Army projects shortfall of about 3,000 captains and majors for every year through 2013

[babylonsister]

Army Offers Big Cash To Keep Key Officers

By Ann Scott Tyson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, October 11, 2007; Page A01

The Army is offering cash bonuses of up to $35,000 to retain young officers serving in key specialties -- including military intelligence, infantry and aviation -- in an unprecedented bid to forestall a critical shortage of officer ranks that have been hit hard by frequent deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Army officials said that lengthy and repeated war-zone tours -- the top reason younger officers leave the service -- plus the need for thousands of new officers as the Army moves forward with expansion plans have contributed to a projected shortfall of about 3,000 captains and majors for every year through 2013.

In response, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates approved the unusual incentives last month as a temporary measure for this fiscal year, and over the past three weeks, more than 6,000 Army captains have accepted cash awards ranging from $25,000 to $35,000 in exchange for committing to serve three more years.

more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/10/AR2007101002689.html?hpid%3Dtopnews&sub=AR

[marmar]

1. If BushCo's goal was to destroy the U.S. on every level.....

Economically, Militarily, Constitutionally etc, then I guess they've finally gotten something right. :scared:

[babylonsister]

2. Mission Accomplished? As long as their cups runneth over with cash,

they apparently don't care.

[Crazy Dave]

3. Too bad they don't offer wounded or traumatized soldiers the same

Instead they get a bus ticket home and fill out paperwork for the next two years in order to collect benefits.

[Squatch]

4. A captain with 5 years in the service, a degree from West Point,

years of practical and applied leadership, and a good work ethic is worth a lotta freaking money to corporate America. Much more money than the DoD is currently paying them.

It's really hard to retain talented officers when they know that they are more valuable on the outside.

[Crazy Dave]

6. There was a shortage of officers when I enlisted in 1980

Once I got to my first duty station my CO asked me if I wanted to get into their West Point Program that they had and were seeking: First term enlistees with an above average GT score and under the age of 19 I believe. That's a long time ago and I turned it down as I wasn't interested in college at all at that time just getting out of high school and five months of military training. After you got your four year degree (and I think you got Spec. 5 pay during), you got your commission and you were obligated to serve six years afterwards, a total of ten years.

[Squatch]

7. Right now the obligations are

4 and 4 (4 active, 4 IRR) if you're an ROTC (scholarship) grad.
5 and 3 (5 active, 3 IRR) if you're an academy grad.

In 1998 through 2000, the army was giving early outs to all officers with active MSO's remaining. Quite a few Pointers got out before they served their minimums.

[Crazy Dave]

9. I believe things were changing even before I got out

Soon after I enlisted there was a huge recession here in the states (I was in Germany at the time) and there was actually overcrowding if memory serves me correct. The military was getting the cream of the crop by 1983. Drug testing which I never saw my first two years became frequent and they were discharging lots of NCO's (below E-7) for poor performance or weight problems.
Again, I'm relying a lot on my bad memory but that's pretty close to what happened during my time served. The recession was still on when I got out and it took three months to find a good job with a sustainable income and it wasn't with the phone company either as I thought my MOS (36c) would get me.

[MADem]

5. Breathe in, breathe out, get promoted.

You'll see a lot of marginal assholes in the upper ranks in years to come as a result of this shortfall, unless they decide to fast-track superior performers down the line. These things have a ripple effect.

That's an incredible chunk of cash, especially when 'commissions' had to fly or have some other jazzy speciality in order to get bonuses of that nature.

I guess dodging lead IS a valued skill when the lead is actually flying....

[Squatch]

8. FY07's promotion rate from CPT to MAJ

in non-AMEDD MOSs was 98%. Back in the day, it usually hovered around the upper 80%.

[MADem]

10. Breathe in, breathe out.

That's not good over the long haul, but they will do what they must, I suppose.

[Squatch]

11. I think the Field Grades are being dilluted

with, asy you say, marginal officers. I deal with those a-holes every day and I wonder how they made it so far.