http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financetopics/financialcrisis/3536738/Armed-forces-enjoy-recruitment-surge-thanks-to-the-credit-crunch.html
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has published figures showing a 14.5 per cent increase year-on-year in the numbers volunteering for active service in the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.
More than 3,000 serving men and women are taking advantage of incentive schemes designed to encourage them to stay on. Britain's Armed Forces are now running at 96.8 per cent of its full-time trained strength requirement.
The sudden surge is also being seen in the United States, where new recruits are being told they will have to wait five weeks before entering boot camp because of swelling numbers signing up.
The north of England, where the credit crunch has hit hard, is among the areas where the MoD says recruitment is at its strongest.
Wouldn't this affect the country's economy even more?
Considering that the increase in the number of soldiers would mean the increase in costs for the forces?
Originally posted by generalissimoSome proposals of "stimulus packages" aren't very different. They just give transfers to consumers in an effort to increase their spending.
Wouldn't this affect the country's economy even more?
Considering that the increase in the number of soldiers would mean the increase in costs for the forces?
Originally posted by generalissimoThe number of people serving in the U.K. armed forces is not determined by the number of people voluteering. It is determined by public policy, available funding and military strategy.
Wouldn't this affect the country's economy even more? Considering that the increase in the number of soldiers would mean the increase in costs for the forces?
Originally posted by FMFOf course it does. You can't just legislate the size of the military. You need people to actually join it too!
The number of people serving in the U.K. armed forces is not determined by the number of people voluteering. It is determined by public policy, available funding and military strategy.
Of course you can affect how many people volunteer with funding and other means, but you still need them to volunteer...unless you draft them!
Originally posted by AThousandYoungOh good Lord! You're not going to start stalking me across the forums, trying to split hairs and being pedantic, are you?
Of course it does. You can't just legislate the size of the military. You need people to actually join it too! Of course you can affect how many people volunteer with funding and other means, but you still need them to volunteer...unless you draft them!
Anyway, you're wrong. The size of the military in the U.K. is a political decision enacted by legislation. It's a relatively small, professional, all-volunteer military. The rate of volunteers may rise and fall, but the military only recruits the number of men and women it needs. A rising number of volunteers means more people turned away. The number of volunteers never falls to a rate that would result in the military falling short of its intended size, although it could have an impact on the quality of the recruits.
Originally posted by FMFThe number of volunteers never falls to a rate that would result in the military falling short of its intended size, although it could have an impact on the quality of the recruits.
Oh good Lord! You're not going to start stalking me across the forums, trying to split hairs and being pedantic, are you?
Anyway, you're wrong. The size of the military in the U.K. is a political decision enacted by legislation. It's a relatively small, professional, all-volunteer military. The rate of volunteers may rise and fall, but the military only recru ...[text shortened]... short of its intended size, although it could have an impact on the quality of the recruits.
Ok, that makes sense.
Originally posted by generalissimoAnother factor that might have an effect is Obama's election victory. I personally wouldn't feel comfortable joining the military at all as it involves signing my rights away, but I'd feel a great deal less uncomfortable joining the military when the US president was someone like Barack Obama, Bill or Hillary Clinton, or Ron Paul than I would with a neocon president.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financetopics/financialcrisis/3536738/Armed-forces-enjoy-recruitment-surge-thanks-to-the-credit-crunch.html
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has published figures showing a 14.5 per cent increase year-on-year in the numbers volunteering for active service in the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.
More t ...[text shortened]... that the increase in the number of soldiers would mean the increase in costs for the forces?