Posted on 06/30/2004 12:22:40 PM PDT by traumer
The US army has moved to recall nearly 6,000 former soldiers to active service to help maintain its force levels in Iraq and Afghanistan. It has played down the move but this is the first sizeable call-up of the kind since the 1991 Gulf War and critics say it amounts to backdoor conscription.
The US has relied on volunteer armed forces since ending the draft three decades ago during the Vietnam War.
It has a pool of 111,000 ex-soldiers in its Individual Ready Reserve.
The BBC's Pentagon correspondent, Nick Childs, reports that the recall is a further sign of the strain on the army and is likely to provoke controversy.
'Nothing new'
There are currently about 140,000 US troops in Iraq, many more than the Pentagon had originally planned for at this stage.
INDIVIDUAL READY RESERVE Currently numbers 111,000 Members have active status but do not train Members are open to call-up for eight years after ending service Most recent mass involuntary call-ups: 1991 and 1968 As members of the IRR, the 5,600 former soldiers now being recalled have retired or otherwise left the military but still have a reserve obligation.
Unlike other reservists, however, they do not train or receive pay unless they are mobilised and probably did not expect ever to have to serve again, our correspondent says.
The US army defended the recall as "nothing new or unusual".
"It's a management tool which we've always had available to augment our forces when we need additional personnel in a time of war," said Lt Col Pamela Hart, an army spokeswoman at the Pentagon.
Unwritten agreement
The development, along with other recent Pentagon moves to stop many current soldiers from retiring, will add ammunition to those critics who say the Bush administration is attempting a backdoor draft.
American soldiers are now deployed across the world Retired Army Col Andrew Bacevich, a Boston University international relations professor, said the recall suggested the army was too small for its current missions.
"These are people who used to be soldiers and no longer are," he was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.
"The informal contract... is that I have volunteered for a certain period of time and once that time is up, then the choice returns to me to decide either to continue my service or to opt out.
"What the Bush administration is doing is just shredding that informal contract."
The national security adviser to the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry said the recall was proof of the Bush administration's failure to enlist foreign support in Iraq.
"The fact is that this involuntary call-up is a direct result of the Bush administration's diplomatic failure to get real international help in Iraq," said Rand Beers.
BBC, the network that has been demonstrated and self admitted policy of lying.
In a way you need troops. If you use more soldiers we can increase (decrease?) the number of rotations.
The local media stated it was primarily a target of people with medical experience.
And I bet MOST of those guys are STILL going to vote for Bush.
No wonder many of them are cying. Imagine the $$$ lost....
***The US army defended the recall as "nothing new or unusual". ****
When I was discharged in 1969 my papers stated that I was still available for call up until 1972. It's normal.
Individual Ready Reserve soldiers are not "former" soldiers. When they enlisted, they signed up for a six year military obligation, three or four years of which was for active duty. When they complete active service, they are "separated" from active service and assigned to the IRR. If I recall, member of the military are not "discharged" until the six year commitment ends.
OKay..!! Where do I go sign back up at..!..?? Gulf War 1, medically retired me from the Navy. BUT.. If someone would let me head back, I'd be there within minutes! Back to my ship..! Back to my engine room and making that ship scoot through the water..!!
And yes.. I bet these people will still vote for Bush!
Yes you are right but they changed it to an eight year commitment
Gee, ya think?
I certainly do. Either reduce the missions or increase the size of the miltary. Say back to what it was on Jan. 20, 1993, when Slick "I loathe the Military" Willie took office. That still represented a good downsizing from when Bush '41 took office.
In addition ... anyone enjoying an Academy education, and some other specialty education programs, remains on IRR for an extended period, something like 30 years from date of graduation.
How do I know? I'm one of them. The detailers still have my SSN and warfare qualfication information. I know this because I talk to them every few months, just in case.
It's not an 'informal contract'. It's a formal contract that these people signed. Quitcha bitchin...
Heck.. I'll volunteer to go- I am 46, former AF reserve- anyone know if they would take me?
I gots lots o' computer skills
Your recollection is spot on.
Wrong. This lie started in the CNN article and has only been dropped in one report since then...in my local paper, the Sierra Vista Herald.
It's proof, alright. Proof of what professioal soldiers have known all along, that the drawdowns of the 90s have hamstrung the ability of the US to respond to two simultaneous Major Regional Conflicts.
Pure hooey. But then, isn't everything he says?
This kind of situation is exactly why we have an Individual Ready Reserve.
Have you ever wanted to slap someone who just ran their mouth off on a constant basis? This is the best the Democrats have to offer? Is Lurch Jim Carville in a Frankenstein costume?
I think I need to take a break before I explode.
"It's normal."
This will be the lead story tonight and it will be stated as a CRISIS!
It is just about time for me to throw my slime box into the dumpster. "I mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore."
"The informal contract... is that I have volunteered for a certain period of time and once that time is up, then the choice returns to me to decide either to continue my service or to opt out.
"What the Bush administration is doing is just shredding that informal contract."
Crap, crap, and more crap. These people are so IGNORANT!!!! There's nothing informal about it; you sign up for eight years, which is a combination of active and inactive duty. These people are subject to recall. Who the heck is their fact checker? (/rant off)
"Yes you are right but they changed it to an eight year commitment."
Thank you. I sit corrected.
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