As Recruitment Numbers Fall, U.S. Army Looking Toward Illegals

Ann Shibler
JBS
Thursday June 21, 2007

Fresh off the American Forces Press Service comes an item detailing the U.S. Defense Department's attempt to pressure Congress into fast-tracking a section of the stalled immigration bill for the purpose of military recruiting.

Follow this link to the original source: "Officials Hope to Rekindle Interest in Immigration Bill Provision"

Tucked away in the recesses of the current immigration bill there is a provision to help boost military recruiting. It's known as the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors, or DREAM Act of 2007 (sections 621 through 632).

The provision was expected to help improve sagging recruitment numbers by allowing illegal aliens to enlist as a way to obtain citizenship. The Defense Department figures showed that the Army fell short in May by 399 recruits. The Army National Guard fell 12 percent short of their goal, while the Air National Guard was well below their target by 23 percent.

Bill Carr, acting deputy undersecretary of defense for military personnel policy, explained that if one had come across the border as a minor child and had been in the U.S. school system for "a number of years," then one could be eligible to enlist under DREAM. Under the provision, the newly enlisted recruits would be given a Z visa, granting them probationary status as a legal resident and making them eligible for student loans, job training, and other benefits as a first step toward citizenship.

Presently "about 35,000 non-citizens serve in the military, and about 8,000 permanent resident aliens enlist every year," said Marine Maj. Stuart Upton, from the Pentagon. (Only non-citizen legal residents and green card holders qualify to serve.) Drawing from the pool of illegal immigrants would add significantly to recruitment goals. With at least 750,000 of the youths admittedly at military service age even 10 percent of them would equal a year's worth of recruits.

Max Boot, senior fellow at the internationalist Council on Foreign Relations, opines that the United States is crazy for not tapping into this demographic group. He even suggested that the United States go a step further by recruiting foreigners overseas to serve in the military.

Engaged in an unconstitutional perpetual war that is not warranted or popular, with extended and more numerous tours of duty now common, and a rapidly rising wounded and death toll, it's no wonder the armed services continue to be plagued by a lack of recruits. But is it wise to look to illegal immigrants who haven't assimilated well, learned the language of our nation, and whose loyalties may lie elsewhere to be trained in the finer points of warfare and combat?

We should learn a lesson from the ancient Romans who did just what is being proposed — with obvious results in the outcome.