Big drop in Seattle for Army recruits (Blue state recruiting)

Seattle Times ^ | June 6, 2005 | Nick Perry

[68skylark]

Yeah, I thought about this incident when I read about recruiting in Seattle. Last winter there was an incident at a Seattle college where recruiters were run off campus by a mob throwing debris at them.

Being a recruiter is never easy, but this city sounds really hostile.

[middie]

That's absolutely false...

[Swiss]

What's false about it? As percent of the budget the military spending has been trending downwards for at least a decade while the entitlements have been increasing at a fast pace. Not to hard to realize that military spending is being crowded out.

Name a single major entitlement program that has been cut or reduced? On the other hand the military has been a easy target to help pay for other programs.

As for Social Security the program doesn't go broke until I think 2030 but starting around 2009 or 10 the revenues will no longer support the program and they will have to depend on their treasury bonds to make up the shortfall. When a Treasury bond is redeemed that money has to come from somewhere so the rest of the federal budget will start become affected in only five years from now.

[SwankyC]

Pay me anything above poverty and Im back in.

[Mom of 2 Marines]

"Have they tried the Home Depot parking lots?"

This is my feeling exactly...you have millions of illegals coming to the US who want citizenship. Well, if you want it then put on a uniform and go earn it.

I say any illegal willing to fight for the United States deserves to become a citizen.

[Hank Rearden]

I'm not sure I believe this. Try having someone other than democRats do the counting.

[George Oh Well]

"Look, I am an active duty O-4 pilot in the Navy and I have to say we are way over manned in the Officer and Enlisted Corps. The pentagon is getting rid of as many people as it can in the Navy. Funny how this has not been raised in the media."

The military doesn't need sailors. It needs people to patrol the streets of Iraq. It needs grunts in other words. That's highly dangerous work. That's why recruitment is way down.

The military also needs, desperately needs, information technology scientists. Yet as long as West Point, Annapolis, and Air Force Academy good old boys run the show, those who are never likely to command (like IT scientists for instance), won't get stars. They won't get to the top and they know it, so they leave the military enmasse.

Personally, I believe this nation lost its balls somewhere between 1975 and 9/11. In the waning years of the Vietnam War, after four million people had already died, 86% of US military personnel in-country were still RA (non-draftees), and the majority volunteered for service in the war zone.

[ThreeTracks]

Yeah, I thought about this incident when I read about recruiting in Seattle. Last winter there was an incident at a Seattle college where recruiters were run off campus by a mob throwing debris at them.

The Sgt. 1st Class mentioned in the article was one of the two recruiters attacked on that campus. He's still recruiting in Seattle even now.

- ThreeTracks

[rlmorel]

Thanks for the link, 68skylark, and thanks for your service. I will indeed check it out.

[blaquebyrd]

"I say any illegal willing to fight for the United States deserves to become a citizen.

That's a damn shame. So the greatest country in the world can't produce enough men to defend her? So we out source the security of the country to foreigners? What type of message do you think this sends to the terrorists that our men won't stand and fight. You stated that if illegals want citizenship that they should "put on a uniform and go earn it". You can say the same to home grown Americans.

[Mom of 2 Marines]

I agree it's a damn shame, but the fact is the Army has failed to meet its recruiting goals for four months now and the Marines are facing the same problem. Parents are discouraging their kids from enlisting in these two branches of the military because of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

From what I understand each Army recruiter is required to sign up at least two recruits per month; the top brass have even lowered the quota to help the recruiters out and have upped the ante for college money. The Navy and Air Force are doing fine because your chance of getting killed in Iraq as a sailor or airman is zero to none.

For the record, one of the first casualties in the Iraq war was a young man from Nicaragua who was orphaned at a young age and came to the US (illegally.) He graduated high school and enlisted in the Marines. When he was killed I saw on Fox that he was given US citizenship posthumously.

I have two sons, both of whom are in the Marines. My eldest joined in January of 2003 and my other son in January of this year. I expressed concern to my younger son that he might have to go to Iraq or Afghanistan and he said he knew that when he joined and was prepared for it, so I think my family is doing their part.

The Army and Marines need bodies. You have illegals coming to this country who want to stay. It's like I said before - if you think life in America is great and want to remain here then go fight for your newly-adopted country. Maybe that will get some of them off the welfare, medicaid and food stamps that my tax dollars are paying for.

[RetiredArmy]

God, I hate this John F'ning Kerry state. I cannot wait to get out of the hell hole. Will three years never get over?? Come on Lotto numbers!!! I want out of here!!!

[blaquebyrd]

"The Navy and Air Force are doing fine because your chance of getting killed in Iraq as a sailor or airman is zero to none."

As a retired airman and out of respect for the four airmen that were killed in Iraq last week I take exception to your assertion. I respect your sons service and I wish that more American men would follow in their footsteps.

[Mom of 2 Marines]

Let me clarify...the Air Force and Navy are not having the recruiting problems that the Army and Marines are having because, after seeing the casualty rates in Iraq, there is the perception among young men and women that it's safer to be an airman or sailor.

[TADSLOS]

"They hand out pens, pencils, squeeze-balls and refrigerator magnets," Hagopian said. "They make it seem like some product in the marketplace that's not related to killing."

Easily solved by handing out "invitational ammo" instead that can be used at the range in Basic Training. (Oh, wait, we CAN'T be passin' out ammo or bringing military assault weapons to schools to demonstrate the business of killing.)