Okay, so here is the deal. The Army isn't loosing recruits, or "high quality" recruits, as they call them now, solely because it is engaged in combat operations in the middle east.... The Army is loosing educated, high quality, GOOD soliders, because they spend so much time tripping over their big, black, shiny boots.

When I was in the Army, there was a saying that rang oh so true on many occasions: "There is the right way, the wrong way, and the Army way."

I personally witnessed, and experienced the negative "stool-rolls-downhill" effects of an "atta-boy" reward system. In the military there is an inherent need of soldiers to follow orders and not hesitate when told to do something. This I completely, utterly understand, and can see the logic in. However, the unit I was assigned to, took a turn for the worst when a new unit leader decided that common sense was to be thrown out the window, and later replaced with a silly form of despotism.

All lower ranking soldiers than the unit leader were viewed as slaves, and in the worst way. Reward for hard work was dispensed with, and promotion was received by those who were often found with fecal matter on the tips of their noses.

Leadership was non-existent in the appointed leaders, and was found in the lower-class slaves of the unit.

To give those who have served an idea of the conditions, our unit's annual retention rate was somewhere around 5 % when I left.

Our MOS turned in to a waste dump for washed out soldiers who couldn't cut it in other units, and were waiting for some unconventional way of getting out, or an easy way to burn days to retirement.

Those who blindly follow, without regard for those they SERVE under them, regardless of rank, are promoted and rewarded. Those who lead, show intelligence, and promote an overall better troop filling those boots on the ground, were punished, threatened unlawfully, and eventually followed their better instincts and got their butts out under honorable, medical, or whatever discharge they could manage.

Its a sad state, but it is embedded in the system, and new uniforms and recruiting slogans will not be enough to change it. -