Presently, military manning authorizations are at their lowest levels since 1937. Our military is stretched thin and over worked. During WWII the average time in combat was four months. I know this sounds incorrect but support units and non-combat units were factored in. The average combat time in this conflict is four years. There were more casualties in the first year than four years of Viet Nam. (See www.gulfwarvet.com and www.veteransforjustice.com

When President Bush signed HR 1588 into law, all enlistees were in for the duration plus one year. This is what authorized the present ‘Stop Loss Orders Essentially’, and is also nothing more than a back door draft, especially when recruiters don’t tell you that when you enlist.

Our Military is the best in the world. They fight for you because they know if this war is not won, we will be fighting in our living rooms here. The definition of a veteran is; “A person that will go half way around the world, to fight a war for someone he does not know but won’t walk across the street to vote.” In all our conflicts, all our military has asked for is a little piece of ground to bury their dead. Wherever they go they leave “Freedom.” Their professionalism, courage and successes are not being reported to you in the “press.”

Congress needs to quit micro managing the military and let the ‘Professionals’ do their job. Most of the members of Congress were not soldiers and do not have a clue how to strategize to win. The same practice was used in Viet Nam. The soldiers won the War; congress lost it. If Congress keeps using their current policies and placing “Police Intent” into the “Rules of Engagement” our military will become nothing more than armed civil servants.

The “2005 Defense Appropriations Bill” raised the enlistment/draft age from 35 to 38. An amendment hidden in the “No Child Left Behind Act” raised it from 38 to 40. Recruiters can waiver four years and bring the enlistment age to 44 years old. Still they can’t make their recruitment goals.

A 2004 issue of “Air Force Times” states 30% of Active Duty are non- deployable because of bad teeth, 50% of the Guard is not deployable because of bad knees, bad hearts, and they are too old.

“Stars and Stripes” states 47,000 non-deployable troops were sent to Iraq and Afghanistan needing glasses, with bad teeth and other medical problems that disqualified them from world wide deployment.

General George Washington said “…retention and recruitment are directly proportional to how the troops perceive you treat their families.” I’ll put in my two cents worth and add “and them.” In a June issue of “Air Force Times” they report the troops are getting out by the thousands, some with as many as 14 years service. People, if we cannot field an Army, this War is lost. If they continue to “hang it up” there will be a draft. I am not necessarily saying that is a bad thing, just a prediction.

“We sleep silently in our beds at night because hard men stand the night to visit violence on those that do us harm.” George Orwell

“…Let friend and foe alike know that we will pay any cost, bear any burden…to support democracy.” John F. Kennedy