Thursday, August 24, 2006
U.S.Military Recruitment On Target - But War Unpopular?
-By Warner Todd Huston
What is it about the MSM that they have to get a shot or two in, even when the news being reported is positive?
On August 10th, Yahoo! News offered us an Agence France Presse story reporting the good news that the U.S. Military is meeting their recruitment goals for the most part. The news was rather good and a bit startling since most MSM news stories seem to allude to the feeling that things are universally bad for the Military.
So goes the first paragraph. Wow, you might think. Maybe things are doing well?
Then comes the second...
Oh, NO... it's REALLY bad after all?
A little further down the story you'll also see this little shot at the war effort...
Why, exactly, was it necessary to bring up last year's lower numbers unless to use it as an excuse to remind us all how the MSM imagines this war so "increasingly unpopular"?
Taking the whole story in and digesting the actual facts presented reveals that the Armed Forces are doing pretty well even in the face of war, despite the several shots the AFP takes against the war and military.
-Army and Marines are ahead of their goals
-Pentagon reports four percent over July's monthly goal
-Marines 12 percent over goals through July 31st
-Air Force and Navy met their goals
In fact, it seems the only service that is not doing so well is the Army National Guard and the Army Reserves recruiting efforts. But, tying this to the war being "unpopular" seems a little odd since the other services are not having the same problems meeting their goals.
Perhaps there are reasons other than the war being "unpopular"?
Not in the MSM's palybook there ain't!
What is it about the MSM that they have to get a shot or two in, even when the news being reported is positive?
On August 10th, Yahoo! News offered us an Agence France Presse story reporting the good news that the U.S. Military is meeting their recruitment goals for the most part. The news was rather good and a bit startling since most MSM news stories seem to allude to the feeling that things are universally bad for the Military.
Military recruiters either met or exceeded their goals in July, putting the US active duty force in a strong position to finish the year with the needed number of new recruits, Pentagon figures show.
So goes the first paragraph. Wow, you might think. Maybe things are doing well?
Then comes the second...
The monthly recruiting figures show, however, that the army's national guard and reserve components continue to struggle to meet recruiting goals.
Oh, NO... it's REALLY bad after all?
A little further down the story you'll also see this little shot at the war effort...
Last year, the army came in 8.3 percent short of the goal, raising alarms about its ability to replenish its ranks in the face of a difficult and increasingly unpopular war.
Why, exactly, was it necessary to bring up last year's lower numbers unless to use it as an excuse to remind us all how the MSM imagines this war so "increasingly unpopular"?
Taking the whole story in and digesting the actual facts presented reveals that the Armed Forces are doing pretty well even in the face of war, despite the several shots the AFP takes against the war and military.
-Army and Marines are ahead of their goals
-Pentagon reports four percent over July's monthly goal
-Marines 12 percent over goals through July 31st
-Air Force and Navy met their goals
In fact, it seems the only service that is not doing so well is the Army National Guard and the Army Reserves recruiting efforts. But, tying this to the war being "unpopular" seems a little odd since the other services are not having the same problems meeting their goals.
Perhaps there are reasons other than the war being "unpopular"?
Not in the MSM's palybook there ain't!
# posted by Publius @ 8/24/2006 06:27:00 PM 
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Thank you for correcting the notion that the recruiting system is broken or that we are not overall meeting our goals for new troops.
Comments are also made in the MSM, about recruiting tactics and the quality of the actual enlistees.
As a former recruiter, during the Vietnam War, who counsels troops returning from the wars, I can also state that the overall caliber of our troops is very high. These are well-trained and highly motivated young men and women. I recall the "project 100,00" enlistees during Vietnam, who were poorly suited for military service. I do not see very many like that today, compared to then.
I have met recently with a small minority of veterans who OBVIOUSLY should never have passed muster with the recruiting system: mentally unstable; gang activity; drug activity before service. Therefore, a modest problem does exist which I believe can be readily corrected.
Cheers
Comments are also made in the MSM, about recruiting tactics and the quality of the actual enlistees.
As a former recruiter, during the Vietnam War, who counsels troops returning from the wars, I can also state that the overall caliber of our troops is very high. These are well-trained and highly motivated young men and women. I recall the "project 100,00" enlistees during Vietnam, who were poorly suited for military service. I do not see very many like that today, compared to then.
I have met recently with a small minority of veterans who OBVIOUSLY should never have passed muster with the recruiting system: mentally unstable; gang activity; drug activity before service. Therefore, a modest problem does exist which I believe can be readily corrected.
Cheers
You are so right. But we are at a time when the MSM just want to attack OUR military at every step.
Thanks for your service and your comment.
WTH
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Thanks for your service and your comment.
WTH
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