February 11, 2009 5:54 PM
- Text
Army Lowers Standards To Meet Goals
US ARMY logo over soldiers and flag texture, partial graphic (AP)
(AP)
The U.S. Army recruited more than 2,600 soldiers under new lower aptitude standards this year, helping the service beat its goal of 80,000 recruits in the throes of an unpopular war and mounting casualties.
The recruiting mark comes a year after the Army missed its recruitment target by the widest margin since 1979, which had triggered a boost in the number of recruiters, increased bonuses, and changes in standards.
The Army recruited 80,635 soldiers, roughly 7,000 more than last year. Of those, about 70,000 were first-time recruits who had never served before.
According to statistics obtained by The Associated Press, 3.8 percent of the first-time recruits scored below certain aptitude levels. In previous years, the Army had allowed only 2 percent of its recruits to have low aptitude scores. That limit was increased last year to 4 percent, the maximum allowed by the Defense Department.
The Army said all the recruits with low scores had received high school diplomas. In a written statement, the Army said good test scores do not necessarily equate to quality soldiers. Test-taking ability, the Army said, does not measure loyalty, duty, honor, integrity or courage.
Daniel Goure, vice president of the Lexington Institute, a private research group, said there is a "fine balance between the need for a certain number of recruits and the standards you set."
"Tests don't tell you the answer to the most critical question for the Army: how will you do in combat?" Goure said. But, he added, accepting too many recruits with low test scores could increase training costs and leave technical jobs unfilled.
"The absolute key for the Army is a high-school diploma," Goure said.
About 17 percent of the first-time recruits, or about 13,600, were accepted under waivers for various medical, moral or criminal problems, including misdemeanor arrests or drunk driving. That is a slight increase from last year, the Army said.
In related news, the Army plans to dump its six-year-old slogan "An Army of One" starting next month in favor of "Army Strong."
"An Army of One" was introduced to combat what consultants determined was a view among recruiting-age people that the Army was dehumanizing. The slogan has been derided by many from its outset as a glib fantasy of the regimentation required by the uniform.
"If you want to be an `Army of One' you probably want to join the Hell's Angels, not the U.S. Army," said Loren Thompson, also of the Lexington Institute research group.
The new approach, the fruit of a $200 million-a-year contract with a major advertising agency, was announced Monday by Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey. He said "Army Strong" will be the centerpiece of a multimedia ad campaign to be launched Nov. 9, timed to coincide with Veterans Day weekend, Saturday, Nov. 11.
Army officials acknowledge that recruiting during wartime is difficult, particularly with the Iraq war grinding on far longer than Bush administration officials expected and with U.S. troops dying in battle almost every day.
"There's no question that we want to have a marketing boost right now. It's important to us," said Lt. Gen. Robert L. Van Antwerp, who oversees the recruiting effort as commander of U.S. Army Accessions Command.
Army officials said the switch did not mean the "Army of One" slogan was a loser, despite the heavy criticism that it has endured.
The Army adopted "Army of One" in January 2001 to replace the "Be All You Can Be" campaign, which lasted nearly 20 years but which Army officials had soured on during that era of recruiting problems.
"Army Strong" was developed by McCann Worldgroup, the communications firm the Army hired last December after struggling through its disappointing recruiting year. The overall five-year contract with McCann Worldgroup is valued at $1 billion, with the first two years guaranteed at $200 million annually.
The new slogan, developed in numerous tests with focus groups and interviews with soldiers, is meant to convey the idea that if you join the Army you will gain physical and emotional strength, as well as strength of character and purpose.
The other military services also rely on slogans to spearhead their advertising. Just last month the Air Force switched its slogan from "Cross Into the Blue" to "Do Something Amazing."
The Navy has relied on "Accelerate Your Life" since January 2001, and the Marine Corps has long used "The Few. The Proud."
The recruiting mark comes a year after the Army missed its recruitment target by the widest margin since 1979, which had triggered a boost in the number of recruiters, increased bonuses, and changes in standards.
The Army recruited 80,635 soldiers, roughly 7,000 more than last year. Of those, about 70,000 were first-time recruits who had never served before.
According to statistics obtained by The Associated Press, 3.8 percent of the first-time recruits scored below certain aptitude levels. In previous years, the Army had allowed only 2 percent of its recruits to have low aptitude scores. That limit was increased last year to 4 percent, the maximum allowed by the Defense Department.
The Army said all the recruits with low scores had received high school diplomas. In a written statement, the Army said good test scores do not necessarily equate to quality soldiers. Test-taking ability, the Army said, does not measure loyalty, duty, honor, integrity or courage.
Daniel Goure, vice president of the Lexington Institute, a private research group, said there is a "fine balance between the need for a certain number of recruits and the standards you set."
"Tests don't tell you the answer to the most critical question for the Army: how will you do in combat?" Goure said. But, he added, accepting too many recruits with low test scores could increase training costs and leave technical jobs unfilled.
"The absolute key for the Army is a high-school diploma," Goure said.
About 17 percent of the first-time recruits, or about 13,600, were accepted under waivers for various medical, moral or criminal problems, including misdemeanor arrests or drunk driving. That is a slight increase from last year, the Army said.
In related news, the Army plans to dump its six-year-old slogan "An Army of One" starting next month in favor of "Army Strong."
"An Army of One" was introduced to combat what consultants determined was a view among recruiting-age people that the Army was dehumanizing. The slogan has been derided by many from its outset as a glib fantasy of the regimentation required by the uniform.
"If you want to be an `Army of One' you probably want to join the Hell's Angels, not the U.S. Army," said Loren Thompson, also of the Lexington Institute research group.
The new approach, the fruit of a $200 million-a-year contract with a major advertising agency, was announced Monday by Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey. He said "Army Strong" will be the centerpiece of a multimedia ad campaign to be launched Nov. 9, timed to coincide with Veterans Day weekend, Saturday, Nov. 11.
Army officials acknowledge that recruiting during wartime is difficult, particularly with the Iraq war grinding on far longer than Bush administration officials expected and with U.S. troops dying in battle almost every day.
"There's no question that we want to have a marketing boost right now. It's important to us," said Lt. Gen. Robert L. Van Antwerp, who oversees the recruiting effort as commander of U.S. Army Accessions Command.
Army officials said the switch did not mean the "Army of One" slogan was a loser, despite the heavy criticism that it has endured.
The Army adopted "Army of One" in January 2001 to replace the "Be All You Can Be" campaign, which lasted nearly 20 years but which Army officials had soured on during that era of recruiting problems.
"Army Strong" was developed by McCann Worldgroup, the communications firm the Army hired last December after struggling through its disappointing recruiting year. The overall five-year contract with McCann Worldgroup is valued at $1 billion, with the first two years guaranteed at $200 million annually.
The new slogan, developed in numerous tests with focus groups and interviews with soldiers, is meant to convey the idea that if you join the Army you will gain physical and emotional strength, as well as strength of character and purpose.
The other military services also rely on slogans to spearhead their advertising. Just last month the Air Force switched its slogan from "Cross Into the Blue" to "Do Something Amazing."
The Navy has relied on "Accelerate Your Life" since January 2001, and the Marine Corps has long used "The Few. The Proud."
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