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West Point grads leaving U.S. Army
upi ^

Posted on 04/12/2007 8:59:57 PM PDT by PAUL REVERE TODAY

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To: WPGrad04

Good post.


161 posted on 04/15/2007 5:10:49 PM PDT by USMA83
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To: Arioch7

The same thing that is on everyone elses mind. If someone goes to west Point at age 18, by the time their commitment is up they would be 27. People change change drastically during those nine years.


162 posted on 04/15/2007 5:44:42 PM PDT by WPGrad04
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To: WPGrad04
Fair enough.

Arioch7

163 posted on 04/15/2007 5:57:27 PM PDT by Arioch7
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To: ronnie raygun
LOL! Cage liner.

Arioch7.

164 posted on 04/15/2007 6:08:50 PM PDT by Arioch7
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To: balch3
Great point. These were all Clinton appointees. The Army is better off without them. No doubt the ones who came in under our President will reverse the trend.

The sheer ignorance of your comment is overwhelming! It is obvious that you know nothing about the Academy or its admission process. Get educated before you make such moronic statements. Much as I hate Bill Clinton, he had nothing to do with the selection of cadets at West Point. Additionally, if you think those kids don't earn every penny's worth of their education - while at West Point and later in the active Army - you are sadly mistaken. Get a clue before making such stupid statements.

165 posted on 04/15/2007 6:50:26 PM PDT by USMA '71
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To: WPGrad04

Actually, pretty much what I said.
Welcome to FR.


166 posted on 04/15/2007 7:32:08 PM PDT by Tulsa Ramjet ("If not now, when?" "Because it's judgment that defeats us.")
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To: wtc911

It doesn’t demean every USMA grad of that time period; it demeans the wankers who are bailing out now.


167 posted on 04/15/2007 11:16:20 PM PDT by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
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To: mad_as_he$$
Hey Allegra how is everything?

Got a shipment to Baghdad - anything I can add for you?

Hi mad! It's pretty quiet in Baggy-ville today. I appreciate your very sweet offer and if I think of anything, I'll contact you.

Maybe one of those snazzy Mercedes convertibles? Armored, of course. ;-)

168 posted on 04/16/2007 5:08:59 AM PDT by Allegra (Hey! Quiet Down Out There!)
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To: DuncanWaring

Whom are you kidding? Not me.


169 posted on 04/16/2007 5:09:06 AM PDT by wtc911 ("How you gonna get back down that hill?")
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To: Allegra
Ok but the gas mileage stinks!!!! Seriously let me know if there is anything I can send.
170 posted on 04/16/2007 5:20:03 AM PDT by mad_as_he$$ (The road is long and the path is difficult, the reward is worth it.)
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To: wtc911

Well then thank you for gracing us with your brilliance.


171 posted on 04/16/2007 6:20:14 AM PDT by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
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To: jude24
!!!!

Power to the people, comrade!

Brilliant letters to the editor today in reaction to that story. For example:

The motivations of West Point grads

April 16, 2007

BRYAN BENDER'S April 11 front-page story, "West Point grads exit service at a high rate," is a blatant example of advocacy journalism in its most destructive form. He claims that relatively low retention rates at the end of the service commitment period for recent graduates indicates to "many military specialists that repeated tours in Iraq are prematurely driving out some of the Army's top young officers."

Although Bender offers statistics to prove that current retention rates are low, nowhere does he offer similar material to support his claim that one military specialist, let alone many, believes rates are low because of repeated tours of duty in Iraq.

In fact, the only support Bender offers comes deep into his story, and not from a person identified as a military specialist, but a senator from Rhode Island, Jack Reed. I mean no disrespect to Senator Reed, a retired Army captain and West Point graduate, but his claim is anecdotal at best.

Why would Bender use statistics to prove the first part of his claim and not the second and more important part of it? Bender and the Globe would do well to remember that correlation does not imply causation.

ROBERT POTHIER
Bradford

The writer is a member of US Naval Academy's class of 1992.

172 posted on 04/16/2007 6:25:14 AM PDT by Hemingway's Ghost (Spirit of '75)
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To: PAUL REVERE TODAY

If they want to go to West Point, make it a 6 to 8 year commitment. I’d like to see the numbers on how many female officers opted out after the initial 5 years.


173 posted on 04/16/2007 6:28:38 AM PDT by KenmcG414
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To: Arioch7
I liked Radix's post but if someone goes to West Point and doesn't want to make the Army a career, what the hell is in their minds?

Any number of things. The service requirement is five years, not a lifetime.

174 posted on 04/16/2007 6:29:51 AM PDT by Hemingway's Ghost (Spirit of '75)
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To: DuncanWaring

Anytime.


175 posted on 04/16/2007 6:35:13 AM PDT by wtc911 ("How you gonna get back down that hill?")
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To: O6ret
The vast majority of those who leave are washed out. It's not voluntary.

Back in my day, most who left after two years left voluntarily.

176 posted on 04/16/2007 6:37:31 AM PDT by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
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To: DuncanWaring
It doesn’t demean every USMA grad of that time period; it demeans the wankers who are bailing out now.

"Bailing out" is serving your service commitment and opting to leave the service? You've got to be joking.

177 posted on 04/16/2007 6:38:51 AM PDT by Hemingway's Ghost (Spirit of '75)
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To: PAUL REVERE TODAY

If five years isn’t enough, raise the obligation. Otherwise, I don’t see the problem.


178 posted on 04/16/2007 6:39:28 AM PDT by Sloth (The GOP is to DemonRats in politics as Michael Jackson is to Jeffrey Dahmer in babysitting.)
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To: KenmcG414
If they want to go to West Point, make it a 6 to 8 year commitment. I’d like to see the numbers on how many female officers opted out after the initial 5 years.

In the Navy, at least, only SWOs, Suppos, and NRL officers get the 5 year commitment. Others, like nukes and aviators, face service commitments of up to 7-8 years, which work out to close to 10 years in reality, because (for aviators, at least) the time doesn't start ticking off until you receive your wings.

179 posted on 04/16/2007 6:42:20 AM PDT by Hemingway's Ghost (Spirit of '75)
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To: Hemingway's Ghost
"Bailing out" is serving your service commitment and opting to leave the service?

Yeah.

"Bailing Out", as in making a departure not previously planned.

When I graduated from the Blue Zoo, the thought of sticking around for anything less than 30 years was incomprehensible.

Five years later, after a confluence of unfortunate events beyond my control, I ended up as a "gopher" for a pack of civil servants who exemplified every bad stereotype of civil servants.

My choices at that point were:
1. "Bail Out".
2. Volunteer for "World-wide Remote".

Having just gotten married, Option 2 didn't look particularly attractive.

So I "Bailed Out" shortly after completing my Active Duty Service Commitment.

180 posted on 04/16/2007 7:44:17 AM PDT by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
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