COMMENTS:
Actually , according to some of the folks down there the anti-cidy group, those supporting the fight for democracy in Iraq have out numbered her group by as much as 2 to 1 in the last week or so , of course that's not the important thing but, I think most of the families understand why we are over there.
One thing Cindy doesn't tell you is that her son was not just enlisted (of course) but re-enlisted. The re-enlisted numbers are at a record high right now , so that tells you how much these guys understand about how important this is for both the Middle East & the already free countries in the world (pardon my serios comment on a joke ballot, but so many facts are never mentioned on the news networks).
I didn't realize that whoever had the biggest protest was declared the winner.
And as for re-enlistment rates, the USA Today has this to say:
"Army officials attribute the strong re-enlistment rates to unprecedented cash bonuses and a renewed sense of purpose in fighting terrorism.
Some of the record bonuses are tax-free if soldiers re-enlist while in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Re-enlistment bonuses range from as little as $1,000 to as much as $150,000, depending on the type of job and length of re-enlistment. The $150,000 bonuses are offered only to senior special operations commandos who agree to stay in the military for up to six more years. The average bonus is $10,000.
From Oct. 1 through June, the Army had re-enlisted 53,120 soldiers, 6% ahead of its goal of about 50,000 for that period.
Re-enlistment rates the past three years have been at least 6% above the service's goals for the 500,000-member active Army."
I'm not critical of anyone who re-enlists. God bless 'em and may they stay safe. However, the story isn't simple. And reenlistment rates are exactly where they have been for the last three years.
Also:
"By contrast, the Army through June was about 15% behind its goal of recruiting 80,000 soldiers by Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year. The Army has said it faces the roughest recruiting climate since the start of the all-volunteer military in 1973."
In other words, the loudmouths on the sidelines who wanted this war aren't planning to risk getting THEIR butts shot off in any War on Terror. That's what makes you sick.
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