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The armed forces are struggling to meet recruiting goals, no question. Standards are being lowered, huge cash reenlistment bonuses are being offered, and we're just breaking even. The military is simply papering over problems, and recruiting foreigners to fight for us is another way to make ends meet.

What they need to do is to make the military an attractive place for people to volunteer for. Patriotic young adults are in good supply, but the military is saddled with a lot of PC baggage that makes it unattractive. It's also an increasingly high tech, skill oriented line of work. Why is some guy who can make another $50k in salary on the outside put up with being treated like a chump by his unit? The Army in particular has a horrificly inept HR and finance system. Motivated patriotic people looking for adventure instead find bureaucracy, apathy and incompetence from their organization, and tend to drift away.

Almost every one of the best soldiers I've worked with drifted away, because they felt out of place in the increasingly nanny-like Army. You want skilled, motivated warriors, you need to earn them. You want cheap labor who will put up with incompetent leadership, you need to outsource.

Our recruiting problems are a lot more systemic than the raw numbers indicate. Thats why the generals are exploring other options. They can see the writing on the wall.

Thanks for the clarification. The news reports on recruiting is confusing.

The Army in particular has a horrificly inept HR and finance system. Motivated patriotic people looking for adventure instead find bureaucracy, apathy and incompetence from their organization, and tend to drift away.

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.

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.

Almost every one of the best soldiers I've worked with drifted away, because they felt out of place in the increasingly nanny-like Army. You want skilled, motivated warriors, you need to earn them. You want cheap labor who will put up with incompetent leadership, you need to outsource.

Great post!

Our BN re-enlistmant NCO felt the same way and actually encouraged fence sitters to get out. There was no way in hell that I was going to stay in.