Army sees all time best recruiting results.

Yeah, Beej. That statement makes zero sense. It seems pretty obvious that this mostly has to do with the economy. I don't see how a change in administration correlates to more people signing up.

 

You can't underestimate the beefed-up education benefits. In Illinois, on top of the GI Bill, any vet can go to any state college for free. I have a 12-year-old son who is really in love with the idea of joining the Marines, and after hearing about those benefits, I've gone from being nervous about him to wondering my other three kids, including my 4-year-old daughter, haven't gotten the same idea.

 

I'm sure the economy has a lot to do with it, but you'll never convince me that people don't view the military as a safer career choice in 2009 than in 2008, when war mongers were in charge.

 

But aren't the same two wars still ongoing?

 

I live in a military town and I have servicemen in my family. I haven't heard a single person in the military express that, either subtly or directly.

Nobody on the ground level thinks that way. And I can guarantee you that NOBODY goes into the military because it's "safe" -- even in the most peaceful of times.

 

Wrong.

 

The one in Iraq is all but over. We've gone to the victory formation and haven't heard a peep about violence there in a few months now. Afghanistan has gotten more press lately, obviously. But in the Vietnam parallel, we haven't even gotten to mid-1965 yet there.

 

I understand what you're saying, but on the other hand, I don't think my 20-year old brother who sits in a gun turret every day in Iraq thinks we're in the victory formation.

 

Apparently this success isn't all it's cracked up to be:

http://www.slate.com/id/2232548/

 

Certainly the economy and lack of decent-paying jobs have to be the biggest factor. Didn't seem too long ago the military was having all kinds of trouble meeting its goals, so overall, I guess it's a good thing that that opportunity exists.

And maybe even young people whose parents have lost jobs or taken pay cuts know this may be the only way they can go to school. The military benefits for education are hard to beat. I joined the Army in 1992, and I don't know if I would have a college degree now without it.

 

Might want to take a look at Mac's link.

The Army is "meeting" its goals ... because it drastically lowered them (and, temporarily, lowered their standards, as well.) In fact, their numbers are dropping, not rising.

The Marines, Navy and Air Force, however, are still meeting their recruitment goals without lowering them.