Military Meets, Exceeds Recruiting Goals
As the media hypes new polls showing apparent (though not exactly obvious) American dissatisfaction with the war in Iraq there comes news of another group of Americans who apparently aren’t pessimistic about the war in Iraq at all. Namely, the men and women who are signing up for military service in droves.
WASHINGTON - Though Americans are increasingly pessimistic about the war in Iraq, the Pentagon said Tuesday it is having success enlisting new troops. The Navy and Air Force met their recruiting goals last month while the Army and Marine Corps exceeded theirs, the Defense Department announced.
The Army, which is bearing the brunt of the work in Iraq, did the best. It signed up 6,485 new recruits in November compared with its target of 6,150 — meaning 105 percent of its goal.
All the services turned in similar performances in October as well, meaning they so far are meeting their goals for the 2007 budget year that began Oct. 1.
“The services are starting off well,” said Maj. Stewart Upton, a Pentagon spokesman.
I’ve looked for the numbers and can’t find them, but I’d be willing to bet that a significant number of our troops who have served or are serving in Iraq either signed up for service after the invasion of that country or re-up’ed their commitment since the invasion. Which would mean that many of the soldiers serving in Iraq signed up knowing full well they’d be on the front lines of the war and did so because they support the mission.
Which sort of throws a monkey wrench into the “worn out, over-extended military, tired” military argument the left/media is always trying to throw out.
