Posted on 12/26/2006 10:03:00 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
WASHINGTON -- The armed forces, already struggling to meet recruiting goals, are considering expanding the number of noncitizens in the ranks -- including disputed proposals to open recruiting stations overseas and putting more immigrants on a faster track to US citizenship if they volunteer -- according to Pentagon officials.
Foreign citizens serving in the US military is a highly charged issue, which could expose the Pentagon to criticism that it is essentially using mercenaries to defend the country. Other analysts voice concern that a large contingent of noncitizens under arms could jeopardize national security or reflect badly on Americans' willingness to serve in uniform.
The idea of signing up foreigners who are seeking US citizenship is gaining traction as a way to address a critical need for the Pentagon, while fully absorbing some of the roughly one million immigrants that enter the United States legally each year.
The proposal to induct more noncitizens, which is still largely on the drawing board, has to clear a number of hurdles. So far, the Pentagon has been quiet about specifics -- including who would be eligible to join, where the recruiting stations would be, and what the minimum standards might involve, including English proficiency. In the meantime, the Pentagon and immigration authorities have expanded a program that accelerates citizenship for legal residents who volunteer for the military.
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
I think Filipinos, Mexicans, and many other nationalities would leap at the chance for U.S. citizenship in exchange for service in the military or a foreign legion. The Philippines and India should be two of our main recruiting targets, as many of the locals speak English already.
"Those N_____s and whiskey swilling Irish scum, seized my property....., I think he was pissed, considering he had a tainted deed from a whiskey swilling Indian.
Since when are they "struggling to meet recruiting goals"? Everything report I've heard in the last few years has said they've met or exceeded recruiting goals every quarter.
A lot of us who volunteered back then, were (at least partially) motivated by the draft.
Draftees did not get choices that volunteers did, as fast as Service entered, service shools, various alternative time-plans (i.e. 2-2-2-2: Res-Active-Res-Inactive Res etc.) or trade offs of total time Active in exchange for immediate service, etc.
Draftees got Hobson's choice, and Hobson was a notoriously capricious Assignments Clerk in the Practical Joke Department.
IOW, there were distinct advantages to volunteering, as opposed to being drafted; and drafting was fairly likely.
I thought the military was meeting recruiting goals with little problem.This quote sourced to Lieutenant Colonel Bryan Hilferty, may explain why they are making their recruiting goals.
That has led Pentagon officials to consider casting a wider net for noncitizens who are already here, said Lieutenant Colonel Bryan Hilferty , an Army spokesman.I wouldn't write this off as slanted journalism. The following quote from the article shows that at least the American Enterprise Institute is looking at it.
"It works as a military idea and it works in the context of American immigration," said Thomas Donnelly , a military scholar at the conservative American Enterprise Institute in Washington and a leading proponent of recruiting more foreigners to serve in the military.
Testify!!! When I was trying to volunteer to stay in the desert (and then, after that didn't work, to return) I ran up against the Army bureaucracy at its worst. Bureaucracies are trained for "normal" situations-war doesn't fit as "normal", but the bureaucracy can't adjust and it causes huge problems.
No way should service in the military become a way to sell citizenship. This certainly can provide a great way to infiltrated our military and our society.
This country won its independence largely at the hands of foreigners. A goodly portion of the officers who trained and led the nascent American army and navy were foreign mercenaries.
Likening the plight of the American republic to the Roman Empire is simply intellectual laziness.
We need to examine the root problem, we have the largest population (by far) we have ever had, we have the smallest military in generations, yet we are absolutely desperate for warm bodies.
The army and marines want to increase their numbers, the army alone wants about 9 additional brigades. We need to find out why our young men (even active duty airmen and sailors losing their jobs) will not serve in our army and marines.
Something is broke in America and we need to decide what it is and fix it. Replacing American GIs with permanent foreign divisions is a mistake.
How did we get to the point where with 300 million people, and a lot of overt, wave flagging patriotism we can't find enough young men to fill our army and marine needs.I'm afraid there's a little too much flag waving and not enough actual patriotism.
I think they'd be great for building border fences/walls....
I think you're spot on with your comments.
I find it especially troubling that we can give the benefits we do to non-military members of the government sector, yet we can't raise the salary of the military to come even close to competing with their civilian counterparts, who in many cases are paid less (in overall benefits) than non-military government equivalents.
Our soldiers are already sacrificing their lives, in many cases their careers and are giving up precious time with their families. They shouldn't have to sacrifice their income as well.
Some better consideration of past career experience in technology (and other) areas, as is done with the medical and legal branches of the military, wouldn't hurt either.
Many of the first "Green Berets" were Poles, Czechs, Romanians, etc that escaped the Iron Curtain, and hated the Soviets with a passion. We welcomed them with open arms for their native language skills, and their knowledge of their former country's customs and terrain. Perfect for behind enemy lines guerrilla warfare.Great point. I'm sure there are a lot of Muslims who are not in favor of the Islamic religious terrorism of this fundamentalist sect. Give them a chance to prove themselves and do something about it.
When I was in the Army (66-67) there were many non-citizens. Many were illegal aliens; many East European; many Hispanics. Historically Hispanics have been over-represented in the military.
The one common thread was anti-communisim. They could have made more money in the private sector, even as illegals. What common thread will motivate them now? Anti-alkaeda-ism? Or will it just be the money?
"A lot of us who volunteered back then, were (at least partially) motivated by the draft."
Kerry has admitted as much, it did steer many men into the navy and air force, but almost 80% of the combat deaths in Vietnam were volunteers, not draftees.
I myself fought a lottery number of 14 for two years, won a permanent deferment and then enlisted in the army.
As usual, the MSM have dug up a longstanding but little known fact, and treated it as some kind of new revelation. This story seems to be based on the author's assumption that most Americans are unaware that citizenship is not a requirement for service in the US armed forces.
In fact, it never has been. The US is one of relatively few major nations that allow foreigners to serve in the regular armed forces on a routine basis. It is a longstanding tradition in US service, dating back to the earliest days of the Republic.
The great Rick Rescorla, hero of Ia Drang Valley and the 9-11 attacks, was not yet a US citizen when he served in Vietnam.
(btw, see my profile)
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