The military does not need a high retention level - only in critical skills which they cover with bonuses.
Retention levels, promotion and time in service pay raises work together to field a balanced force.
If all a grunt can do is be a good infantry private then it’s not in the military’s best interest to retain him and be an Infantry Private over 20 years time in service.
You could sign up two privates for what you would be paying him.
That all works with the up or out and time in service for grade requirements.
Obvious question then...
How do attain “critical skills”??? Time in rate, re-enlistments...
If the two privates are not considered to be retainable for opportunities for “critical skills” you cannot learn without a little time in, then where does that leave us???
Your two privates are not going to be encouraged or retained if the impetus is to release them regardless if they have the evaluations, and or experience attained at that point in their enlistments if this trend continues...
Remember how we are told this is an ALL Volunteer force in this country...
Well, at this rate we have pretty much lost that pool because of these policies...
A lot of kids WANT to serve, they want it to mean something, it is important to them and they are motivated to sign on the dotted line...Destroy those virtuous ambitions and you destroy our armed services...Period...