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| USMC Overrun By Recruits |
| 2008-05-07 |
| The U.S. Marine Corps has had more success than expected in attracting recruits, and has moved up the date for completing their current expansion. Last year, Congress ordered the marines to expand their strength from the current 181,000 to 202,000. At first, the marines thought it would take them four years to do it. But between the large number of recruits, and the many current marines who are staying in, the expansion will be accomplished by next year. Obviously all these young men and women thought they were filling out pledge cards at Berkeley's I Felta Thi frat, but since they can't read (per Stephen King) they are now stuck in boot camp. |
| Posted by:ed |
| #15 Wel-l-l, REDDIT/TOPIX/OTHER > GORBACHEV ACCUSES US OF ENGAGING IN IMPERIALIST CONSPIRACY AGZ RUSSIA + US INTENTIONALLY/WILFULLY DASHING HOPES FOR PEACE WITH RUSSIA + GORBACHEV: US PUSHING RUSSIA INTO NEW COLD WAR. HMMMMMM, OSAMA BIN LADEN, RADICAL ISLAM, NUCLEAR ISLAMISM, + WHITNEY HUSTON??? D *** NG IT, OSAMA, HOW IN THE HECK DID OUR AFGHANISTAN WAR AFFECT AMY WINEHOUSE??? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2008-05-07 21:11 |
| #14 The Marines--a great outfit. Always was; always will be. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2008-05-07 19:51 |
| #13 NET > the AUSSIE Navy, FRENCH Navale-Marine, CANADA, and even the RUSSIANS are having probs recruiting. IFF THEY HAVE THE $$$ = BENEFITS PROMO, AMERICA HAS THE MANPOWER??? Lest we fergit, ITS CALLED THE OWG "GLOBAL TASK FORCE" etc., what I like to label the "100" or "1000-FLAG/NATION NAVY" = MARITIME FOREIGN LEGIOn for HUMANITARIAN MISSIONS + FIGHTING INSURGENCIES??? D *** NG IT, HOW CAN THE FUTURE OWG FORCE THE EARTH'S CORE TO SURRENDER WIDOUT THE GLOBAL TASK FORCE! |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2008-05-07 18:38 |
| #12 Back in the 1920s and 30s, the Marine Corps had a very successful program of recruiting guys from Southern chain gangs and sending them over to fight in the State Department wars in Central America. Could never do that now, of course, but those troops were what was needed. |
| Posted by: Shieldwolf 2008-05-07 18:22 |
| #11 I have faith in you, Broadhead6. ;-) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2008-05-07 18:17 |
| #10 Sadly though we have lowered a few standards to get more new folks in. Maybe the Marines figure they have a pretty good handle on the process of making more Marines and think they can do it with slightly less pristine starting materials. Like others have pointed out, the new folks still need to make it thru the pipeline. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2008-05-07 17:27 |
| #9 The relative lack of infrastructure, the terrain and the more stark tribal basis of much of Afghanistan suggests that the Marine's expeditionary skills are needed contra the Talibs. |
| Posted by: lotp 2008-05-07 16:59 |
| #8 One of the graduates from Greensburg is going into the Marines. Great back and forth between him and President Bush at the commencement speech. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2008-05-07 15:57 |
| #7 Suggests that those inclined to sign up want to fight. If all you want is to learn a career and get you GI Bill then you don't volunteer for the Marines. |
| Posted by: Iblis 2008-05-07 15:06 |
| #6 I suspect that the commandant is going to get his wish, and that all of Afghanistan will become a Marine mission, "their country". The Marines are still annoyed that their other opportunity of nation building, Haiti, was taken from them before it was finished and descended back into the hell it remains. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2008-05-07 12:15 |
| #5 Sadly though we have lowered a few standards to get more new folks in. Those that can overcome past troubles and grow to meet the high standards, will. Those that can't, won't, and they will mustered out of the Corp. |
| Posted by: Jiggs Whusoth6821 2008-05-07 10:23 |
| #4 QUAGMIRE!!! For the dhimocrats... |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2008-05-07 09:41 |
| #3 The high numbers of re-enlistments & retention of good Marines in general is great. Sadly though we have lowered a few standards to get more new folks in. I hope that the impact of that in the long run is negligible but I am not holding my breath. |
| Posted by: Broadhead6 2008-05-07 09:41 |
| #2 According to Steven King, John Kerry, et al., just examples of how broken and failed the edumacation system is without nanny oversight. Semper Fi from a nuke squid! |
| Posted by: AlmostAnonymous5839 2008-05-07 09:36 |
| #1 Perhaps they should pick up the slack for the Army. Let the Army shift back to the heavy stuff and let the Marines handle the small wars. Specialization of labor and all that. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2008-05-07 08:54 |