Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

data Figure: U.S. Army recruiting station

2 15, United States, “New York Times”, BBC News and other British media have reported that the U.S. military has decided to further reduce the recruitment threshold, short-term visas to allow foreigners who joined the army. Some commentators believe that the war in Iraq and Afghanistan so they could not end the case, this is the U.S. military to alleviate the “shortage of soldiers,” and adopted a policy of last resort. Is that really true?

Vietnam for the first time an exception

a long time, the object of limited military conscription of its citizens and green card holders, but Congress passed three years ago a bill to allow “critical national interest in identifying the circumstances” to break this rule. According to the instructions of the Pentagon, the U.S. armed forces from the end of last year, plans to gradually expand the manpower on the agenda, the Department of Homeland Security is also working on amendments to the relevant immigration rules. Reported that this will be since the Vietnam War, the U.S. military for the first time without permanent residency to open the door.

now, the New Deal, the main short-term work visas for holders of foreign nationals in the United States, the future will be open for students and refugees (illegal immigrants not included). Military and other cities scheduled to start early in the New York pilot, the first batch of recruits, including 550 foreign language professionals and 300 medical personnel, including 1,000 people, mainly the Army service; if all goes well, then extended to all units within the military. It is estimated that the program in full swing, the average over 14,000 per year to provide “fresh blood.”

U.S. military believe that these foreign soldiers, expertise and multi-cultural background, to enhance the force field of translation, medical care and intelligence analysis capabilities of great benefit. “Our human resources are expected to be further strengthened.” Project leader Benjamin Ferrer, General Clay said. He also said that eligible foreign nationals, the fastest in the army six months after officially naturalized as U.S. citizens and are exempt from the relevant costs.

demanding professional quality

9.11 incident, many on short-term visas to foreigners who have expressed the intention to participate in the U.S., but subject to status and unable to do so. The implementation of the new policy will undoubtedly want to take root in these United States who can not get a green card a huge attraction, and thus become the realization of the “American dream” of the shortcut.

But on the other hand, recruitment to further reduce the threshold, the relaxation of the candidates does not mean that the professional quality of the assessment. In addition to submitting more than two years of residence in the United States and through the basic skills test that, the first recruitment of military special request that the object “has a vital national interest of the language or medical skills.”

Specifically, this recruitment of foreign personnel to be proficient in Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Kurdish, Pashto, Russian, Tamil and other 35 languages ??in at least one species; those who wish to join the army medical staff status shall be made in advance the professional qualifications of doctors and nurses, and can readily respond to the command, went to the front to meet the demand for treatment of injuries.

Moreover, according to the Pentagon announced the implementation of the rules, all foreign language experts should be at least 4 years serving in the military, medical personnel need to serve 3 years (reserve will be extended to 6 years). Those who fail to comply with discipline, citizenship can be canceled.

not a pure response to the “soldiers shortage”

absorption of foreigners to participate in U.S. military tradition, dating back to the early 19th century. After 2001, with the U.S. government has repeatedly promised to provide relaxation and preferential treatment, serving in the armed forces greatly increased the number of expatriates. Today, there are still about 28,000 so-called “green card soldiers”, as soon as possible to become a U.S. citizen and contribute in the military.

However, the U.S. will expand the scope of recruitment to the practice of non-permanent residents, not the pure response to the “shortage of soldiers,” and take the upset. As the security situation in Iraq improves and the pressure of economic crisis, the U.S. was a slump of their citizens has been a resurgence of enthusiasm to join the army. U.S. Army recently released figures show that in the first quarter of recruitment targets have been completed 105%. Therefore, the absolute number of soldiers from the point of view, the U.S. nowadays, and there is no urgent need for foreign troops.

In fact, allowing non-permanent residents into the army’s decision is due more to “quality army” considerations. This, the first batch of candidates from the military for the special requirements of professional quality is not difficult to see. It was noted that the U.S. military, mostly from local manpower is relatively backward regions, poor educational level; some high-tech work, left hand, foreigners can only assume. In contrast, the latter is often hard for many years in the community, adaptable, on the treatment required is not high. Priority to recruit these people to join the army, not only to help the realization of the “American Dream”, is more conducive to quickly upgrade their military professionalism.

course, as new policies introduced, the program also attracted the conservative opposition. People gathered at the military’s “military” on the website, there is public criticism of veterans, said a lot of recruiting “non-green card foreigners” approach, it is definitely on the ulterior motives can take advantage of the machine, and may even lead to infiltration by terrorists armed forces . (Newspaper correspondent often grind days)