Wednesday, October 24, 2007
"Grinding up our seed corn"
That's how Joe Galloway describes the effect Our Dear Leader's Glorious Little War is having on our military.
Perhaps Dear Leader plans to hire Blackwater to take their place.
The U.S. Military Academy at West Point was founded to educate career officers for the Army, and upon graduation each officer owes Uncle Sam five years on active duty. The hope is that most will remain for a full career, and historically just 28.8 percent have opted out after five years.These are the people who make the glorious generals triumphant orders actually work and if they are missing, so is the heart of the military.
A total of 35 percent of the West Point Class of 2000 left the Army in 2005; 46 percent of the Class of 2001 left in 2006, and a staggering 58 percent of the Class of 2002 left active duty when their obligation expired this year.
Those figures are mirrored among officers who are commissioned through university ROTC programs, with attrition rates now at a 30-year high. The Army Reserve reports that the situation is even worse for critical ranks and specialties: The Reserve has only 58 percent of the sergeants first class it needs, 53 percent of the needed captains and 74 percent of needed majors.
Perhaps Dear Leader plans to hire Blackwater to take their place.
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