SOGvet
06-08-2005, 15:11
Not a good sign...
US Army misses 4th monthly recruiting goal in row
49 minutes ago
In fresh signs of the strain the Iraq war has put on the U.S. military, the Army missed its fourth straight monthly recruiting goal in May, while divorce rates for officers have surged, officials said on Wednesday.
The regular Army, in a previously undisclosed move, lowered its recruiting target for May, but still came up about 25 percent short of the easier goal, officials said. Had it not lowered its target from 8,050 to 6,700 recruits for May, the Army would have missed its original goal by about 37 percent.
Meanwhile, the divorce rate more than tripled among Army officers from 2002 to last year, Pentagon figures showed. The Army provides most of the ground forces in the Iraq war, which began in 2003.
Lowering the May goal was not meant as a public-relations ploy to minimize bad news, but was intended to relieve stress on recruiters in the field and shift the recruiting burden to summer months when Army leaders believe things will improve, said Col. Joe Curtin, an Army spokesman at the Pentagon.
Curtin said the Army, which also missed recruiting goals in February, March and April, has not lowered its goal of getting 80,000 recruits in fiscal 2005, which ends Sept. 30. The Army last missed an annual recruiting goal in 1999.
"We haven't thrown in the towel yet," Curtin said. [ No, but the towel is getting bloody.]
Army officials have said potential recruits and their families have been wary of service during the Iraq war, while civilian job opportunities also are affecting recruiting.
May was a tough month for Army recruiters. The Army suspended recruiting for a day on May 20 to address a spate of incidents of misconduct by recruiters, including allegations that they offered to help people cheat on drug tests or get phony diplomas in order to enlist.
The U.S. military has been all-volunteer since 1973, when the draft was abolished during the tumult of the Vietnam War era. Some defense analysts say the United States may need to consider reviving the draft if the military cannot attract enough recruits.
The Pentagon plans to release further May military recruiting numbers on Friday.
SPIKE IN DIVORCES
Maj. Elizabeth Robbins, an Army spokeswoman, said the Army is aware overseas duty in combat zones can be stressful on soldiers and their families, and that the recent spike in divorces has caused concern.
"The burden on officers is especially hard because of their responsibility for their troops when they are deployed," Robbins said.
In fiscal 2002, which ended on Sept. 30 of that year, 1.9 percent of 54,542 married Army officers got divorced, along with 3.1 percent of 193,638 married enlisted soldiers.
In fiscal 2003, which included the first six months of the Iraq war, 3.3 percent of 56,078 married officers and 2.8 percent of 198,230 married enlisted soldiers got divorced. In fiscal 2004, 6 percent of 55,550 married officers and 3.5 percent of 202,134 married enlisted soldiers got divorced.
The 6 percent divorce rate for Army officers was far higher than the figure for officers in other military services in 2004 -- 1.5 percent for the Air Force, 1.7 percent for the Marines and 2.5 percent for the Navy.
Army soldiers serve yearlong tours of duty in Iraq. Robbins said the Army briefs soldiers on how their absence during deployments and their eventual return can affect family relationships.
"We take seriously our obligation to assist soldiers and family members with the inevitable challenges," Robbins said.
Copyright (c) 2005 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
US Army misses 4th monthly recruiting goal in row
49 minutes ago
In fresh signs of the strain the Iraq war has put on the U.S. military, the Army missed its fourth straight monthly recruiting goal in May, while divorce rates for officers have surged, officials said on Wednesday.
The regular Army, in a previously undisclosed move, lowered its recruiting target for May, but still came up about 25 percent short of the easier goal, officials said. Had it not lowered its target from 8,050 to 6,700 recruits for May, the Army would have missed its original goal by about 37 percent.
Meanwhile, the divorce rate more than tripled among Army officers from 2002 to last year, Pentagon figures showed. The Army provides most of the ground forces in the Iraq war, which began in 2003.
Lowering the May goal was not meant as a public-relations ploy to minimize bad news, but was intended to relieve stress on recruiters in the field and shift the recruiting burden to summer months when Army leaders believe things will improve, said Col. Joe Curtin, an Army spokesman at the Pentagon.
Curtin said the Army, which also missed recruiting goals in February, March and April, has not lowered its goal of getting 80,000 recruits in fiscal 2005, which ends Sept. 30. The Army last missed an annual recruiting goal in 1999.
"We haven't thrown in the towel yet," Curtin said. [ No, but the towel is getting bloody.]
Army officials have said potential recruits and their families have been wary of service during the Iraq war, while civilian job opportunities also are affecting recruiting.
May was a tough month for Army recruiters. The Army suspended recruiting for a day on May 20 to address a spate of incidents of misconduct by recruiters, including allegations that they offered to help people cheat on drug tests or get phony diplomas in order to enlist.
The U.S. military has been all-volunteer since 1973, when the draft was abolished during the tumult of the Vietnam War era. Some defense analysts say the United States may need to consider reviving the draft if the military cannot attract enough recruits.
The Pentagon plans to release further May military recruiting numbers on Friday.
SPIKE IN DIVORCES
Maj. Elizabeth Robbins, an Army spokeswoman, said the Army is aware overseas duty in combat zones can be stressful on soldiers and their families, and that the recent spike in divorces has caused concern.
"The burden on officers is especially hard because of their responsibility for their troops when they are deployed," Robbins said.
In fiscal 2002, which ended on Sept. 30 of that year, 1.9 percent of 54,542 married Army officers got divorced, along with 3.1 percent of 193,638 married enlisted soldiers.
In fiscal 2003, which included the first six months of the Iraq war, 3.3 percent of 56,078 married officers and 2.8 percent of 198,230 married enlisted soldiers got divorced. In fiscal 2004, 6 percent of 55,550 married officers and 3.5 percent of 202,134 married enlisted soldiers got divorced.
The 6 percent divorce rate for Army officers was far higher than the figure for officers in other military services in 2004 -- 1.5 percent for the Air Force, 1.7 percent for the Marines and 2.5 percent for the Navy.
Army soldiers serve yearlong tours of duty in Iraq. Robbins said the Army briefs soldiers on how their absence during deployments and their eventual return can affect family relationships.
"We take seriously our obligation to assist soldiers and family members with the inevitable challenges," Robbins said.
Copyright (c) 2005 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.