Can the military get the people they need?

Here is some interesting information regarding recruitment for the U.S. Army, they can’t get the men they need.

So in fact, they are reducing the size of the Army from 477,000 to 467,000. They need 55,000 enlistees for this fiscal  year. With the year two-thirds gone they only have 22,000 — less than half of what they need.

This was presented by retired Army General Jack Keane on TV news. He went on to say, this is the worst situation they stopped the draft in 1975 after the Vietnam War. He says that only 25 percent of American males meet the requirements for the Army.

The reasons for the disqualification of 75 percent of males are varied, but amount to not being able to pass the physical because of being obese or overweight, and they can’t pass the written test for simple math and reading. Keane went on to blame high schools throughout America. And if you have been convicted of a crime,  again, not eligible.

Then with the 25 percent of the males who are eligible, it is  hard to get them as unemployment is low.

Many companies offer bonuses to go to work for them, etc. This is all part of what I say about America falling apart, like high school kids don’t even want to work. Anyway, if the draft is re-instated, I am going to apply to  be on the draft board. When I came back from Vietnam, I applied to replace one individual who was not a veteran, and his son didn’t get drafted, you can figure this out. I was turned down, but at the time, didn’t know how to raise  hell about it.

The draft board should only be comprised of veterans and there wouldn’t  be any favoritism period. Back then, it was all crooked politics, period.

Roger Gregory is a Vietnam veteran, serving in the 1st Infantry Division, and is business owner in Priest River.