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'Stop-loss'
Mar. 29th, 2004 09:26 amGood post here.
Key points:
- 25% of the US's Reserve/Guard troops are now being kept there only by 'stop-loss' orders that have prevented them from leaving at the end of their scheduled terms.
- Despite heavy use of stop-loss, and a poor job market encouraging the unemployed to enlist, the Army Reserve & National Guard still missed their recruiting/retention goals for 2003.
- Stop-loss is only a temporary fix. Sooner or later, you have to let these people go (or, I guess, bury them), and then the rates get worse again. (And heavy use of stop-loss presumably discourages potential new recruits... can we say 'vicious circle'?)
- First major wave of Guard troops is beginning to return from Iraq, and a lot of them are planning to leave the Guard.
=> The USA's Reserve/Guard forces are facing a serious manpower crisis. And the word 'draft' is being heard increasingly often - particularly in reference to people with computer and medical skills.
Is it just me, or would we be more secure if we'd spent that $108-billion-and-counting on, say, stabilising Afghanistan... or reducing our reliance on corrupt regimes like Saudi Arabia... or restoring the military benefits that have been axed in the last few years... or, hell, just piled it into a big old heap of bills and torched it?
Key points:
- 25% of the US's Reserve/Guard troops are now being kept there only by 'stop-loss' orders that have prevented them from leaving at the end of their scheduled terms.
- Despite heavy use of stop-loss, and a poor job market encouraging the unemployed to enlist, the Army Reserve & National Guard still missed their recruiting/retention goals for 2003.
- Stop-loss is only a temporary fix. Sooner or later, you have to let these people go (or, I guess, bury them), and then the rates get worse again. (And heavy use of stop-loss presumably discourages potential new recruits... can we say 'vicious circle'?)
- First major wave of Guard troops is beginning to return from Iraq, and a lot of them are planning to leave the Guard.
=> The USA's Reserve/Guard forces are facing a serious manpower crisis. And the word 'draft' is being heard increasingly often - particularly in reference to people with computer and medical skills.
Is it just me, or would we be more secure if we'd spent that $108-billion-and-counting on, say, stabilising Afghanistan... or reducing our reliance on corrupt regimes like Saudi Arabia... or restoring the military benefits that have been axed in the last few years... or, hell, just piled it into a big old heap of bills and torched it?
