Edited to delete my flippant remark, which was needlessly giving people bad vibes.

An increasing number of junior officers quitting as war in Iraq wears on



[ August 29, 2005, 05:57 AM: Message edited by: twin58 ]

I wasn't aware that Castro got us into the Iraqi war. Instead of calling for these captains to follow your orders, and for some very odd reason go to Cuba, why don't you replace them? Or find replacements for them in the U.S. Army?

Speaking of cowards, can you tell me how many Bush and Cheney family members are serving in Iraq?

Still don't know why Jenna and Barbara haven't signed up for duty in Iraq to prove their bravery and that their daddy is right in his war goals.

This is interesting to me because I have managed a lot of Captains and Majors over the years (albeit Air Force). A military officer is normally a captain (O-3) longer than any other rank, many times up to eight or so years. They become captains at about 25 years of age after being the little lieutenants for three or so years. It is during your time as captain that you normally decide to become a career officer or not. Once you've stayed a certain amount of time, then you become near enough to your twenty years required to retire that you make the decision to stay. You've already invested enough time to make it prudent to hang out long enough to get a life-long retirement while you go make the big bucks someplace else. This doesn't normally apply the same to personnel who were prior-enlisted and then became officers. Many of them already have the time in and know they're career military before they accept commissions. They just want to advance and up their salary and future retirement benefit. And we need their talents - some of the best officers were once enlisted personnel.

I would think these decisions to get out early are multi-faceted. But so were the reasons that these officers chose military service to begin with. And there's a reason that Army personnel are suddenly seeing higher divorce rates than ever before. Miltary spouses are being left to care for families and be two parents for long intervals of time that they didn't envision when this crop of young'uns joined up. And unlike the old days when my Mom was a military spouse, many of these spouses are managing careers of their own. It has been a long time since war has required troops to go away for a year at a time and to do so for multiple tours. All that and a lying Commander-in-Chief are bound to sway people's decisions. Bottom line is the same supply and demand decisons pertain to this commodity as every other one in America. If you need people to a job and they aren't responding, up the ante. If you believe in capitalism, that is.

But I think it is appalling to call these people cowards (I'm assuming and hoping this was said with tongue firmly in cheek) because they make personal life decisions for themselves and their families to change their career plans.

They served us - that in itself should guarantee our high esteem for them, whether it was a short hitch or a lifetime.

Don't wish to speak for twin but I suspect he is being sarcastic.

The imporatant aspect of this situation is that the appeal of serving is being greatly tarnished.

In the Navy, they're called mustangs. Don't know about the other branches.

Yes. I may have to edit that, as the remark has horrified so many.

No more calls, please; we have a winner.