Bonuses have always been a part of military re-enlistment incentives in the past. However, they have never been at these super high levels before. I'm not talking about bonuses for highly skilled people who can walk into the private sector and double their income. I'm talking about cooks, and Storekeepers, and Quartermasters, and other non technically oriented rates.
Junior officers electing to continue their service are still at dangerously low levels. Especially, pilots, nuclear trained submarine officers, and doctors.
Certainly the economy plays a factor. But what has played a much greater factor is culture and lack of leadership. Most people don't quit their job for pay alone. They quit because of other factors related to meeting their achievement needs, empowerment, quality of life, and having the organizations value system aligned to their own.
When people have to put their lives on the line, they want a Commander in Chief they can trust. Clinton/Gore and their doublepeak (do as I say, not as I do) along with their willingness to send troops for long deployments around the world as "nation builders", has had far more to do with military manpower problems then the economy. I don't care what organization you work for, when you ask people to repeatedly spend 8 months at a wack away from their family, they will quit. And so they have.
"Figures don't lie, but liars figure"
Look between, within and around the numbers and you see a far different story of what is happening to our nations military, than the one you claim from one radio sound-bite.
George Bush and Dick Cheney are far closer to the truth than you realize. And your statement that they are lying to the American people, demonstrates your depth of ignorance regarding the issue. |
