Filling the Ranks: Transforming the U. S. Military System

Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2004. First edition. First paperback printing [stated]. Trade paperback. Very good. Cover has slight wear and soiling.. Glued binding. viii, 361, [7] p. Footnotes. Index. This is one of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs series. The war in Iraq and the problematic military occupation of that country have called into question the adequacy of America's all-volunteer force. This book analyzes current military pay and personnel policies and identifies changes needed to maintain and improve America's all-volunteer force. Filling the Ranks argues that to attract qualified and motivated volunteers, the armed forces need to offer better tangible inducements--pay, benefits, and training--to accompany such intangible rewards as pride in serving one's country. Many of the policies related to tangible rewards were established shortly after World War II and are no longer effective. Filling the Ranks presents detailed assessments of US military pay and personnel policies. It identifies specific problems and discusses issues and offers recommendations and a blueprint for achieving them.