thedrifter
10-04-07, 06:22 PM
Army, Marines say they made recruiting goals
By Andrew Gray
The U.S. Army and Marine Corps said on Thursday that they had met annual targets for recruiting and retaining troops despite the dangers of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"To re-enlist in a time of war is a powerful commitment," Gen. Richard Cody, the Army's vice chief of staff said at a ceremony on the steps of the Jefferson Memorial to mark the occasion.
"It says a great deal about our Army today as a whole."
Army officials said they had exceeded by several hundred their target of recruiting 80,000 new active duty soldiers for fiscal year 2007, which ended on September 30.
Last month, the Army said it had already gone beyond its retention target of getting 62,200 soldiers to re-enlist for the same period.
The Marine Corps said it had exceeded its goal of growing its ranks to 184,000 in the same fiscal year and now had 186,000 Marines.
The U.S. military's reserve components, such as the National Guard, have yet to release their recruitment and retention figures for the year.
Some analysts have cautioned that the Army, stretched by the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, risks problems by accepting more recruits who rate lower in its quality assessments. The Army has also offered substantial cash bonuses to new recruits.
But Cody said all recruits met minimum standards and some of the qualities of a good soldier could not be measured in tests.
"What metrics do you use to measure heart, especially at a time of war? To measure patriotism, to measure someone's willingness to run through enemy fire, to never leave a fallen comrade?" he asked.
Cody said troops should be judged on how they measured up after military training.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates approved a plan in January to grow the permanent size of the Army by 65,000 to 547,000 over five years.
The permanent size of the Marine Corps is due to grow by 27,000 to a total of 202,000 Marines over the same period.
In the ceremony at the white marble memorial, Cody swore in six re-enlisting soldiers dressed in combat fatigues and six new recruits wearing Army T-shirts.
Logan Bilyeu, a 20-year-old from Bend, Oregon, said he had been motivated to join the Army by a tradition of military service in his family and a desire to fight for the values associated with America.
"A lot of people have asked me why I joined, especially in times like this," he said. "It's about the flag. ... I understand that we all have to fight for our rights and what we believe."
Bilyeu, who now sports curly blond hair, acknowledged his decision would have a downside.
"That's the one thing -- I'm going to have lose my long snowboarder's hair," he said after the ceremony.
Ellie
By Andrew Gray
The U.S. Army and Marine Corps said on Thursday that they had met annual targets for recruiting and retaining troops despite the dangers of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"To re-enlist in a time of war is a powerful commitment," Gen. Richard Cody, the Army's vice chief of staff said at a ceremony on the steps of the Jefferson Memorial to mark the occasion.
"It says a great deal about our Army today as a whole."
Army officials said they had exceeded by several hundred their target of recruiting 80,000 new active duty soldiers for fiscal year 2007, which ended on September 30.
Last month, the Army said it had already gone beyond its retention target of getting 62,200 soldiers to re-enlist for the same period.
The Marine Corps said it had exceeded its goal of growing its ranks to 184,000 in the same fiscal year and now had 186,000 Marines.
The U.S. military's reserve components, such as the National Guard, have yet to release their recruitment and retention figures for the year.
Some analysts have cautioned that the Army, stretched by the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, risks problems by accepting more recruits who rate lower in its quality assessments. The Army has also offered substantial cash bonuses to new recruits.
But Cody said all recruits met minimum standards and some of the qualities of a good soldier could not be measured in tests.
"What metrics do you use to measure heart, especially at a time of war? To measure patriotism, to measure someone's willingness to run through enemy fire, to never leave a fallen comrade?" he asked.
Cody said troops should be judged on how they measured up after military training.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates approved a plan in January to grow the permanent size of the Army by 65,000 to 547,000 over five years.
The permanent size of the Marine Corps is due to grow by 27,000 to a total of 202,000 Marines over the same period.
In the ceremony at the white marble memorial, Cody swore in six re-enlisting soldiers dressed in combat fatigues and six new recruits wearing Army T-shirts.
Logan Bilyeu, a 20-year-old from Bend, Oregon, said he had been motivated to join the Army by a tradition of military service in his family and a desire to fight for the values associated with America.
"A lot of people have asked me why I joined, especially in times like this," he said. "It's about the flag. ... I understand that we all have to fight for our rights and what we believe."
Bilyeu, who now sports curly blond hair, acknowledged his decision would have a downside.
"That's the one thing -- I'm going to have lose my long snowboarder's hair," he said after the ceremony.
Ellie