Quote:
Originally posted by ltl/fb
Isn't this the point of the reserves? Should we have both the reserves and these security firms?
It bugs me that there is an incentive for currently active military people to leave, in the middle of a conflict, and go to the security firms to get more money in the short run -- and then either stay with the security firm or come back to the regular military.
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I think this is a which came first the chicken or the egg thing. I think that the fact of the matter is that there is a high attrition rate in the military. Before the military ever started using these security firms, many well-trained and experienced military personnel leave the military rather than make the military their life-long career.
Faced with this constant loss of trained and experienced personnel, which I don't believe is caused by the potential to serve in these private security forces, what are the military's options? Pay more money to retain these people or hire them on a contract basis only when needed. The former is a very expensive option since you have to pay them more money even when they are not needed just to keep them around for when they might be needed. The latter makes more sense because they are only paid more money when they are needed.
I really don't think these people are enticed to leave the military because they will make more money in private security firms. I think they leave the military because they are enticed by better paying private jobs in general. Then when a war or other event occurs and an opportunity to make more money in a private security firm arises, they take that opportunity.
