Posted on Sep 27, 2013
CPT Aaron Kletzing
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As the military enters a significant downsizing period, it's important to talk through relevant issues and solutions. &nbsp;Enter your response below, and if it gets the most Up votes, you win a free iPad Mini and we will personally deliver your thoughts to our Advisory Board, which includes retired Generals George Casey and Norton Schwartz, the recent Chiefs of Staff of the Army and Air Force, respectively.<div><br></div><div>Tip: Get all your friends to vote Up your response by the end of the contest on Oct 7, 2013.</div>
Posted in these groups: 702767d5 Downsizing
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Responses: 502
LTC Chief, Space And Missile Domain
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Purge all the dead weight
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SSG Retired!!!
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Pay SSGs more money.
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CWO3 Brent Kern
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I feel that as part of the draw down; we need to be guarded not to replace active duty bubbas with Civil Service employees or contractors.  It seems to me that each time we draw down the force in boots the force in suits gets bigger.  We either need that capability or we do not, too many GS employees serve the clock and not the mission.  At least the GI that is in the boots knows that his actions will eventually affect him during the next crisis; just my thought.   
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SGT Fire Support Specialist
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Create incentive for soldiers that are the top performers.  Get the stragglers out, and stop promoting people just because they have been in for a couple of years.  It is a distinct privilege to be a leader, especially a NCO.  If you don't meet standards in performance, you should lose that privilege.  

Some people look at the Army like a welfare system, i.e. "All I have to do is get my 20 years in and will get a paycheck for the rest of my life."  Some of those people just do the bare minimum to get by for those twenty years.
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SSG(P) Cpn Section Sergeant
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Great question CPT. I believe that the Army and its leaders need to look at a soldier and see if they should be retained or kicked out. I know great soldier's that got kicked out simply because they busted tape by 1% for example. And Ive seen a lot of soldiers stay even though they can't perform their duties and/or MOS duties effectively.
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SSG Team Leader
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I know it a single role aircraft, but I believe they should keep the A-10. I don't know of another aircraft that can bring the weapon capabilities to the fight without sacrificing speed, maneuverability, or payload.
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SGT(P) Section Leader
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I know I haven't been around as long as some of the other members on the site, but it seems rather clear cut to me. As we're drawing down, moving out of heavy deployments and into a garrison oriented Army, the best thing to do is focus on providing the best possible training so that force maintains it's mastery of core competency tasks in order to remain ready for any wartime mission that may come about. It's all in FM 7-1, Sir. Just my thoughts.
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SSgt George Brown
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Edited 11 y ago
NOT GET POLITICAL!!!!  I got out during the base closings in the early 90's, just was not fun any longer.  Everything got political, hopefully that will be checked in the bud.  There are good people who may not sure that they have a place.  
There should also be no stigma placed on those who choose to leave.  
This is a really BAD time for downsizing as there are few jobs waiting, so, with that said, there should be some training, not only for interviews, but also some skills training for starting small businesses.  The outbound troops are smart, and should be uplifted into the knowledge they CAN be self sufficient.  
Also, the career corner should be advanced more.  When someone puts a PCS down, there should be an automatic email sent to them in regards to the Career Corner.  Perhaps a questionnaire for skill set with a matched requirement for jobs that are posted.  I see great things coming for and from RP!!!!!!!!

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SFC(P) Platoon Sergeant
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Draw down and down sizing of personnel should not be done solely through attrition.  First of all the time it takes to actually chapter or MEB and soldier should be drastically reduced, these soldiers are still taking up numbers in units. Secondly, the good ones that want to stay in, let them stay in, the one that want out, let them volunteer out for early separation. A soldier that wants to stay in has a higher probability of doing a good job and working hard than one who has a negative attitude or no desire to even be in service anymore.  There are several other ways to reduce numbers as well, I am sure there are reasons why these two ideas probably have been considered but not implemented.  But to answer the question, keep those that have the drive, want and desire to be in service in, and thank the ones that don't for their service and send them on their way.
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SGT Home Health Care
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First off gentleman, downsizing during a period when both Russia and China are UPSIZING seems comical at best. If we are truly going to downsize and still remain an effective force, certain things definitely need to happen. First, and its seen across the board, the unfit for duty (repeated APFT failures as example), need to be removed. Second, a strong accountability of the equipment we have needs to be taken hold of on a serious level. Waste must stop immediately. Third, and I commented on this in another post, we need to adapt a "formless" design which our opponents will find difficult to follow. Adaptation under stress needs to be the rule of the day, and "by the book" strategy changed..too much has been leaked to the enemy, they have already "read" our playbook. Fourth, and im sure this will have some detractors, why not dual MOS the entire force? Less people who know how to do more is better than just less people. For example, im a combat medic but I serve with armor, I SHOULD be cross trained in either Bradleys or Abrams, it just makes sense. Fifth, the "rules of war" under the genva conventions are nice on paper, but not too practical when our opponents don't abide, my opinion. Sixth, troops returning from deployment should be better utilized ..as yet another example, why pay a fortune for Homeland Security to fly their own drones when we have operators in the military, already on the payroll, with drones, capable of doing the same exact thing for a portion of the cost?

Eagerly awaiting some comments,

Sgt Milke

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