Bush Approves Recall of US Marine Reservists for Active Duty

[kurth]

Bush Approves Recall of U.S. Marine Reservists for Active Duty
By Tony Capaccio

Aug. 22 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush, for the second time in three years, has authorized the Marine Corps to involuntarily recall reservists for duty in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa, an official said today.

Bush's authorization gives the Marines permission to recall as many as 2,500 people for 12-to 18-month stints to fill volunteer shortages in areas such as military police, communications specialists, truck drivers and intelligence, said Colonel Al Stratton, a Marine Corps personnel official.

The Marines are facing a shortage of about 1,200 volunteers for certain military specialties, Stratton told reporters today. ``The numbers have been consistently going down across the board,'' he said...

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=aL10NoiJulHY&refer=home

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The psycho straining our country.

[acmavm]

1. George, how 'bout you finishing your TANG stint?

[democrank]

2. I have a solution.

Send the chickenhawks.

[Bucky]

8. Unfortunately these are for skilled positions (not infantry) in USMC.

Last I heard the Marines are exceeding their recruitment quotas. People willing to join the service now will tend to be those who are hungry for the "guts and glory" aspects of the military--and the Marines are the elite of this type of service. It's the ordinary Joes (pun intended) who normally go for Army service who are backing off until there's not a crazy man in the White House.

So the people the Marines are hurting for are the specialized services that require better education and training. Those people are leaving the Corps, apparently, and have to be dragged back kicking and screaming. It's been 140 years since this country has had this kind of trouble filling enlistment quotas during war time.

Since you need people with practical combat and job skills, I don't think we'll find too many Neocons who are capable of filling those positions.

[katinmn]

3. Breaking the military, decimating the economy, destroying the environment

throwing more people into poverty, and all we get is a bunch of dead people and world condemnation.

WTF is wrong with these people???

[etherealtruth]

7. Ahhh, but the oil companies have enjoyed record profits

The richest 3% have accumulated much more wealth ... I guess by some counts the Chimp has been a great success :sarcasm:

[warrens]

4. Yup, recruitment is doing JUST FINE

Rummy said so and here's the proof.

[Bucky]

9. See post 8. Marines are getting lots of new sign ups...

. . . but that too is bad news. The empty positions are technical & skilled positions. It's the trained professional experts that the Bushies are driving out of the service. Lots of naive kids are gladly signing up for the presigeous Marines infantry slots. The more mainstream army is hurting however. And the National Guard are at virtual standstills for new recruits. Another example of Republicans weakening our national security with this vanity wars.

[ecstatic]

5. Will former ROTC members be called up next?

:scared:

[izzie]

6. Read Stars and Stripes to see why or maybe why.

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[Bucky]

11. Link here; they need MPs, mechanics, intell specialists, engineers, etc.

From Stars and Stripes, "He said the Marine Corps is looking at mobilizing Marines in the following specialties: communications, engineers, military police, intelligence, aviation mechanics, truck drivers and infantry."

[izzie]

13. A lot of men have also been hurt. Look at front page

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[ComerPerro]

10. God, I wish I still cared

[lebkuchen]

12. I hear Rummy has been stop-lossed

Bush can't find anyone who wants to take Rumsfeld's place, things are that screwed up.