they will be around when you need them. Treat them like sacks of potatos, and you can play stop loss and incentives and all the rest of it, when it is rather too late.
Kaus and Birt chose to be tried by a military judge rather than a panel that would have included fellow soldiers, and they waived the formal investigation.
Doesn't that make you wonder why they'd make such a choice?
For those interested: Scrounging' for Iraq war puts GIs in jail
Yes. It is.
Moral - treat servicemen like human beings in ordinary times and they will be around when you need them. Treat them like sacks of potatos, and you can play stop loss and incentives and all the rest of it, when it is rather too late.
Retaining junior officers in the Guard and Reserve has always been a problem--even at home. Showing up for drill is only the tiny tip of a very large iceberg. The demands on an officer's time and energy is incredible. For those who know officers who do not match this description and still managed to hang on, wael, I'm sure glad I never had the time or opportunity to meet them.
Great poem. Always did love Kipling.
You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!
I got out during a Marine Corps RIF. Now that I am educated and making money I can't afford to go back. Wife begged me not to go back also. So I support the troops any way I can.
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