While most Americans probably slept, 1,215 Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines raised their right hands and committed to a combined 5,500 years of additional service during the largest reenlistment ceremony in the history of the American military. Beneath a large American flag which dwarfed even the enormous chandelier that Saddam Hussein had built for the Al Faw Palace, members of all services, representing all 50 states took the oath administered by Gen. David Petraeus, Commander of Multi-National Forces Iraq.(via Instapundit)
Petraeus, reiterating earlier remarks made by Command Sergeant Major Hill, said that the unprecedented ceremony sends a “message to friend and foe alike.” He told those assembled that it is “impossible to calculate the value of what you are giving to our country . . . For no bonus, no matter the size, can adequately compensate you for the contribution each of you makes as a custodian of our nation’s defenses.”
Last year Gen. Petraeus, along with Senator John McCain, presided over a similar Independence Day ceremony. Then only 588 servicemen reenlisted. This year’s event, more than twice as large, saw the equivalent of two battalions extend their service in America’s military.
Monday, July 07, 2008
QOTD
By one measure, military re-enlistment more than doubled since Independence Day a year ago:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
> Last year Gen. Petraeus, along with Senator John McCain, presided over a similar Independence Day ceremony
So clearly, they just don't like McCain... LOL.
Somewhere, some libtard is going to make that the point of this...
The sense of loyalty servicemen feel toward their fellows in wartime is intense. Many sign up for multiple tours, and their families sacrifice greatly for it.
I honor it, but I wish there were more new recruits instead.
> I honor it, but I wish there were more new recruits instead.
It is probably better to leave the current action to the experienced. A new guy is more likely to get not only his own head blown off, but his buddy's too.
I don't think the shortfall is serious enough to be a problem.
And in today's brain dead media climate, recruitment will always suffer.
Could this have something to do with the decline in job opportunities in the USA?
> Could this have something to do with the decline in job opportunities in the USA?
Yes, because modern, honorably discharged military vets, they don't have ANY skills or qualities that put them in high demand. Nawww. They wind up at the back of the line every time. So clearly they'd decide to stay in a nice, warm combat zone, far away from the wife and kids, just to make sure they have a job.
For future reference:
Head<>Ass
Try not to put them both into the same place, again, as soon as you pull the former out of the latter, which task you should consider as your life's most immediate priority.
Where else will they get a paycheck to support the wife and kids?
Post a Comment