Democratic Veteran :: An Army of 10,000

previous entry | main | next entry | TrackBack (0)

July 10, 2004

An Army of 10,000

This makes a lot of sense. Not. With about 100 or so folks expressing interest in this program so far, it'll be interesting to see how many interservice transfers the Army gets, especially since the "fresh meat" is, I'm sure, guaranteed a vacation in scenic ol' Baghdad pretty soon after reporting for duty.

The Army is looking for a few good sailors and airmen. Actually, more than just a few.

In what some military experts see as another sign of how the Army's commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan have strained it, the service for the first time will soon begin aggressively recruiting thousands of sailors and airmen who are otherwise scheduled to leave the Navy and Air Force because of cutbacks.

Under a new program called Operation Blue to Green, the Army plans to offer bonuses of up to $10,000, in some cases, and four weeks of extra training to airmen and sailors willing to trade in their dress-blue uniforms for Army green fatigues. The Army is especially interested in men and women who have jobs that are readily transferable to Army positions, like mechanics and logisticians.

Many details must still be worked out and final Pentagon approval is still pending, but Army officials say the new program is a marriage of convenience. The Army is temporarily increasing its ranks by 30,000 soldiers by 2006, and will need to recruit at least 77,000 soldiers this year and 80,000 next year to meet that goal.
...
f all goes according to plan, the program will begin around Oct. 1, Army officials said Thursday. While the program has not been formally announced, the Army two weeks ago posted details about the program on its Web Site, www.goarmy.com. So far, officials said, more than 100 people have already expressed interest in switching services.

"Operation Blue to Green will allow you to continue to serve your country, to maintain the benefits of military service, and to expand your horizons by gaining new training and trying new things," said a description of the program on the Web site.

Army officials said transferring enlisted personnel from one service to another would require a change in Pentagon policy, but could also save as much as $10,000 per service member in training and recruiting costs.
...
But some military personnel experts said the move was yet another last resort by the Army to fill its ranks. In recent weeks, the Army has said it will call up 5,600 members of the Individual Ready Reserve, former soldiers who have left the Army and not joined the Reserves. The Pentagon has extended the tours of thousands of soldiers bound for Iraq or Afghanistan who had been scheduled to retire or leave the service. And, for the first time, the military deploying combat troops to Iraq from South Korea.

As always, when the chips are down, they lie their asses off:

Army officials insist that recruiting and retention for active-duty, Reserve and National Guard forces remain strong and, in some cases, have exceeded goals for the year to date.

If they transfer from the Navy to the Army, do they get to keep their rank? Navy enlisted personnel in some "rates" (jobs) have very difficult time getting advanced because of the competition for the more senior spots is tough, and it's Navy-wide...ie a guy who is say an Aviation Fire-Control Technician (AQ) might not ever get beyond E-5 even if he passes the test for E-6 and is the most outstanding individual in a squadron, because the Navy just does not need E-6 Aviation Fire Control Techs. A guy like that would not be too likely to jump over I would think, if he thought it might entail a loss of rank or time-in-grade for promotion.

It's going to be interesting to see what happens when the stop-loss becomes even more widespread after folks who have done a couple of tours in Iraq come back and want to get out. What will the deserter-in-chief tell them then? No? Yeah, that'll go over well...most are probably professional enough that they'd stay, but sooner or later it's going to become a problem unsolvable by fiat, especially for the Guard and Reservists...and when their eight years goes by and they are still "boots on the ground", I wonder how well the policy of preemptive war will play out with even the most intoxicated of kool-aid konsumers.

posted by Jo Fish on 07.10.04 at 03:57 PM

Comments:

If the transfer is in a comparable specialty and there is no break in service longer than 90 days you keep your rank, or in some specialties may be offered Warrant Officer.

If you change specialties you will usually drop to E-2, if you are out for more than 90 days the loss is based on how long you are out.

The $10,000 was offered in 1970 for E-5s re-enlisting for a 6-year hitch after their first tour. This isn't a big bonus.

posted by: Bryan on 07.10.04 at 05:53 PM [permalink]

All true. Although the offer of a Warrant has some attraction (I was offered one to re-up in my Infantry MOS, which had an Intelligence SQI.) (HEH!) I regretfully declined. In 1970 I'd had more than enough of the Green Machine.

I wonder what would happen if Army troops were offered the opposite lateral transfer?
/snark off.

posted by: Lurch on 07.10.04 at 07:34 PM [permalink]

I've seen Jarheads, Ground Pounders, and Squids retread into the Air Force, ain't never heard of it happening the other way around. But, if they think it'll work . . .
Can you imagine what will happen at re-up time? Well, Colonel, I really like it here but the Army is offering 10 grand. What will the AF offer me? Ha, free agency in the military.

posted by: The Fixer on 07.11.04 at 09:57 AM [permalink]

Actually, Fixer, when I re-upped in the Air Force in 1970 I got the bonus, a Germany tour, and a major school for a four-year enlistment. The E-8 in charge was in tears as he kept telling me there was no way the Air Force would agree to the things I wanted, but they kept folding.

If I had re-upped in '74 I figured I could have gotten an aide and a house. It all depends on what they want.

The Air Force doesn't have Warrant Officers any more, so that's one real benefit the Army can offer.

posted by: Bryan on 07.11.04 at 06:42 PM [permalink]

Seems like they are being friendly with promotions to bring back Army folks. A friend got his stripes for going back in, he'll be going to Iraq soon.

At least the soldiers can play off each branch for some value. You deserve much more than that but every bit helps.

posted by: Mr.Murder on 07.11.04 at 11:33 PM [permalink]

Can't you just hear the refrain of that old patriotic (or was it religious, or both?) song:

"Give me some men, Who are stout hearted men, and I'll soon give you 10,000 more, Shoulder to shoulder, ...."

Who needs the draft. Just give me some old-time religion.

posted by: Shag from Brookline on 07.12.04 at 06:07 AM [permalink]

In 1978 I went from the Army, after 12 years, to the Navy. My MOS was different, but in the same field. (Air Defense Missile Systems) I retained my rank and was assigned to the North Atlantic.

I never got used to going from soldier to sailor. Maybe it was the crumby assignment the Navy gave me, maybe it was wondering why I had to learn all those knots. It didn't work out and I got out at the first possible moment.

I knew a few guys who did it the other way around. Navy to Army. They had a great deal of difficulty meeting the "Up or Out" policy set in the 1970s. Many of them lost a stripe and never made it back in time before being barred from re-enlistment.

posted by: Lowell on 07.13.04 at 11:09 AM [permalink]

First of all ,, anyone that knows anything, knows the Air Force does not take prior service members from the other services. Second in most cases the army never lets anyone in a Good MOS in to the same or better MOS if they transfer. The Army like usual is trying to fill shortages in MOS that have future in or out of the services. Its sickening to knhow that they have stupped to a new low , in wanting to lure Service members, knowing full well they have a history of not taking care of their own. For short all they want is Cannon Fodder. If they were if the DOD was so concerned they wopuld being uping wages and benefits, and not playing games.

posted by: TankmasterC on 10.04.04 at 12:00 AM [permalink]