Until the US Military starts running into a recuiting problem..then we'll likley see an increase in participation.
With this economy that's highly unlikely. I've been trying to get into OTS since 2009, but the standards now are so ridiculously high due to competition it's impossible for a "normal" person to get in. I had a 3.2GPA, extracuricular activities, perfect physical, good LORs, and ROTC experience yet I was still denied twice. I'll be trying again come this Summer though....
EDIT: Case in point
http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2011/ ... ly-120411/
3,000 airmen leaving service early
By David Larter - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Dec 4, 2011 8:54:58 EST
The Air Force is cutting its enlisted force by 3,000 airmen through a combination of date-of-separation rollbacks and voluntary separation programs, according to Air Force personnel officials at the Pentagon.
In all, 2,200 airmen are being forced out through the date-of-separation rollback program announced in early November. The Air Force hopes to achieve the additional 800 cuts through voluntary programs.
Airmen in 67 Air Force Specialty Codes are eligible for the voluntary separations in one of several programs that are identical to those offered in fiscal 2010: limited active-duty service commitment waivers for up to two years of enlistment obligations, transfers to the Guard or Reserve through the Palace Chase program, and the “Blue to Green” transfer program to the Army.
The 800 airmen who volunteer to leave or retire will not be paid a financial incentive, personnel officials said.
Rollbacks
The Air Force is only about 100 airmen over its end-strength goals, or about .04 percent. But the 17-year high retention rate means it has to force turnover to keep its numbers down, personnel officials said.
That means bringing back DOS rollbacks, which will force out 2,200 airmen who are ineligible to re-enlist, have had their deployment eligibility affected or who already are planning to leave the service.
Airmen who have been tapped for a DOS rollback are being notified by their commanders and, in most cases, the commanders make the final call as to who is affected, according to an Air Force news release.
The program affects senior master sergeants and below with fewer than 14 years and more than 20 years of service as of next March 31. Airmen being cut early through the DOS rollback must separate or retire by that date.
Retirement-eligible airmen must submit their request though the Virtual Military Personnel Flight by Dec. 1.
Airmen with more than six years but less than 20 years on active duty who are being separated through the rollbacks are eligible for half separation pay, provided they make a three-year commitment to the Inactive Ready Reserve.
Those with at least 180 days in are eligible for 180 days of medical care for them and their families, and will be allowed to have an ID for base privileges for two years. GI Bill benefits will largely be unaffected, but some transferability benefits might be curtailed.
When the voluntary programs were offered last year, the most popular option was the commitment waiver. Among those who wanted to leave the service early, 339 applied and 117 were approved. For those who wanted to retire early, commitments were waived for all but 19 of 220 airmen who applied.
Sixty of the 87 airmen who applied for the Palace Chase transfer were approved. Only two airmen applied for the Blue to Green program, and both were denied.
