Violating the Recruits

The Government Accountability Office reports another cost of BushCheney's wars: military recruiting violations are on the rise.

Allegations of wrongdoing by military recruitment personnel rose from 4,400 cases in fiscal 2004 to 6,600 cases in fiscal 2005, with substantiated cases increasing from 400 to almost 630, according to the report. The number of cases found to be criminal violations more than doubled, from 33 to 68.

The increase in violations was noted despite a significant decline in the number of people who joined the military. The number of new recruits fell from 250,000 in fiscal 2004 to 215,000 in fiscal 2005, even as recruiting efforts were significantly boosted, according to the GAO report.
[...]

Citing internal Defense Department data, the GAO found that about 20 percent of active-duty recruiters believe that irregularities -- such as coercion, concealing information that would disqualify a candidate and falsifying documents, among others -- occur frequently. A majority of recruiters also reported dissatisfaction with their jobs.
[...]

The recruiting effort has become more difficult, especially for the Army, because new recruits know that they are likely to be deployed in support of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Army officials have said that parents, coaches and advisers -- the "influencers" of recruits -- are less likely to recommend that young men and women join the military because of the wars. The low unemployment rate also means that young people have other options.

The recruit numbers are interesting, they show a decline. Generally, the DOD reports that it meets recruiting goals but here we see declining numbers. That means they are either REDUCING manpower requirements (in the middle of two and a half wars, I don't think so)they aren't really meeting their goals and spinning the numbers to look good. The Army would be the place to look. It's the hardest sell and has the most difficult requirements.

I'll take the auditors' numbers.