Wednesday, June 08, 2005

The Army is having some trouble recruiting


Army training
Originally uploaded by Brite Lights photos.
FORT APACHE - My students at the university have an all-encompassing expression that seems to cover the U.S. Army's puzzlement over its difficulty in making its recruitment quota.

No duh.

Americans are dying every day in Iraq, the president wants the bodies brought in without anyone taking a photo of the caskets (bad for morale, another No Duh) and the units there are improperly equipped with armor.

Hey Verne! Sounds like it's time to run down to the recruiting office and sign up for a career. Yee-Haw!

Oh, I almost forgot! All those stories in the past month about recruiters who used bait-and-switch tactics on young kids that would make a used-car salesman blush in embarassment.

Yup, trust those recruiters, too.

In another time, not long ago, our president would be facing impeachment hearings right now, not going around the country selling his brand of nonsensical, fiscally irresponsible conservatism. The last president had some extacurricular sex and was the target of a wingnut special prosecutor and enough hate mail to shut down the post office. This president has his minions watering down (or supressing entirely) reports that urge action on global warming, thinks Guantanamo Bay is a model prison, and wants to strip mine the Social Security fund so his most wealthy donors can get an infusion of cash into our ailing stock market.

And the public yawns.

The funniest part (if funny can be in any way associated with the story linked at the bottom of this blog) is where the story talks about how the Army is more attractive now to young people, because of economic conditions.

What a strategy! Have the economy go into the tank so we have plenty of young men (and women, don't forget the women) who will voluntarily enlist.

It worked for the British Navy in the 1800s.

Here's the recruiting story, but keep your aspirin bottle nearby. You'll need it.
  • Recruiting
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