Army Meets 2007 Recruiting Goal
Agencie France Presse:
The US Army met its recruiting goals for 2007, and faces new challenges as it attempts to grow more quickly in the midst of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, a top general said Tuesday.
Army leaders announced last week that they intend to increase the size of the active duty army by 65,000 troops in four years instead of five to ease the stress on the force.
Lieutenant General Benjamin Freakley said the army plans to do it through higher re-enlistments and by teaming up with the National Guard to jointly recruit for both the active force and the Guard, a mostly reserve force.
“We have met our goals for 2007 in recruiting,” he said. Its 2007 goal was to enlist 80,000 new soldiers.
Freakley, who heads the US Army Accessions Command, told reporters the army’s recruiting goal will remain at 80,000 enlistments in fiscal 2008.
Asked if that would be sufficient to accelerate the army’s growth, Freakley said, “If everything were to work as we speculate, the answer is yes.
“But in any marketing business, you start with programs and they either mature and get traction or they don’t. I have a wait and see attitude,” he said.
Freakley said competition with business for eligible military age males is intense, and parents and other “influencers” like coaches and teachers are cautioning youths against joining the military because of the war.
“The influencers see it as dangerous,” he said. “And they will talk to the youth — whether it’s a coach, or a priest, a parent, a friend — and they will talk to the youth and discourage them from coming into the military,” he said.
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Remember when the Dem turds (Dick Durban, Murtha and Kerry) where jumping for joy in 04 when recruitment goals were missed for a few months. Oh joy, the military is broken the war is lost. Who looks like a bunch of fucking idiots now?
What kind of irresponsible, uninformed dick of an “influencer” would advise against the military?
October 2nd, 2007 at 8:37 pmThat’s good news indeed; quite contrary to the climate the MSM/DNC sets. Even with the great military we have right now, it needs to grow. Perhaps back to late 1980s levels. Another 8-10 Army divisions wouldn’t hurt either. If (or when) war breaks out with China (which I can see happening in the near future, while I’m in the Marines), the larger the conventional active military, the better, including if we need to conscript (having a well-established cadre is always beneficial). Some would say that such a large force is totally unnecessary, but who knows?
October 2nd, 2007 at 9:04 pm“What kind of irresponsible, uninformed dick of an “influencer” would advise against the military?”
You answered your own question. They’re either uninformed, or anti-military cowards, or both.
October 2nd, 2007 at 9:18 pmHow can they explain that…More people are disgusted with that whole than they know…and it’s going to show in the election
October 2nd, 2007 at 9:28 pmI know this is completely off topic, but it did occur in France and you posted an Agence France article. This is a pean to the PRESS, who by these surprising photos surely do bear an incredible amount of responsibility in the death of Lady Di, one of the most beloved figures of our era. Yes, the press. The media. Our favorite people. I never realized how much they played a part, but these pics prove it.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=485294&in_page_id=1770&ico=Homepage&icl=TabModule&icc=picbox&ct=5
October 2nd, 2007 at 10:56 pmlampdarker,
Do you realize that you put an UK paper as a proof of your dires ?
anyway, in France, you can’t publish such photos, yes, kind of morale or deonthology,and fears about a court pursue (yes, that, almost though)
if AFP is not a sane source, (yes, can be some failure there too) then what about the news given by a fox ?
AS Wise, I am leaning on your opinion
October 3rd, 2007 at 2:56 amEven back in the bad old days of the post-VN conflict and the beginning of the all-volunteer concept, the Army kept making their recruiting goals. Only the Army was much larger and had a bigger pool of folks to dip into.
Today, the incentives are really outstanding. The educational bennies are also excellent. The pay isn’t necessarily as good as the rest of the civilian world, but it is hard to beat all the other bennies: 3 hots and a cot, and free health care..huge bonuses, some as much as 40K?
That’s pretty damn good.
Even amoung the wounded, morale remains high. About half of these guys should be coaching football, and the other half ought to be running for Congress. Who wouldn’t want to join such a highly motivated, disciplined group of people? I mean other than the chickenshits in libistan?
October 3rd, 2007 at 5:16 amFrenchy: you really need to take a remedial English class.
October 3rd, 2007 at 10:16 amLamplighter,
yes, I know, but it gets better since I went on difficult discussions though : kinds of alive courses
October 3rd, 2007 at 10:27 amI’ll be teaching history very soon, and that won’t be my advice…
October 3rd, 2007 at 11:16 amFrenchy: “Live” not “Alive”. Et porquoi les Parisians sont plus impoli? Pourquoi dans mon voyage recent a Paris quelque chose a manger dans ces restaurants sont tres mauvais? Nous avons, dans les Etats-Unis, pour la moyenne, quelque chose a manger dans ces restaurants plus mieux que Paris. Pauvre Paris.
October 3rd, 2007 at 11:35 amLamplighter,
you really need to take a remedial french class.
now I try to understand what you mean
you mean Parisians more polite or impolite ?
I guess, if your talking of them, its because you found them impolite.
Don’t worry, they are impolite with everybody when they are stressed. alike Londonians, Berliners, Romans, Madrilenes, New-Yorkers… people who live in capitals.
The particularity of Paris, among this lot of capitals, she is the one who gets the most of foreign visitors : in France about 83 millions visitors, therefore Paris it’s a bit the same.
for the bad food in the restaurant, I am afraid you had no chance, or a bad guide. there are quite good restaurants and not too expensive, next time, ask
but there are some asses there too
October 3rd, 2007 at 12:04 pm“Impoli” = impolite. Quelque chose a manger plus mieux en Valle de Loire et Normandie. Cinq dollars pour un tasse de cafe en Paris! Alors! Je trouves les restaurants dans les “suburbs” des Etats-Unis plus superior. C’est une situation bien triste. Je prefer Roma et les environs–l’attitude ensoleille des types normals.
October 3rd, 2007 at 1:46 pmyeah, I agree 5 dollars a coffee is expensive, but they think that is a fair price for a
“1 m2″ in such a people (or jet set) place
you could have taken your coffee in a Mac Donald, they are numerous in Paris
October 3rd, 2007 at 2:13 pmBelieve me, I saw the McD’s were packed with young people (who don’t have alot of money) and they seemed to like the efficient operation and low prices. And the “French Fries” are great!
October 3rd, 2007 at 4:58 pmyeah, seems that the young generation has been bred with that sort of stuff ; they are getting fat too ; but you couldn’t say wether they were foreigners or frenchs ; I suspect they were foreigners, cause the Frenchs living in Paris just don’t eat that ; they got their restaurants on their work place or universities
October 4th, 2007 at 1:23 amLocal students (judging by the backpacks), and Arabs, mostly. Ha!
October 4th, 2007 at 10:20 amha ha !
I suppose you were not agressed
I found the “Arabs” in the inner Paris rather polite ans “galant” persons (french style of course); well I didn’t try to go in the surburbs though
October 4th, 2007 at 1:06 pmArabs on the Champs Elysee: rich. Saw some rare Ferraris with Arabic license plates.
October 4th, 2007 at 9:14 pmyes, and they own the biggest (condos) lofts, (flats) in the richest parts of Paris ; and their wives don’t wear the veil or the burka but JPGauthier, Lacroix, Chanel, DIor… clothes
October 5th, 2007 at 1:21 am