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Monday, January 19, 2009

Perhaps this is why they ruined the job market
Posted by Jill | 5:07 AM
First it was overseas outsourcing, and now it's the collapse of the economy. Either way, the lack of jobs for young people means more cannon fodder for the military:
The last fiscal year was a banner one for the military, with all active-duty and reserve forces meeting or exceeding their recruitment goals for the first time since 2004, the year that violence in Iraq intensified drastically, Pentagon officials said.

And the trend seems to be accelerating. The Army exceeded its targets each month for October, November and December — the first quarter of the new fiscal year — bringing in 21,443 new soldiers on active duty and in the reserves. December figures were released last week.

Recruiters also report that more people are inquiring about joining the military, a trend that could further bolster the ranks. Of the four armed services, the Army has faced the toughest recruiting challenge in recent years because of high casualty rates in Iraq and long deployments overseas. Recruitment is also strong for the Army National Guard, according to Pentagon figures. The Guard tends to draw older people.

“When the economy slackens and unemployment rises and jobs become more scarce in civilian society, recruiting is less challenging,” said Curtis Gilroy, the director of accession policy for the Department of Defense.


What short memories people have. The quoted article also states that the reduction in violence in Iraq has also had a positive effect. Or at the very least, the reduction of COVERAGE of violence in Iraq has had a positive effect. When was the last time YOU heard anything about Iraq? Perhaps the idea of a president who doesn't have to try to prove the size of his genitals or resolve his issues with his daddy gives these young people more confidence that they won't be sent off into a war based on lies. But it certainly looks like the military is the employer of last resort:
As a rule, when unemployment rates climb so do military enlistments. In November, the Army recruited 5,605 active-duty soldiers, 6 percent more than its target, and the Army Reserve signed up 3,270 soldiers, 16 percent more than its goal. December, when the jobless rate reached 7.2 percent, saw similar increases in recruitments.

“They are saying, ‘There are no jobs, no one is hiring,’ or if someone is hiring they are not getting enough hours to support their families or themselves,” said Sgt. First Class Phillip Lee, 41, the senior recruiter in the Army office in Bridgeport, Conn.

The Bridgeport recruitment center is not exactly a hotbed for enlistments. But Sergeant Lee said it had signed up more than a dozen people since October, which is above average.

He said he had been struck by the number of unemployed construction workers and older potential recruits — people in their 30s and beyond — who had contacted him to explore the possibility. The Army age limit is 42, which was raised from 35 in 2006 to draw more applicants.


I'm sorry, but we shouldn't be waving the flag because 40-year-old construction workers who can't find work are signing up for military service because there's no other way to feed their families.

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