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Are you a kleptomaniac or stoner? Do you enjoy a good fight on Saturday night? Then Uncle Sam wants you!
The U.S. military recently began a review to find ways to make it easier for criminals to join. True, it would increase recruitment, but that doesn't justify the means.
It's no secret that all branches of the military need more recruits. This review is part of a much bigger problem the U.S. military is facing. For 2007, every active duty branch of the U.S. military met or exceeded its recruitment goals, but at a very high price.
Basically, recruiters are sacrificing quality for quantity. They accepted more recruits without high school diplomas than predetermined goals had specified. Also, about 15 percent of recruits had to get a criminal history waiver. That ought to be raising some eyebrows in Washington.
Instead, the government will make it easier to get in. Some of the specific crimes in the review are fighting, stealing and using drugs. The fact that this is even being considered says a lot. In an environment with so many people so close, the military shouldn't be accepting thieves and troublemakers. Not to mention, these recruits could face combat action during their service. These aren't the kind of people I would want next to me when my life is on the line. This can't be the best solution to recruiting problems.
Instead of doing whatever necessary to get the numbers, the Pentagon should take a more businesslike approach. Thinking of troops as employees instead of recruits would be a good start. Maybe increased pay would lower retirement rates, and the military wouldn't have to accept some of those questionable recruits. Servicemen and women certainly deserve increased pay. This would help curb the trend of military personnel leaving to work in more lucrative jobs for private firms doing a similar job.
Another option to explore is an increase in high school recruiting programs. Recruiting harder in schools would ensure recruits have at least a high school diploma, and allow recruiters to approach America's best and brightest.
The military could also contract out some of its jobs. Not combat, but some supply and support personnel could be non-military. This would free up troops to do other jobs and could potentially be done even cheaper. Many on- and off-base positions could be filled by private contractors.
Whatever the military does to deal with recruitment numbers, it shouldn't lower standards. Our military is the greatest in the world, and it should remain that way, but that won't happen if recruitment becomes too lax.
- Travis Holland is a junior marketing major.
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