Army Recruiting in Virginia Bucks Nationwide Downturn
January 23, 2009
Richmond – U.S. Army recruitment in Virginia continues to rise, and those candidates are of a higher quality than the year before. But an independent analysis of military data also shows that, nationwide, recruiting goals are short by at least 10,000, and many recruits lack high school diplomas and the desired test scores.
Suzanne Smith, research director for the National Priorities Project, wrote the report. She says that the Army's success in Virginia may a lot to do with that state's military tradition.
"The Army is having a little more success in that state. This could reflect the tradition of military service in Virginia and the location of the Pentagon."
Another factor is the economy; traditionally economic downturns see a rise in military enlistment. The U.S. Army spends hundreds of millions of dollars on advertising and arcade games to attract potential recruits. Smith says that a Pentagon advisory group recently found the Department of Defense budget 'unsustainable' due to the rising costs of military personnel, health care and overhead. Analysts project a 60-billion increase in the 2010 defense budget, largely tied to increasing troop levels.
Aries Keck, Public News Service - VA
I am confused I thought I saw headlines recently that due to the poor economic data and the loss of millions of jobs that the military was having an easier time meeting their recruiting goals, and the success of the mission in Iraq that more people were joining the military.
See I found it my favorite PHD the now ex Deputy Secretary of Defense for Personnel David Chu
DoD Press Briefing on Recruiting and Retention with Dr Chu and the Service Commanders of the Armed Forces Recruiting Command at the Pentagon Briefing Room, Arlington, VA 10 October 2008
DoD Press Briefing on Recruiting and Retention with Dr Chu and the Service Commanders of the Armed Forces Recruiting Command at the Pentagon Briefing Room, Arlington, VA
BRYAN WHITMAN (Public Affairs, Department of Defense): Well, good morning and thank you for joining us.
As I have been promising you, for some time, we do have with us today Dr. David Chu, who is the undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, to talk to you about the past year in recruiting and retention. He's joined today by several individuals from the military departments.
With him, he has Major General Thomas Bostick, the commanding general of Army Recruiting Command; from the Navy, Rear Admiral Joseph Kilkenny, commander of Navy Recruiting Command; from the Air Force, Brigadier General Alfred Stewart, commander, Air Force Recruiting Command and somebody that you all in here know, Major General (Select) Robert Milstead, the commanding general, Marine Corps Recruiting Command, and former chief of Marine Corps Public Affairs.
Dr. Chu is going to kind of give you an overview of the years. And some of the services will also then speak to you and then take your questions on this year's recruiting and retention efforts.
So Dr. Chu, again, thank you very much for joining us today and bringing your colleagues.
Dr. Chu: Bryan, thank you.
you will need to go to DOD's website to read the entire interview, it seems now that DOD interviews are not government property and belong to a "private news service" and we need copyright permission to reprint what they publish on DOD wbesites WTF?
Thank you all.
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I wonder how news organizations handle DOD news conferences now? Do they have to pay for access? Since when is government briefings not public property like GAO reports etc, we as taxpayers pay for it, I am sure DOD is paying this news service for their work. I am sure they are not doing it for free. Maybe it was one of Donald Runslfeds ways to privatize the propaganda coming out of the Pentagon.
Bottom line even in the worst economic times in decades they are having a hard time recruiting soldiers. And DR Chu was publicly lying about it less than 3 months ago. I have heard he is gone from the Pentagon, the nation is now a safer place because of it, and retirees and veterans may now get the respect they deserve from the office he held. Good riddance.Sphere: Related Content
