Retention and Recruitment Crisis

[Cookie_]

I never wanted to go to JM.

I may be in the minority here, but jumping was my least favorite military activity. I had maybe one really great jump out of like 35. I tried to get out of it whenever possible.

I love being airborne, for the very specific period of time from the roughly 3 seconds after the chute opens and I know I don't need to pull a reserve, until the 2 seconds before landing when I make sure my knees are bent.

Other than that, I hate it. I'd rather fast rope out of an osprey than do a static line jump. Something about that feels more "in my control" than jumping.

---

Back to the topic of recruiting, I'm really worried about the gap the military might start to see when it comes to the more technical fields such as cyber and IT.

We can't pay those guys/gals anything close to what the outside does, and (to stereotype a bit) that's not exactly a career field people known to be the "traditional ideal of soldier" fitness/temperament seems to go.

I'm not sure of what the fix is.

 

[RackMaster]

I love being airborne, for the very specific period of time from the roughly 3 seconds after the chute opens and I know I don't need to pull a reserve, until the 2 seconds before landing when I make sure my knees are bent.

Other than that, I hate it. I'd rather fast rope out of an osprey than do a static line jump. Something about that feels more "in my control" than jumping.

---

Back to the topic of recruiting, I'm really worried about the gap the military might start to see when it comes to the more technical fields such as cyber and IT.

We can't pay those guys/gals anything close to what the outside does, and (to stereotype a bit) that's not exactly a career field people known to be the "traditional ideal of soldier" fitness/temperament seems to go.

I'm not sure of what the fix is.

It's reached a critical level up here. I know so many senior troops in all comms roles that left in the past 5 year's. They started to promote up to fill senior NCO roles but they just weren't ready. Now they are just leaving spots empty. Attrition is higher than recruiting numbers. It was bad when I joined in the 90's but talking to friends, it's worse now.

 

[Devildoc]

I love being airborne, for the very specific period of time from the roughly 3 seconds after the chute opens and I know I don't need to pull a reserve, until the 2 seconds before landing when I make sure my knees are bent.

Other than that, I hate it. I'd rather fast rope out of an osprey than do a static line jump. Something about that feels more "in my control" than jumping.

---

Back to the topic of recruiting, I'm really worried about the gap the military might start to see when it comes to the more technical fields such as cyber and IT.

We can't pay those guys/gals anything close to what the outside does, and (to stereotype a bit) that's not exactly a career field people known to be the "traditional ideal of soldier" fitness/temperament seems to go.

I'm not sure of what the fix is.

RE: fast roping, I dig it. Scared when I did it, but I dig it.

RE: the bottom section, this has always been an issue, but with the growth of many of the more technical fields and needs, this is a growing problem. I don't know what the fix is, either, but you know what? Neither does the DoD. You and I are in good company.

 

[TLDR20]

I'd rather fast rope out of an osprey than do a static line jump. Something about that feels more "in my control" than jumping.

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You have gone too far…

 

[amlove21]

Other than that, I hate it. I'd rather fast rope out of an osprey than do a static line jump. Something about that feels more "in my control" than jumping.

Absolutely not. No. Bad @Cookie_ . Bad.

 

[DA SWO]

JM allowed me to get enough jumps for Master Wings.
JM School gave me info to understand how the chutes work, and what the JM was looking for.
JMPI, not fun
Leading a stick off the ramp, fun.
Tossing guys from a chopper, fun.
30 guys out a door, not fun, though hanging out the door was fun.

Germany makes certain technical fields ART like, you are Civil Service until mobilized for a deployment then you have Military rank. Something like this would allow higher pay until needed for a deployed when your Reserve rank would kick in.
Not perfect, but no solution ever is.

 

[Marauder06]

JM allowed me to get enough jumps for Master Wings.
JM School gave me info to understand how the chutes work, and what the JM was looking for.
JMPI, not fun
Leading a stick off the ramp, fun.
Tossing guys from a chopper, fun.
30 guys out a door, not fun, though hanging out the door was fun.

Germany makes certain technical fields ART like, you are Civil Service until mobilized for a deployment then you have Military rank. Something like this would allow higher pay until needed for a deployed when your Reserve rank would kick in.
Not perfect, but no solution ever is.

Why give them rank at all? Let them serve as .civ in both peacetime and downrange.

 

[Gunz]

I rappelled in my younger days, the first few times off the tower and the 300-foot cliff at JOTC Panama; and a number of times for fun off an old fire-training tower in NC. But I wouldn't want to jump out of an airplane. I'd probably puke on the way up just thinking about it. Getting shot at semi-regularly and trying not to step on toe-poppers and tripwires was scary enough for me. No sense adding altitude to maximize the thrill.

 

[Devildoc]

Why give them rank at all? Let them serve as .civ in both peacetime and downrange.

Who is "them"? What specialties or jobs should be pulled out of the military, and how would they integrate as .civ?

 

[Marauder06]

Who is "them"? What specialties or jobs should be pulled out of the military, and how would they integrate as .civ?

I was responding to the following statement, which was made in the post before mine:

Germany makes certain technical fields ART like, you are Civil Service until mobilized for a deployment then you have Military rank. Something like this would allow higher pay until needed for a deployed when your Reserve rank would kick in.
Not perfect, but no solution ever is.

If we don't need them in uniform during peacetime, why do we need them in uniform during the war? We had oodles of contractors doing maintenance and the like for us downrange. Let them concentrate on doing that, vs. trying to do that AND do .mil stuff.

 

[Devildoc]

I was responding to the following statement, which was made in the post before mine:


If we don't need them in uniform during peacetime, why do we need them in uniform during the war? We had oodles of contractors doing maintenance and the like for us downrange. Let them concentrate on doing that, vs. trying to do that AND do .mil stuff.

I know which thread you were responding to; I think the second half of your thread was some of clarity I was looking for.

I would be curious to see how much of the combat arms goes unfilled or has open billets vs the 'support' and 'staff' jobs. Then, see what percentage of the 'support/staff' is occupied by contractors or civil service, and what those jobs are. I am all for 'right-sizing' the military, especially in light of recruiting and retention woes. I know CMC and the CNO have been very vocal about thinking outside of the box for both; the navy has an issue filling sea billets, so they are reorganizing for those who pursue more sea time.

 

[DasBoot]

I never wanted to go to JM.

I may be in the minority here, but jumping was my least favorite military activity. I had maybe one really great jump out of like 35. I tried to get out of it whenever possible.

Unfortunately it’s a huge career progression requirement for us. I also hate jumping. I hold out hope freefall is better, but I doubt it.

 

[DasBoot]

I love being airborne, for the very specific period of time from the roughly 3 seconds after the chute opens and I know I don't need to pull a reserve, until the 2 seconds before landing when I make sure my knees are bent.

Other than that, I hate it. I'd rather fast rope out of an osprey than do a static line jump. Something about that feels more "in my control" than jumping.

---

Back to the topic of recruiting, I'm really worried about the gap the military might start to see when it comes to the more technical fields such as cyber and IT.

We can't pay those guys/gals anything close to what the outside does, and (to stereotype a bit) that's not exactly a career field people known to be the "traditional ideal of soldier" fitness/temperament seems to go.

I'm not sure of what the fix is.

You fucking take that bit about the Osprey back right now or I’m calling behavioral health, because you’re obviously suicidal.

 

[amlove21]

You fucking take that bit about the Osprey back right now or I’m calling behavioral health, because you’re obviously suicidal.

I already called the police.

 

[AWP]

Ordinarily I can't stand a fucking rat, but sometimes you just have to snitch.

 

[Cookie_]

Okay, I'm being hyperbolic about the osprey, but only the tiniest bit!

I think the reactions from @amlove21 and @DasBoot should make it clear that for me to even debate the two means I loathe jumping.

 

[DA SWO]

Why give them rank at all? Let them serve as .civ in both peacetime and downrange.

Hague convention stuff and work hours.
I can't work civilians as hard as I can Military.
I can quit as a civilian, not that easy as an activated Reservist.
I walked off a job in Japan over safety issues, couldn't have done that as a Reservist.

 

[ThunderHorse]

I was responding to the following statement, which was made in the post before mine:


If we don't need them in uniform during peacetime, why do we need them in uniform during the war? We had oodles of contractors doing maintenance and the like for us downrange. Let them concentrate on doing that, vs. trying to do that AND do .mil stuff.

Oodles of contractors that get TS-SCI that wouldn't pass a background check...err see Snowden. That already exist.

Less contractors for me, thanks!

 

[AWP]

Oodles of contractors that get TS-SCI that wouldn't pass a background check...err see Snowden. That already exist.

The same can be said for civilians and military alike. The same system investigates us all.

 

[GOTWA]

Oodles of contractors that get TS-SCI that wouldn't pass a background check...err see Snowden. That already exist.

Huh?