The US army is expected to have enlisted 73,000 personnel in the 12 months to the end of September, well short of its 80,000 target. Although the figures have yet to be confirmed officially, the expected 7,000 shortfall would be the largest – in absolute number as well as in percentage terms – since 1979, according to army records.

The slump comes at a time where there is a growing belief among some US politicians that the million-strong army needs to get bigger -by an estimated 50,000 soldiers-to meet its many overseas commitments.

However, the frequent deaths of US soldiers in Iraq, combined with low domestic unemployment has dented enthusiasm to join up.

The army is campaigning to add 30,000 soldiers, but even that will be hard to achieve if recruiters cannot persuade more to join the service, he added.

The army national guard and the army reserve, which are smaller than the regular army, are likely to have suffered even worse results.

Charles Moskos, a military sociologist at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, said that the army would attract more recruits if it could offer shorter enlistments than the current three-year requirement.

“The future looks even grimmer. Recruiting is going to get harder and harder,” Mr Moskos said.

The usual phrase is “voting with your feet”. In this case, voting by NOT walking in the door.



  1. AB CD says:

    Perhaps if they ditched the army of one ads. A special call by the president would probably bring in the extra recruits needed.

  2. James says:

    “Join the army. Get hung out to dry when you get caught following orders to torture prisoners. Trade pictures of corpses for porn. Kill civilians because you’re concerned they might be terrorists. Kill other people because you think they’re probably terrorists. Bomb weddings. Live near well-stocked, well-trained guerilla fighters complete with suicide bombers. Live far from home in the desert for years. Get maimed. Get killed.”

    I don’t understand why recruitment would be down.

  3. Eideard says:

    Actually, reenlistment is up by comparison. But, it ain’t in response to Bush or patriotism or a desire to “bring” freedom to the Middle East. It’s buck$.

    Unless the executive order from the Reagan era has been rescinded, you can’t even collect unemployment compensation if you don’t re-up.
    But, if you do, you can get a bonus as high as $150,000! Most soldiers are getting $10,000-$15,000; but, the spread is there depending on your classification.

    “This is the most aggressive retention program since the American Civil War,” says Col. Kelly Fraser, who monitors Army troop levels at the Pentagon. The Army will spend a record $400 million on bonuses this year to keep troops in the ranks.

    I don’t think even that is going to help the Reserves and the National Guard. Though the average bonuses are higher.

  4. Lindsay says:

    Sheese – you guys have really screwed the pooch on this one

  5. Obviousman says:

    All the Neocon backers should enlist. These chicken shits talk a good game, but are the last people to join the military. Bush & Cheney are draft dodgers. How does anyone think someone never in a war can run one successfully? Morons.

  6. GregAllen says:

    If I remember correctly, there has been a long standing rule that all recruitment ads must include some sort of reference to combat.

    But I’ve noticed a few ads recently that didn’t have this. I assume Bush & Co. changed that rule.

    Isn’t it ironic that during a time of war, recruitment ads are failing to show combat?

  7. Janey James says:

    Don’t these people WANT to die?!?!? What is this world coming to?

  8. Milo says:

    The tactics being used by recruiters are disgraceful as well.

    “Did you know…
    that the regressive No Child Left Behind Act includes a little-known section requiring high schools to turn over student information to military recruiters?”

    At:

    http://www.leavemychildalone.org/

    You can see a video showing their methods and find out more.

  9. Me says:

    Isn’t the 70000 target an “adjusted” target? I thought the target was 100000 earlier in the year.

  10. Tim Westby says:

    Tell candidates to go to http://www.nowthatsfuckedup.com. You’ll get more inductees once they see all the shenanigans our fighting gals get up to. (I can’t take credit for this – reported by El Reg.)

  11. Tim Westby says:

    Here’s the link to the Register’s article on the wild wild web site where GI Jane’s can post their gore pix and other soldiers in Iraq can share nudies of their GFs and wives. Apparently the military is a tad upset. Sort of a soft porn version of Abu Ghraib or something. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/09/28/army_gore_investigation/

  12. Mike Voice says:

    Oh yeah,

    Any site with the avowed intention of posting nude photos of “wives and girl friends” will be a MUST SEE – for all the wives and girl friends!

    Some of those guys will be better-off staying in Iraq, for awhile. 🙂

  13. Awake says:

    By any measure, anyone that supports continuing the War in Iraq and does not enlist if elegible, or discourages their elegible relatives to enlist, is a pure hypocrite. Interesting that none of the main US political leaders have any of their elegible children in the service of their country. Bunch of self-serving hypocrits.
    I know several powrrful republicans (including a couple of ‘Pioneers”) that fully support not only continuing the intervention, but escalating by sending more troops. Not one of those hypocrites have their sons or daughters in the service in any way.
    Before you attack me… I did 8 years of service myself. I know the what a pack of lies the military recruitment ads really are. Why does anyone reenlist? fear and money… fear of havingto ‘start over’ in the real worls, and the bonuses (bribes?) that are given for signing up again.
    You want to embarass almost any war supporter? Ask them what they are doing NOW to help win the war. “I support the troops!” they will say in a self-righteous voice. Oh yeah… well what have you actually done to support them? Probably nothing. Words but no actions.
    Did Rush Limbaugh ever serve. Nope. Did Michael “the Jewish Nazi” Savage ever serve? Nope. Bunch of hypocrites.

  14. GregAllen says:

    >> Maybe they can outsource the Army to India too.

    They already HAVE, in many ways. The “contractors” hire an army of Indians in Iraq to do things that GIs did in previous conflicts…. like work the mess hall, cleaning, digging ditches, etc.

    The scandal is that they hire them at starvation wages and don’t equip them with safety gear.

  15. Teyecoon says:

    “You want to embarass almost any war supporter? Ask them what they are doing NOW to help win the war.”

    They’re buying stupid yellow ribbons to put on their cars. Now, if that doesn’t show truely helpful and dedicated support, I don’t know what does.

    Let’s just hope a half dozen North Koreans or Iranians don’t come over here and blow something up or we’ll be going to war with them and enlisting won’t be necessary for military recruitment.

  16. I just want to know if you recruit foreign citizens. If so what are the requirements and the elligibility.

  17. romeo says:

    holle i’ am a black boy from AFRICA and will like join the US army so if you can help me thanky so much on haa_p@yahoo.fr for mor information on me


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