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To: greenspirit who wrote (52844)	7/5/2004 6:58:30 AM
From: LindyBill	Respond to of 793789

They are having a problem taking kids with criminal records. The ones that have taken have not worked out. One idea I was thinking about last night is to switch graduation rates. I think they should start graduating chopper pilots as NCO's, and SF guys as WO's. They have less trouble finding good chopper people than good SF types.

To: greenspirit who wrote (52844)	7/5/2004 9:08:36 AM
From: unclewest	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793789

if you have only a GED there are limited quotas available, those quota´s also need to meet certain testing criteria to be acceptable. The testing criteria to determine eligibility for military service and military specialty training apply both to GED and HS Grads. Many people in the Army for 3-4 years don´t all operate computers or other high tech devices, some just stand around with a rifle... and guard prisoners... Mike, Let's look at that. A modern US Army Infantry Rifle Company uses computer chip driven devices for their mortars, supply ammo and food requisition, maintenance, communications, indirect fire missions, tactical air support, and their anti-tank weapons. Even some day and night rifle sights are chip driven. Infantry vehicles (both wheeeled and track) have on-board computer systems both for maintenance and for the heavy weapons systems and/or communications gear they carry. All of their commo and encryption equipment is computer driven. Much of the chemical, bio and nuclear detection equipment uses chips and the fallout zone calculators are computers. Go to our other Combat Arms units, both artillery and armor, and you will find even more computers. Success and failure on a battlefield begins and ends with riflemen. Rifle companies comprise less than 14% of our Army strength. And riflemen comprise approx 50% of the strength of a rifle company. The other 93% of the US Army is dedicated to making our riflemen successful on the battlefield. The entire US Navy and USAF are also dedicated to making our riflemen successful because we know airplanes and ships do not conquer or occupy terrain. I find your continuing suggestion that we use drop-outs and quitters for riflemen appalling. The days of recruiting cannon fodder ended a long time ago. I cannot imagine finding the Sergeants, Lieutenants and Captains needed to willingly lead these losers into battle.

To: greenspirit who wrote (52844)	7/5/2004 11:20:46 AM
From: Mary Cluney	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793789

<<<It happens, and the services should be flexible enough to allow these people an opportunity to serve.>>> The US Military does a superb job in HR management. A High School education is only one of the things they look at. But, having a high school education tells you a lot about a person - maybe not having a high school education tells a lot more about a person. In this day and age, not having a high education tells you that this person is not a conventional type of person - perhaps lacking in intelligence, diligence, discipline, or wanting to go along with the system. Beyond that the military makes everyone go through a battery of tests. One of them, is really a disquised IQ test. That is a tremendous indicator of a persons ability to learn - but of course having the ability to learn and wanting to learn is two different things. Finally, the Armed Forces has a battery of apptitude tests. If you have an aptitude in something, generally it means that you have had some interest in that area. The military tries to fit people into the areas they want to go into. Only about 1 in 10 end up with a rifle and go to the front lines. Believe it or not there are many that volunteer to go that route. Even there, generally speaking, the best soldiers are those that score the best on an index called General Technical. IMO opinion, that is a disquised IQ test. IMO, our military is the best in the world. It is a matter of how to utilize this tremendous resource that is in question.