AP Exclusive: Misconduct forces more soldiers out

[Omaha Steve]

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140215/DABVP5R00.html

By LOLITA C. BALDOR

WASHINGTON (AP) - The number of U.S. soldiers forced out of the Army because of crimes or misconduct has soared in the past several years as the military emerges from a decade of war that put a greater focus on battle competence than on character.

Data obtained by The Associated Press shows that the number of officers who left the Army due to misconduct more than tripled in the past three years. The number of enlisted soldiers forced out for drugs, alcohol, crimes and other misconduct shot up from about 5,600 in 2007, as the Iraq war peaked, to more than 11,000 last year.



This photo April 23, 2013 file photo shows Army Chief of Staff Ray Odierno testifying on Capitol Hill in Washington. The number of U.S. soldiers forced out of the Army because of bad conduct or crimes has soared in the last several years, as the military comes out of a decade of war that put a greater focus on battle competence than character. Data obtained by The Associated Press shows that the number of officers who left the Army due to misconduct tripled in the last three years. And the number of enlisted soldiers forced out for drug, alcohol, crimes and other misconduct shot up from about 5,600 in 2007 as the Iraq war peaked, to more than 11,000 last year. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)


The data reveals stark differences between the military services and underscores the strains that long, repeated deployments to the front lines have had on the Army's soldiers and their leaders.

It also reflects the Army's rapid growth in the middle part of the decade, and the decisions to relax standards a bit to bring in and retain tens of thousands of soldiers to fill the ranks as the Pentagon added troops in Iraq and continued the fight in Afghanistan.

FULL story at link.

[TxVietVet]

1. They lowered the standards when the bu$h/GFYcheney regime was waging war.

That's what happens when you let people in that have shady criminal records. Also, most officers believe the conservanazi bu$hit. These days, their political attitude carries over into their professional activities more and more since the DOD let druggie Limbaugh broadcast on AFRTS. The military needed lots of combat troops that were subject to many deployments to combat areas. That causes stress on the troops and their families.

[malaise]

2. Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld et al

fugged up every institution they touched.
Mixing mercenaries and profiteers with the military was bad for everyone.