Forced Retirement. Why do we let it happen?

Why should we keep paying someone for a job a younger person can do? What are they adding to the fold? Can they still make the standards? There are plenty of reasons, especially the guys just short of 20 who got there by existing but expect retirement payments forever in exchange for 20 years of mediocrity.

RCP does that to those under 20. The ones over 20 but under 30 are pushed out to make room for more promotions.

Assumption made in order to answer the question: "Forced retirements" = people who reach their retention control points (or similar terminology for different ranks and services), and not people who are being forced out for misconduct, being released by reductions in force, taking early retirement, etc.

I'm not aware of anyone being released shortly before their 20th anniversary. Before 30? Certainly, because they're already retirement-eligible. However, the system has processes in place to keep from pushing soldiers out late in their career, just before reaching 20.

I'm okay with the "forced retirements". Allowing people to stay in just clogs up the promotion process for those below them. It's an up-or-out system, and we all know that from the start. If you allow people to hang around, you'll eventually see it result in attrition at the mid and lower levels by those who can't get promoted because slots aren't coming open.