Military meets, exceeds recruiting goals
"They're all idiots! Snookered by Bush!"
Posted on 12/12/2006 2:28:38 PM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - Though Americans are increasingly pessimistic about the war in Iraq, the Pentagon said Tuesday it is having success enlisting new troops. The Navy and Air Force met their recruiting goals last month while the Army and Marine Corps exceeded theirs, the Defense Department announced.
The Army, which is bearing the brunt of the work in Iraq, did the best. It signed up 6,485 new recruits in November compared with its target of 6,150 — meaning 105 percent of its goal.
All the services turned in similar performances in October as well, meaning they so far are meeting their goals for the 2007 budget year that began Oct. 1.
"The services are starting off well," said Maj. Stewart Upton, a Pentagon spokesman.
The progress in recruiting comes as U.S. pessimism over the Iraq campaign mounts, according to a recent AP-Ipsos poll. Some 63 percent of Americans said they don't expect a stable, democratic government to be established in Iraq, up from 54 percent who felt that way in June.
Dissatisfaction with President Bush's handling of Iraq has climbed to an all-time high of 71 percent, according to the AP-Ipsos survey this month. A bipartisan commission last week released its recommendations for a new course and the president held a series of meetings this week to hear from his advisers.
According to figures released Tuesday by the Pentagon, the Navy signed up 2,887 recruits last month, or 100 percent of its goal; Marines signed up 2,095, or 104 percent of its 2,012 target and the Air Force signed up all 1,877 it was seeking.
The Army also met its goal in the 2006 budget year after missing its target in fiscal year 2005 for the first time since 1999. It added recruiters and offered recruits bonuses to help attract more to the service.
The Army has been recruiting about 80,000 people a year, setting differing monthly goals depending on the time of the year.
Though the active services are doing well, recruiting has lagged for the Army Reserve and Navy Reserve, officials said.
The Army Reserve last month signed up 1,888, or just 79 percent of its 2,376 goal and the Navy Reserve signed up 687 recruits, or just 91 percent of its 755 goal.
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On the Net:
Defense Department http://www.defenselink.mil
Friends and students of mine have pictures, videos and souveniers as well as very positive stories about the Iraqi people they have met. To a man, they all said that they would go back. (they were all in combat arms, not REMFs).
If we are going to surge the force, they are going to need to exceed these goals a lot more.
Doubt it. All those going into the Marines and Army have about a 100% chance of going to Iraq. You don't do that for economic reasons alone.
Gee! I didn't hear that from the MSM. Wonder why??? < / sarc
I wonder why indeed!!
</kerry>
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Steel Wolf, when the Associated Press shows you're full of it, it might be time to take a break:
Before shipping off to basic training, recruits must meet physical standards and those 40 and older are given additional medical screenings.
They must undergo the same training exercises as younger recruits.
"A bullet and a bayonet don't discriminate," Shwedo said. "As a result, our training program has to ensure that every soldier is going to be able to outmaneuver, outfight and win on today's battlefield."
As if the grueling physical training is not taxing enough, the older recruits must also deal with barrack-mates whose average age is 21.
"They have the college-aged mind and the high school mind," said Pfc. Caroll Martinez, 42, of Kansas City, Mo. "I'm so beyond that."
Covington agrees -- especially after being called "Grandpa" by his military peers. But he had the last laugh, receiving the highest fitness score of his entire company in basic training.
God bless these patriots! These are times that I once again feel proud to be an American and to know that these heroes are looking after my safety and all American's safety.
US AIR FORCE OATH OF ENLISTMENT
"I, (State your name), swear to sign away 4 years of my life to the UNITED STATES AIR FORCE because I know I couldn't hack it in the Army, because the Marines frighten me, and because I am afraid of water over waist-deep. I swear to sit behind a desk. I also swear not to do any form of real exercise, but promise to defend our bike-riding test as a valid form of exercise. I promise to walk around calling everyone by their first name because I find it amusing to annoy the other services. I will have a better quality of life than those around me and will, at all times, be sure to make them aware of that fact. After completion of "Basic Training", I will be a lean, mean, donut-eating, Lazy-Boy sitting, civilian-wearing-blue-clothes, Chair-borne Ranger. I will believe I am superior to all others and will make an effort to clean the knife before stabbing the next person in the back. I will annoy those around me, and will go home early every day. So Help Me God!"
_____ Signature
_____ Date
US ARMY OATH OF ENLISTMENT
"I, Rambo, swear to sign away 4 years of my mediocre life to the UNITED STATES ARMY because I couldn't score high enough on the ASVAB to get into the Air Force, I'm not tough enough for the Marines, and the Navy won't take me because I can't swim. I will wear camouflage every day and tuck my trousers into my boots because I can't figure out how to use blousing straps. I promise to wear my uniform 24 hours a day even when I have a date. I will continue to tell myself that I am a fierce killing machine because my Drill Sergeant told me I am, despite the fact that the only action I will see is a Court-Martial for sexual harassment. I acknowledge the fact that I will make E-8 in my first year of service, and vow to maintain that it is because I scored perfect on my PT test. After completion of my Sexual.....er.....I mean "Basic Training, " I will attend a different Army school every other month and return knowing less than I did when I left. On my first trip home after Boot Camp, I will walk around like I am cool and propose to my 9th grade sweetheart. I will make my wife stay home because if I let her out she might leave me for a better-looking Air Force guy. Should she leave me twelve times, I will continue to take her back. While at work, I will maintain a look of knowledge while getting absolutely nothing accomplished. I will arrive to work every day at 1000 hrs because of morning PT and leave everyday at 1300 to report back to "COMPANY." I understand that I will undergo no training whatsoever that will help me get a job upon separation, and will end up working construction with my friends from high school. I will brag to everyone about the Army giving me $30, 000 for college, but will be unable to use it because I can't pass a placement exam. So Help Me God!"
_____ Signature
_____ Date
US NAVY OATH OF ENLISTMENT
"I, Top Gun, in lieu of going to prison, swear to sign away 4 years of my life to the UNITED STATES NAVY, because I want to hang out with Marines without actually having to BE one of them, because I thought the Air Force was too "corporate, " because I didn't want to actually live in dirt like the Army, and because I thought, "Hey, I like to swim...why not?" I promise to wear clothes that went out of style in 1976 and to have my name stenciled on the butt of every pair of pants I own. I understand that I will be mistaken for the Good Humor Man during summer, and for Nazi Waffen SS during the winter. I will strive to use a different language than the rest of the English-speaking world, using words like "deck, bulkhead, cover, gee dunk, scuttlebutt, scuttle and head," when I reallymean "floor, wall, hat, candy, water fountain, hole in wall and toilet." I will take great pride in the fact that all Navy acronyms, rank, and insignia, and everything else for that matter, are completely different from the other services and make absolutely no sense whatsoever. I will muster, whatever that is, at 0700 every morning unless I am buddy-buddy with the Chief, in which case I will show up around 0930. I vow to hone my coffee cup-handling skills to the point that I can stand up in a kayak being tossed around in a typhoon, and still not spill a drop. I consent to being promoted and subsequently busted at least twice per fiscal year. I realize that, once selected for Chief, I am required to submit myself to the sick, and quite possibly illegal, whims of my newfound "colleagues." So Help Me Neptune!"
______ Signature
______ Date
US MARINE CORPS OATH OF ENLISTMENT
"I, (make up a name the police won't recognize), swear..uhhhh ....high-and-tight....grunt...cammies....kill....fix bayonets....charge....slash ....dig....burn....blowup....ugh...Air Force women....beer.....sailors' wives..... air strikes....yes SIR!....whiskey....liberty call....salute....Ooorah Gunny.... grenades...women....OORAH! So Help Me Chesty PULLER!"
X____ Thumb Print
XX _________ Teeth Marks
Not possible. The Democrats are in charge now. We live in a utopia.
Don't get my hopes up like that ..
Lighten up, Francis. I got that from an old Army buddy of mine.
The headline is fine. As the article explains, some branches met recruiting goals, others exceeded them.
And speaking of "sick," Drama Queen, I am SICK of people invoking Christ whenever they're momentarily annoyed.
Thanks for clarifying your intent and my name ain't Francis. It's good to hear that your intent wasn't to bash our troops, maybe a little note to indicate that would help, but I've been around a couple years and long enough to hear the scum bag trolls that do.
But...but...Jon Cary says that only those with no other options enlist in the military.
You know...those who didn't study, etc.
Surely Jonn Keri would know.
He served in Vietnam, you know! (/sarcasm).
Congratulations on your wise decision and thank you for your service.
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