More on declining American morale:
Despite the demands of the war on terror, the U.S. Navy broke retention records for the third year in a row in 2003. Retention is getting sailors to re-enlist when their time is up. For 2003, 60.8 percent of the sailors on their first enlistment stayed in, while 76.5 percent of those with 6-10 years service stayed in and 87.4 percent of those with 10-14 years service did so. For the 28th month in a row, recruiters were able to raise standards for new recruits (high school diploma, college and other studies, physical condition and test scores).
Most interesting is that last item. Despite the war, recruiters are doing well enough to raise standards, rather than lower them.
Makes sense. Navy personnel have a reason to be in the service. They have a purpose. Without a purpose you might as well be doing something else.
This actually is in-line w/ data that was around after Kosovo/Haiti. Re-enlistment rates among enlisted personnel went up, and the general feeling, from interviews, was that it was b/c the enlisteds both felt they were doing something, and doing something worthwhile.
HOWEVER, officer retention DROPPED, as they were kept on deployment way too long.
So, for those concerned about the Army's retention, the other shoe may drop. But for those who argue that the war is going badly and morale is dropping, guess what? This IS the other shoe.
Hmm...wartime conditons mean the re-up rate is going to plunge? Seems like that little prophecy of doom is unfulfilled so far.
Ummm... I don't think there are too many Navy types getting shot at in Iraq right now. Or freezing their balls off in Afghanistan. I know the Navy's stretched thin right now like everyone else, but this would be more comforting if it mentioned Army or Marine retention rates...
Army retention rates are fine, great even. No one gets out, even if their time is up.
My thoughts exactly, legion. If there's a safer place to be in the military than on a Navy Ship (from enemy action at least, barring the inherent danger of working on places like a flight deck), I don't know what is is.
The US Navy today could win a war against the rest of the planet's fleets combined.
Not to say that Navy life is not without hardship, but being a crewman say, on a boomer, has got to be safest occupations on the planet.
Now, if you're a corpsman serving with the Marines in Iraq, it'sa bit different.
