Comments on: Army Doubles Idiot Quotient

By: Kent

Kent — Wed, 05 Oct 2005 17:13:36 +0000

I think the "potato peeler" comment was on-point. I doubt the Army wants dumb cannon fodder. However, modern military forces have an enormous logistical tail. Perhaps this is a logical place for less intellectually gifted soldiers. Just be sure to train them not to smoke around the gasoline tanker.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Tue, 04 Oct 2005 20:39:34 +0000

After going through Basic this summer (B 2/46 Inf, Ft. Knox) I think it will be hard to tell. How well they did/did not do on the ASVAB is not always the best indicator of how good a soldier they are going to be. There are plenty of jobs in the Army where intelligence could be more of a liability that an asset (bored smart people can create much more epic scale incidents than dumb bored people).

By: LJD

LJD — Tue, 04 Oct 2005 18:58:29 +0000

While I see your concern, I think "idiot" is a strong term for any one who volunteers to serve their country. They deserve better.

I would not want a person of lower intellect behind me, on the trigger of 120mm. But not all who enlist will be using high tech equipment. The Army still needs potato peelers...

Why not criticize the DOD standard, rather than those who enlist?

By: Herb

Herb — Tue, 04 Oct 2005 18:34:57 +0000

It's no wonder that the Army fell short of its goal. Look at what a solder has to put up with today, A solder has to be a goody two shoes or some MSM reporter or some left wing looney organization wants to hang their rear ends on a pole. The enemy , on the other hand can maim, torture, behead prisoners at their will and get away with it. Now, we are starting to see the wackos protest with the likes of Cindy Sheehan and her kooky buddies. What next, Spitting on the troops when they come home.

The war on terror is a dirty war and we need to start fighting it using the same so called rules the enemy is using.

We need to tell Syria and Iran to clean up their act, an if they don't, put a few nukes in the right place until they do.

You can't blame guys for not wanting to join the Army with all the wackos at home out to get them along with the enemy.