Too Many Troupes

In early 2007, the Marine Corps launched a program to expand its ranks - planning to add about 5,000 Marines a year for five years, and reaching a total of 202,000 by 2012. But this month the Marines already hit 200,000, and Gen. James Conway, commandant of the Marine Corps, said they will meet their 202,000 goal in early 2009.  ... With the expansion all but over, Milstead said he has already told Conway he can reduce the pool of roughly 4,000 recruiters by more than 130 over the next two years - shifting those Marines back into other jobs. And the retention pressure will also ease. "We opened the aperture on the retention side," Milstead said. But now that the Corps is about to meet its 202,000 goal, he added, "we're going to have to close it. We're going to have to reduce the number we allow to hang around the Marine Corps." That will be accomplished, Milstead said, by cutting reenlistment opportunities. Military.com

Sounds like now that he surge is over, the military is cutting back on the growth pattern established to increase numbers. Now that the U. S. economy is in the toilet, it becomes harder to join the Marines. That is a bad thing. I know a few jar heads who got straightened out via the Core knothole.

What is a young person getting out of high school or collage to do if they want to work? I'm afraid for them. This is a really bad rough patch for the economy. Working families are loosing their homes even if they have a good job. People are loosing jobs all over the place and are unable to maintain their standard of living. People are going to have to lower their expectations. The general standard of living is going to lower over the next several years.

So many times I've heard that people in the U. S. (my family) have been living beyond their means. The rest of the world is drooling and laughing at our downfall. Our current president keeps using the ter "redistribution of wealth". That means take money from the working person and give it to some one who doesn't work. 

Nat says she will get a job after the doctor approves her. That is great. I believe she will use it to leave me. I'll have a house to pay for and two miles to walk to the closest bus stop. The car is in her name as well as mine so if she takes off with it I have little recourse. This is why I didn't want my father to pay it off last year.

Obama says he will reconsider buying the F-22. It is built here in Texas as well as other states. That will be just one more nail in the coffin. Japan says it may not buy buy any F-22 jets. They are great military aircraft, but the price shows it.

Is every single piece of the economy going to blow up in our faces? Now people are saying Yellowstone is rumbling. The end is nigh. HELP!!!!