ROTC Recruitment Down

[USMCRET6391]

United Press International
April 25, 2005

FORT MONROE, Va.- The U.S. Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps' enrollment has fallen more than 16 percent over the past two school years, the Washington Post reported Sunday.

The drop leaves the program -- which commissions more than 6 of every 10 new Army officers each year -- with its fewest participants in nearly a decade, the Post said.

Enrolment in the program dropped 10 percent from the 2003-04 school year to the term ending spring 2005. The Army's Cadet Command at Fort Monroe, Va., said 26,566 students are enrolled in the program now, down from 29,618 last year and 31,765 in 2002-03.

However, the number of officers commissioned through the program has been increasing, as students who joined ROTC three and four years ago rise to their senior year.

Army officials and defense experts have said the decline probably mirrors the Army's recent decline in recruitment, as some potential recruits fear they will be sent into a war zone. Army and ROTC officials said they fear the flagging enrollments could soon strain the program's ability to meet its annual quotas for commissioned officers.

[crewcutkid]

I think it's a good thing. As the article said, commissionings are up, and the Army isn't spending money on shitbirds who won't fight. hell, I know guys who were issued their entire basic kit x2, and they didnt contract. What a waste of time and effort.

[Scary]

See I love that! When I entered in 02-03, they told us that they have too many cadets and need to start cutting us down on the national level. So, they cut funding on scholarships, increased standards at LDAC, and really started this focused approach at getting only quality people over numbers. Now that overall numbers are down below their cut line, they're worried they won't meet quotas. The good news is that more are actually making to MSIV and past.



E.S.

[ASU-DR]

that's exactly waht I was thinking.