Army Officers Finally Get To Try the Green Weenie That Enlisted Already Know All Too Well

ANURAKE SINGTO-ON / shutterstock.com
ANURAKE SINGTO-ON / shutterstock.com

Facing tremendous challenges meeting recruiting numbers for the last few years, the US Army is doing everything it can to keep people in service. In an act that has shaken the service to its very core, a group of 61 aviation officers has discovered that their contracts have been voided and redone, forcing them to stay in their flight suits much longer than they had signed on for.

Those in the Marines are used to being given the “green weenie.” It’s basically a slang military term for being f***ed over at the convenience of the commanding officer or the military as a whole.

Per a letter signed off on by 61 aviation officers, with what Human Resources Command (HRC) are reinterpreting in their contracts, these officers will now be told to serve a minimum of 3 years more than the seven or eight they originally signed on for. Per a letter, they wrote to Congress “Army Aviators have been misled by HRC [Human Resources Command], the USMA [U.S. Military Academy] and ROTC [Reserve Officers’ Training Course] Aviation Branch Representatives, and our Career Managers on the exact length of our service contract.”

They aren’t demanding Congress completely resolve the issue, either. They simply want a full investigation into how HRC is mismanaging their careers and, in turn, lives. At the heart of the issue is the Branch of Choice Active-Duty Service Obligation (BRADSO). This 3-year contract is signed while these officers at in college at ROTC or West Point. These forms are not official Department of Army forms either, for many that is a huge problem as well.

Before this recent and backdated change, this 3-year window ran concurrently with their Active-Duty Service Obligation. Now, they are saying it will run consecutively instead and give these officers an extra three years of required service time. With video evidence of HRC Officers telling them that this would run concurrently, they have a major case.

Unlike the enlisted servicemembers, these officers have been guiding their planes, maintaining them, and fueling them. They have a way to even things up and get their contracts fixed. They are allowed to film when they are being briefed by officers and ensure they get the best of their situations. An upper hand is consistently handed out.

Meanwhile, there are contracts and lip service that often accompany a trip to the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) that the enlisted go through. Many of these same enlisted end up bringing these concerns to their officers who are quick to dismiss such tales. Having evidence like this is crucial for the proof of their claims, but until they get this investigation, they better get ready to enjoy the green weenie.

The Daily Caller spoke with multiple officers about the changes. The grounding of pilots once they reach Major has been a huge problem with Officer retention. As a result, the Army has ended up promoting officers to Captain six months sooner than originally rated. While great for their pockets, many aren’t in a rush to get advanced out of the flight seat. As one officer bluntly stated, “If flying was a guaranteed position for us, we would stay.”

Congress has been screaming about the problems with recruiting. Reps Jim Banks (R-IN) and Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) placed most of the blame for dropping recruitment on promoting diversity, equality, and woke ideals on the plunging recruitment numbers. However, that doesn’t tell the entire tale.

With 77% of Americans between the ages of 17-24 (the prime recruiting ages) ineligible to serve because of medical issues, obesity, or drug use, the pool gets very small, very quickly. As a result, the Army has dropped its recruiting goals by 25% for 2023. For HRC to make a decision like this and backdate, it is not only criminal but also a surefire way to ensure even fewer people want to enlist.

The Army has yet to keep pace with the rest of society. With criminally low pay, horrific standards for what they provide for a living, and leadership with a bad mentality, it’s impossible to attract people to sign up. Perhaps if they looked for tangible solutions and ways to make it a better deal for the people to join, and take care of them when they leave, they might get more people willing to sign that blank check.