what the hell is wrong with the army?

[nageov3t]

recruitment standards blows my mind...

border-line retarded? check.
sex offender? check.
child abusers? check.
druggie? check.
terrorists? sure, why not.
gays? sorry, gotta draw the line somewhere.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/22/usa.iraq

god dammit, I'm going to have to vote for the bastard in November, aren't I?

 

[Lemon law]

Originally posted by: loki8481
recruitment standards blows my mind...

border-line retarded? check.
sex offender? check.
child abusers? check.
druggie? check.
terrorists? sure, why not.
gays? sorry, gotta draw the line somewhere.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/22/usa.iraq

god dammit, I'm going to have to vote for the bastard in November, aren't I?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You forgot, gotta have more warm bodies for Canon Fodder check. Or the merry go round of combat stops.

Fewer and fewer rational people want to volunteer to be bullet stoppers. So they can be misused by GWB the insane. Or his possible successor John McCain.

Enlistment may have spiked when the Iraq war enjoyed 90% public support. For the same reason we have to expect enlistments to plummet when support plummets. Only one way to get the needed bodies and thats to scrape the absolute bottom of the barrel. Meaning we will get a morally degenerate army that will tend to be the worst they can be.

 

[bamacre]

This is what happens when the military is used irresponsibly. Recruitment drops significantly.

 

[trenchfoot]

and it's one...two...three what are we fight'in for....don't ask me i don't give a damn, next stop is ***** land....

my, my, how times haven't changed.

hey mccain, where you gonna get yer troops from after another five years of "stay the course"? the cub scouts?

if you do win the election, i hope that you don't have to invoke the "D" word right after you get sworn in or a lott'a mama's are gonna come after you, you cradle robber.

 

[ProfJohn]

I thought they have pretty much done away with don't ask don't tell because of the war?

I know I read that some place. Most likely an unofficial policy.

"Hey Sarge, I'm gay"
"Oh wow, I'm happy too, not get out there and fight."

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Aren't ex-cons really merely misunderstood and only need some love and therapy to get over the problems imposed on them by society and their upbringing?

 

[Robor]

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
Aren't ex-cons really merely misunderstood and only need some love and therapy to get over the problems imposed on them by society and their upbringing?

I'm afraid that diversion will fail.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Originally posted by: Robor

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
Aren't ex-cons really merely misunderstood and only need some love and therapy to get over the problems imposed on them by society and their upbringing?

I'm afraid that diversion will fail.

Right. Screw 'em, they're criminals forever.

Is that what you're saying?

 

[Lemon law]

Come to damn think of it, has not PJ pointed out he would join the military except he has some physical defect that our army will not accept. And this lowering of standards may allow PJ to finally be accepted so he can fulfill his long frustrated life's ambition to be a member of our military.

Tell us the truth PJ, have you already rushed to your nearest army recruiter to see if you now qualify?

 

[UberNeuman]

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken

Originally posted by: Robor

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
Aren't ex-cons really merely misunderstood and only need some love and therapy to get over the problems imposed on them by society and their upbringing?

I'm afraid that diversion will fail.

Right. Screw 'em, they're criminals forever.

Is that what you're saying?

Your diversion failed even as you typed it out...

 

[fallout man]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
I thought they have pretty much done away with don't ask don't tell because of the war?

I know I read that some place. Most likely an unofficial policy.

"Hey Sarge, I'm gay"
"Oh wow, I'm happy too, not get out there and fight."

Not quite, but our military HAS gotten rid of scrutiny over criminal records, which has led to gang members and white supremacist log-cabin-with-a-gun-cache hicks getting top-of-the-line urban combat training WITH A STIPEND!

HOOAH!

 

[1prophet]

And when they come back the training can be put to good use playing "Grand Theft Auto" in real life.

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
Aren't ex-cons really merely misunderstood and only need some love and therapy to get over the problems imposed on them by society and their upbringing?

by the same token, aren't gays really merely misunderstood and only need some love and therapy to get over the problems imposed on them by society and their upbringing?

 

[fallout man]

Originally posted by: Lemon law
Come to damn think of it, has not PJ pointed out he would join the military except he has some physical defect that our army will not accept. And this lowering of standards may allow PJ to finally be accepted so he can fulfill his long frustrated life's ambition to be a member of our military.

Tell us the truth PJ, have you already rushed to your nearest army recruiter to see if you now qualify?

I myself have a significant health thing which the military will have nothing to do with, even if I paid 'em. I'm exponentially more of a casualty liability on the field than 99.99% of the people they can recruit, which makes me--at least until the draft--a pretty shwag recruit.

Thankfully, it's not hemoroid related.

 

[ProfJohn]

Originally posted by: loki8481

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
Aren't ex-cons really merely misunderstood and only need some love and therapy to get over the problems imposed on them by society and their upbringing?

by the same token, aren't gays really merely misunderstood and only need some love and therapy to get over the problems imposed on them by society and their upbringing?

I'm sorry, but all the therapy in the world won't help you Loki

 

[ProfJohn]

Originally posted by: Lemon law
Come to damn think of it, has not PJ pointed out he would join the military except he has some physical defect that our army will not accept. And this lowering of standards may allow PJ to finally be accepted so he can fulfill his long frustrated life's ambition to be a member of our military.

Tell us the truth PJ, have you already rushed to your nearest army recruiter to see if you now qualify?

I would not join the Army

I tried to join the navy, but my scoliosis prevented me. I am way over the limit they allow.

Also, this was 10+ years ago. At 38 I am not joining anything, sorry.

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: Lemon law

Originally posted by: loki8481
recruitment standards blows my mind...

border-line retarded? check.
sex offender? check.
child abusers? check.
druggie? check.
terrorists? sure, why not.
gays? sorry, gotta draw the line somewhere.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/22/usa.iraq

god dammit, I'm going to have to vote for the bastard in November, aren't I?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You forgot, gotta have more warm bodies for Canon Fodder check. Or the merry go round of combat stops.

Fewer and fewer rational people want to volunteer to be bullet stoppers. So they can be misused by GWB the insane. Or his possible successor John McCain.

Enlistment may have spiked when the Iraq war enjoyed 90% public support. For the same reason we have to expect enlistments to plummet when support plummets. Only one way to get the needed bodies and thats to scrape the absolute bottom of the barrel. Meaning we will get a morally degenerate army that will tend to be the worst they can be.

As a defender of the Iraq war, I felt it necessary to reconcile my feelings with my actions, and turned my Officer Candidate School packet into my recruiter on Friday (ps, it's really, really difficult to get high school transcripts when you're nearly 30.)

So I'm a 30-ish guy leaving a 6 figure job, nice house and cush life for the Army. And according to the wall of enlisted and OCS candidates at the local recruiting office, I'm not the only one. Lots of high quality people are still lining up to serve their country.

 

[fallout man]

Originally posted by: 1prophet
And when they come back the training can be put to good use playing "Grand Theft Auto" in real life.

That's pretty much along the line of what I'm talking about. I was going to reference a print article, but your post is just as fucking well.

What a sad fucking affair we're getting ourselves into.

 

[UberNeuman]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn

Originally posted by: Lemon law
Come to damn think of it, has not PJ pointed out he would join the military except he has some physical defect that our army will not accept. And this lowering of standards may allow PJ to finally be accepted so he can fulfill his long frustrated life's ambition to be a member of our military.

Tell us the truth PJ, have you already rushed to your nearest army recruiter to see if you now qualify?

I would not join the Army

I tried to join the navy, but my scoliosis prevented me. I am way over the limit they allow.

Also, this was 10+ years ago. At 38 I am not joining anything, sorry.

You should try again. You may have a real chance this time.

If the U.S. is taking gang members and what not to fight a war, then what's a little age and scoliiosis to them....

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Originally posted by: UberNeuman

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken

Originally posted by: Robor

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
Aren't ex-cons really merely misunderstood and only need some love and therapy to get over the problems imposed on them by society and their upbringing?

I'm afraid that diversion will fail.

Right. Screw 'em, they're criminals forever.

Is that what you're saying?

Your diversion failed even as you typed it out...

No doubt you "suport our troops."

:roll:

 

[Carmen813]

Originally posted by: Lemon law
Come to damn think of it, has not PJ pointed out he would join the military except he has some physical defect that our army will not accept. And this lowering of standards may allow PJ to finally be accepted so he can fulfill his long frustrated life's ambition to be a member of our military.

Tell us the truth PJ, have you already rushed to your nearest army recruiter to see if you now qualify?

I was disqualifed due to a diagnosis of Hodgkin's Lymphoma (from the AF) while I was a senior ROTC cadet. If I could go back I would.

 

[UberNeuman]

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken

Originally posted by: UberNeuman

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken

Originally posted by: Robor

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
Aren't ex-cons really merely misunderstood and only need some love and therapy to get over the problems imposed on them by society and their upbringing?

I'm afraid that diversion will fail.

Right. Screw 'em, they're criminals forever.

Is that what you're saying?

Your diversion failed even as you typed it out...

No doubt you "suport our troops."

:roll:

Sir, where do you get the nerve to question my support of this nation and the troops?

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken

Originally posted by: UberNeuman

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken

Originally posted by: Robor

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
Aren't ex-cons really merely misunderstood and only need some love and therapy to get over the problems imposed on them by society and their upbringing?

I'm afraid that diversion will fail.

Right. Screw 'em, they're criminals forever.

Is that what you're saying?

Your diversion failed even as you typed it out...

No doubt you "suport our troops."

:roll:

I can't recall ever seeing you complain about, nor disagree with, any policy, action, nor inaction, by this administration. If one were to read your posts and only your posts here, one would think Bush was the greatest president in history.

 

[LTC8K6]

Join the Army or go to jail is hardly new.

It's only a small percentage of recruits.

Be wary of your sources. This is nowhere near the big deal the Guardian tried to make it, imo.

http://www.morningjournal.com/...61&dept_id=46368&rfi=6

Military brass assure the public that each felon is accepted only after close review, with recommendations by the recruits' community leaders, and the final decision is made by a brigadier general or higher-ranking officer.

The Army accepted 511 felons in 2007, up from 249 in 2006.

The Marines accepted 350 felons, up from 208 in 2006.

The Navy let in only 42 felons last year, down from 48 in 2006, and the Air Force did not admit any felons as recruits in 2007, the story noted. Overall, the 2007 felon recruits account for only one-half of 1 percent of all 180,000 people taken into the active duty military forces in fiscal 2007. That's not a huge fraction, but it is growing and it is large enough to get one's attention.

 

[fallout man]

Originally posted by: LTC8K6
Join the Army or go to jail is hardly new.

It's only a small percentage of recruits.

Be wary of your sources. This is nowhere near the big deal the Guardian tried to make it, imo.

http://www.morningjournal.com/...61&dept_id=46368&rfi=6

Military brass assure the public that each felon is accepted only after close review, with recommendations by the recruits' community leaders, and the final decision is made by a brigadier general or higher-ranking officer.

The Army accepted 511 felons in 2007, up from 249 in 2006.

The Marines accepted 350 felons, up from 208 in 2006.

The Navy let in only 42 felons last year, down from 48 in 2006, and the Air Force did not admit any felons as recruits in 2007, the story noted. Overall, the 2007 felon recruits account for only one-half of 1 percent of all 180,000 people taken into the active duty military forces in fiscal 2007. That's not a huge fraction, but it is growing and it is large enough to get one's attention.

Since you have the sources:

What did those figures look like pre-2003?