July 10,
2008: The U.S. Army continues to have
problems getting enough intelligence specialists, especially NCOs (sergeants).
Troops in overmanned job specialties are being offered transfers and retraining
for jobs like psychological operations specialists (plays mind games on the
enemy) and counterintelligence agents (looks for enemy efforts to spy on
American forces). Such transfers result in better promotion prospects and
higher re-enlistment bonuses. But troops are not lining up to switch, because
these intel jobs also mean more time overseas in combat zones (and not just
Afghanistan and Iraq.) These jobs are also dangerous, requiring lots of contact
with sometimes dangerous (and often unpredictable) foreign populations.