Why aren't more people signing up for the military?

[Patters]

At least one reason that liberals aren't signing up in big numbers is that they don't trust this administration and they oppose the war.

But, what about the righties? Why aren't they signing up in big numbers? Are they too scared? Are they too selfish? Or are they so messed up that the only way to get them to sign up is to lower the bar?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/n...ck=1&cset=true

Army lowered bar for recruits in '05

Struggling to boost its ranks in wartime, the Army has sharply increased the number of recruits who would normally be barred because of criminal misconduct or problems with alcohol and illegal drugs.

Last year, almost 1 in 6 Army recruits had a background problem that would have disqualified them from military service. In order to accept them, the Army granted exceptions known as recruiting waivers.

Recruits with medical problems made up the largest single category of those given waivers. However, the largest increase was among recruits with a history of criminal conduct or drug and alcohol problems, according to Army data.

In all, the Army granted waivers to 11,018 recruits in the 12-month period ending Sept. 30, 2005, or 15 percent of those accepted into the service that year. Those figures are up sharply from 2004, when 9,300 waivers were granted, or 12 percent of those joining the Army.

[FreeTedWilliams]

here is the military recruitment by state:

http://nationalpriorities.org/index....=175&Itemid=61

It clearly shows the four bluest states send the least amount of people to the military.

[bmf31c]

Originally Posted by Patters

At least one reason that liberals aren't signing up in big numbers is that they don't trust this administration and they oppose the war.

But, what about the righties? Why aren't they signing up in big numbers? Are they too scared? Are they too selfish? Or are they so messed up that the only way to get them to sign up is to lower the bar?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/n...ck=1&cset=true

Army lowered bar for recruits in '05

Struggling to boost its ranks in wartime, the Army has sharply increased the number of recruits who would normally be barred because of criminal misconduct or problems with alcohol and illegal drugs.

Last year, almost 1 in 6 Army recruits had a background problem that would have disqualified them from military service. In order to accept them, the Army granted exceptions known as recruiting waivers.

Recruits with medical problems made up the largest single category of those given waivers. However, the largest increase was among recruits with a history of criminal conduct or drug and alcohol problems, according to Army data.

In all, the Army granted waivers to 11,018 recruits in the 12-month period ending Sept. 30, 2005, or 15 percent of those accepted into the service that year. Those figures are up sharply from 2004, when 9,300 waivers were granted, or 12 percent of those joining the Army.

Kids don't want to go to Iraq and get blown up. That's what is on TV everyday. Parents don't want them to go to Iraq and get blown up. That's what is in the paper everyday.
The Air Force and Navy are going through force shaping so there are less jobs available....the Marines are the smallest force and don't have a huge recruiting requirement. That leaves the Army or nothing.
On that note, I think alot of people feel a "patriotic" duty to fight the war in Afghanistan....I don't think people have any feeling of duty to fight the war in Iraq. Just my opinion, though.

[bmf31c]

Originally Posted by FreeTedWilliams

here is the military recruitment by state:

http://nationalpriorities.org/index....=175&Itemid=61

It clearly shows the four bluest states send the least amount of people to the military.

I'm in the Army and I enlisted from Rhode Island...I should get a minority bonus or something, LOL. I shouldn't complain my MOS has the second highest regular bonuses in the Army. Not those huge ones they give to SF guys with over 20 years to stay, those are big dollars!

[bmf31c]

That thing is accurate. Everybody in the Army is from Texas, Florida or California.
I always get ribbed about being from Rhode Island...I tell them I had to turn the lights off for the state when I left...they don't believe people live there.

[FreeTedWilliams]

Originally Posted by NEM

Cause they have jobs, and families.

In the red states they are just watching cars go around in an oval, dating their sisters, drinking moonshine, burning crosses, dragging minorities around behind their pickups and waving the rebel flag, before going to church on Sunday mornings. So what is lef?. Join the army.

Wrong again NEM, here is the unemployment rates by states:
http://www.bls.gov/web/laumstrk.htm

None of those blue states are even in the top 25 of the states with the lowest unemployment numbers. So can we just assume now that we have disproven your first point that the rest of your points are also wrong, or do you want me to disprove your "family" point by calling up the "family" demographics of Washington DC?

I think it's time for Dick to start raining blows down upon you

[bmf31c]

Originally Posted by NEM

Cause they have jobs, and families.

In the red states they are just watching cars go around in an oval, dating their sisters, drinking moonshine, burning crosses, dragging minorities around behind their pickups and waving the rebel flag, before going to church on Sunday mornings. So what is lef?. Join the army.

LOL, don't you live in a Red state?

I hope you said the latter in jest, the military is a great jumpstart to life for a young man or woman. It shouldn't be a last option. I know when I came in it wasn't that way. It's not just a job it's an adventure. You can make a fine living and career in the military. You just have to stay out of units that do things like infantry or artillery. Not too many employers looking for tank drivers.

[ELOrocks17]

Originally Posted by NEM

Cause they have jobs, and families.

In the red states they are just watching cars go around in an oval, dating their sisters, drinking moonshine, burning crosses, dragging minorities around behind their pickups and waving the rebel flag, before going to church on Sunday mornings. So what is lef?. Join the army.

Yeah NEM...all that and they are still a million times more honorable to serve thier country than the blue state jerks with a rod up thier ass the size of a telephone pole who are too busy hanging out at Starbucks wondering if they should go to the trans-gender fashion show or attend a dyke poetry reading.