Military On Shifting Ground...

News&Views

The Armchair Curmudgeon

March 17,2007



The Big Question: How long can the military hold on?



Critics of the Pentagon’s policy including a number of retired generals, have stated and restated the military is spread dangerously thin and is in danger of collapsing…



This was before the current “surge” policy. Nevertheless, Bush & Cheny who block out everything they consider "negative," actually up the ante in Iraq and commit more support to Afghanistan.



What’s going on?





It's no secret that reenlistments are headed down and that the military is being forced to pay outlandish bonuses to keep its trained cadre in important MOS positions; but this strategy is insufficient to sustaining a military that employs the latest technology and military hardware.



National Guard units and Reserves are pressed. An increasing number of wounded are flooding our hospitals and creating shortages in critical skills areas.



Our weapons and vehicles need to be refurbished; some of the equipment out there dates back to the sixties if not before.



In short, our military is facing more pressure than at any time since it has transitioned into an all volunteer force.



Senators and Congressmen complain that a total volunteer army has created an underclass that does all the sacrificing and removes the rest of us from any commitment and that may be true.



But the real concern is how is the US going to fill the ranks of those in critical skills areas.



Right now, recruiters have found that they have had to lower their sights to fill their quotas and recruiters are even accepting those with histories of criminal and anti-social behavior.



This does not auger well for the future of an all volunteer army in the face of increasing demands from "hot spots" around the world.



Some at the highest levels of government are starting to actually use the dreaded "D" word to reflect what they are considering in the wake of our failures to maintain an army that is capable and ready should it be called on to meet unanticipated demands in different parts of the world. .



As of now, many retired generals and elder statesmen are questionning the wisdom of getting bogged down in situations that could deteriorate into long term commitments that we cannot afford under present thinking.



The indications are that the cracks in the military are beginning to show and unless some new thinking is injected quickly, may rapidly spin out of control.



Les Aaron

The Armchair Curmudgeon