Let the Sunshine In

"What do you think the President's biography should be called?"
"Exercise, Exercise, Exercise."
--former secretary of State Madelaine Albright,
Commonwealth Club of California, 2/14/08

I think war is a dangerous place
--George Bush

The painful task of thinking is mine, and mine alone
--Admiral Sir George Rodney
___________

The U.S. doesn't like it when the terrorists exploit mentally deficient individuals, but our military has no problem reserving slots for Category IV enlistees. Category IV encompasses the lowest scores on the achievement exam used for entrance into the armed forces (the bottom 10-30%), and up to 12% of recent recruits have been from that grouping.

"Terrorists reached new lows of ugly behavior in Baghdad last week by remotely detonating the explosives-laden bodies of two mentally challenged women. Now, it is bad enough when terrorists knowingly sacrifice themselves to cause murder and mayhem. But when they manipulate others into doing their evil bidding — in this case, as unwitting suicide bombers — their actions are doubly despicable (Terrorists Stoop to a New Low.)"

We are now told that the "female suicide bombers who killed nearly 100 people in Baghdad this month . . . suffered from depression and schizophrenia but [not] . . . Down's syndrome (Files for Suicide Bombers Show no Down's Syndrome.)" So in other words, they felt like a lot of your fellow Americans today.

But back to our exploitation. Why does the Army even consider using candidates from the 10-30th percentile? It is challenge enough training personnel from the lower end of the normal I.Q. spectrum.

Of course, what the articles on recruitment of Cat IV's fail to discuss is the dirty fact that because these soldiers are borderline educable (think Forrest Gump), they will be used and then dismissed when time for re-enlistment comes around. They are fodder.

General technical scores are evaluated when reenlisting, and the requirements for retention are higher than for initial recruitment. Intelligence, as measured via the GT score, does not miraculously increase by virtue of Army service. Cat IV's may make serviceable lower enlisted men, but does this nation want Cat IV's to be Squad, Platoon and 1SG's? Can one imagine a CAT IV Regimental Sergeant Major?

The Army used to attempt to increase the scores through training programs like Basic Skills Education Program (BSEP). But when the soldiers are in BSEP, they are not performing their assigned duties. In effect, the Army has made of the Cat IV's an experimental social program rather than a mission-oriented component.

Forrest Gump may make for a cute movie, but he doesn't add to unit effectiveness. The military that Ranger served in taught "the unit is as strong as its weakest link." Has this rule lost its relevance in this brave new world?

The Army should not recruit any soldier that would not or could not reenlist. It is cruel to allow anybody to join the Army if that person does not have a chance to rise to the top. And nobody of sound mind should want a CAT IV to rise to the top.

This could be a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Perspective is everything. Kind of like the U.S. Air Force dropping cruise missiles and smart bombs is democracy in action, but suicide bombers are terrorists. Any violence that kills innocents is terrorism, even if it is courtesy the red, white and blue, thank you very much Toby Keith.