As the number of jobs across the nation dwindles, more Americans are joining the military, lured by a steady paycheck, benefits and training.
The last fiscal year was a banner one for the military, with all active-duty and reserve forces meeting or exceeding their recruitment goals for the first time since 2004, the year that violence in Iraq intensified drastically, Pentagon officials said.
And the trend seems to be accelerating. The Army exceeded its targets each month for October, November and December — the first quarter of the new fiscal year — bringing in 21,443 new soldiers on active duty and in the reserves. December figures were released last week.
Recruiters also report that more people are inquiring about joining the military, a trend that could further bolster the ranks. Of the four armed services, the Army has faced the toughest recruiting challenge in recent years because of high casualty rates in Iraq and long deployments overseas. Recruitment is also strong for the Army National Guard, according to Pentagon figures. The Guard tends to draw older people.
"When the economy slackens and unemployment rises and jobs become more scarce in civilian society, recruiting is less challenging," said Curtis Gilroy, the director of accession policy for the Department of Defense.
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latestnews/index.php?id=13148
My, oh my! This "meltdown" has and is proving far more useful than anyone knew!
The finance and auto companies get to straighten out their bottom lines; the unions are going to have to pitch lower wages and less benefits to their (remaining) members; General Motors is likely goiing to divest itself of that pension, that began as a great little money-maker, but has now bcome a stinking albatross; and now the new President will have bodies for his turn at a military excursion as the only SUREFIRE way out of America's immediate dilemma. And just as the Spanish-American affair proved to be "a splendid little war", so this downturn just might end up being "a splendid little depression"..............
Stumble It!
What goes around, comes back around, and that goes for history too-, except never back to quite exactly the same place-, hopefully this time with a greater level of understanding and political maturity on the part of the masses and the warriors it raises up, as to what should be their real mission ambition within the times. We shall soon see what bitter harvest these ruling class times have created for us, and themselves.
For, at the very least, neither is the ruling class going to escape out of these times, entirely unscathed. Though they may fancy so. It may even be the end of them; that is the risk they always run in these kind of greed driven events.
Hope really does spring eternal.
Coyoteman
And indeed it was, brother/sister.
Coyote