How come so many military men/women are getting out of the military?

Question

There is a 90% turnover every four years. Why?

Answer 1

Because they realise they are supporting a falsehood and don't want to be part of a facsist junta anymore.

Answer 2

Each of the service branches met or exceeded their overall recruiting and retention goals for 2000-2004 thanks to stop loss and stop movement orders. In 2005, the Marine Corps missed their goal by less than a hundred recruits for February, while the Army missed its goal by nearly 2,000 for the same month.

The General Accounting Office report as follows:
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05419t.pdf

During the 90s, we reduced the size of the military from 2.1 million to 1.4 million, and we increased the number of deployments since. There's a causation between deployment and retention is discussed here:

http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB7557/index1.html

The turnover rate has always been severe for the American military, because the notion of a large professional volunteer force is fairly new. Americans throughout their history have relied on conscription during wartime, and neglected strength management during peace. Examples of this can be seen in the American Civil War to the Vietnam War, where the end of hostilities invariably resulted in mass demobilization of troops.

Historically, the American military has lost 1/3 of its first-term enlistees before they have completed their initial terms of service. This has nothing to do with war, since these conditions were pre-existing before the War on Terror. The 4-year attrition rate is NOT 90%; it is 36.9%.

GAO report with the above information referenced as follows:

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/ns00102t.pdf

Questioner, you can't make an assertion without substantiating it with data. It reduces your credibility, and should you embrace even a worthy cause, you destroy its credibility in the eyes of others when you don't substantiate your data.

What's worse is those with no background in the subject answering you and just putting down either subjective bullshit or outright fabrications. If you have the data, people, then use it. If you don't have any, FIND IT.

Answer 3

The military has always had a large turnover of 1st enlistments. However, they have historically (and currently) exceed their retention goals with more 1st termers reenlisting than ever. In four years a soldier has learned a trade, furthered his/her education, and has a nest egg of money that is sufficient for college attendance. These are not the "dumb" kids from high school. They come out far ahead of those going directly to college and over a lifetime stay far ahead of the so called "smart" kids. The military is also enlisting 1st termers above their goals. Nay Sayers will never be able to break a soldier.

Answer 4

Many joined the military for the benefits and education, but didn't want to fight. Since Viet Nam, the military has, except for Somalia, Bosnia, Panama, Desert Storm One and two and Afghanistan, the military have not been committed to combat.

While there are those getting out, many are staying in and many more enlisting. I know the local recruiter very well and he says he has not had trouble getting his numbers for several years.

The one thing people need to remember is, " Freedom is not Free". It was bought and paid for by our military over the last 230 years, paid in blood. Unless you are wanting to give up the way of life you have, give up your freedoms, we can only hope that we can maintain a standing military and that one day, we can bring them all home, from ALL OVER the world. People forget the number we have in Korea, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan just to name a few.

Answer 5

I'm just trying to be a father,
Raise a daughter and a son,
Be a lover to their mother,
Everything to everyone.
Up and at 'em bright and early,
I'm all in my business suit,
Yeah, I'm dressed for success from my head down to my boots,
I don't do it for money, there's still bills that I can't pay,
I don't do it for the glory, I just do it anyway,
Providing for our future's my responsibility,
Yeah I'm real good under pressure, being all that I can be,
And I can't call in sick on Mondays when the weekends been to strong,
I just work straight through the holidays,
And sometimes all night long.
You can bet that I stand ready when the wolf growls at the door,
Hey, I'm solid, hey I'm steady, hey I'm true down to the core,
And I will always do my duty, no matter what the price,
I've counted up the cost, I know the sacrafice,
Oh, and I don't want to die for you,
But if dyin's asked of me,
I'll bear that cross with an honor,
'Cause freedom don't come free.
I'm an american soldier, an american,
Beside my brothers and my sisters I will proudly take a stand,
When liberty's in jeopardy I will always do what's right,
I'm out here on the front lines, sleep in peace tonight.
American soldier, I'm an American,
An American,
An American Soldier

Answer 6

The war in Iraq isn't as big a reason for attrition rates as you would think. The biggest reasons I'm seeing during my time in has to do with training. The military offers quite a bit of training, and while not everyone gets what they want, quite a few are finding ways into training programs that have heavy paying counterparts in the so called "real world". Many specialists in technical rates are receiving a broad range of schools, adding to their professional arsenal. In my case, I work as an Electronics Technician, with a variety of training in Communications, Radar, Computer (IT), and micro/miniature repair. Coupled with my Bachelor's degree in Technical Management, I become quite the asset for corporations worldwide. Now, it simply becomes a matter of playing a numbers game, weighing my options in the military, verses my potential outside of it.

Answer 7

Very common in all volunteer service. Hence the reason why recruiting numbers have always been so important.
Similar to trend in corporate america, people are now seeking new challenges more and more, not to mention the opportunity to increase their income.
Futhermore, some, but clearly not all, don't feel the risk (frontlines protecting tiawan from red china or standing up iraqi gov't in face of pure psycho islamic fascists) is worth the reward (no where near $100k annual income).

Answer 8

Your statement is false. The Army has to have turn over like a company. If not we would have almost as many Generals as we do privates. The enlistment rates has dropped over the last few years but the reenlistment rate is about the same. Once again you or what ever you read is false data. I know my brigade has had 53% of the eligible soldier's reenlist and we are in Afghanistan. <----- INSERT RASPBERRY HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 9

Ninety percent turnover?! Try 70% retention (that's re-enlistment for all you non-military types) rate! Nice try though...

Answer 10

In my opinion it is because the military isn't what it use to be years ago. They no longer offer the lifestyle young people are looking for. They enter the military to serve their country and get out of it what they can before they get out to enjoy the rest of their lives as regular citizens.

Answer 11

So you were the guy standing outside the gate with the counter in your hand all these months....wondered what you were doing...are you into some sort of "Counting for Crayons" type of work?