Military can be streamlined

Bonding in the first six months of life is critical for a child’s lifelong mental health. The lasting effect of the feeling of abandonment is difficult to undo.

So the military’s new parental leave policy, as reported in the Virginian-pilot editorial published Feb. 2 in the Sun, “Parental leave strengthens military,” has financial and manpower consequences. More people to cover the absences means more personnel cost.

This is part of a bigger dilemma. There is trouble recruiting. Standards have been relaxed and broadened, yet quotas are not met. Moreover, retention is a problem because of civilian employment opportunities.

A solution that many don’t want to hear about is to downsize military manpower.

The military is short of supplies, training and qualified maintenance. The government has admitted it is running out of certain weapons that it has sent to Ukraine. A few years ago, a Government Accountability Office study showed that less than half of the Navy’s F-18s were combat ready.

We can afford to downsize personnel but increase training, supplies and pay for junior enlisteds, and for critical skills because four recent presidents avoided conflict at nearly all cost and George W. Bush, as commander in chief, proved unequal to the task. There is little if any appetite in this country to become embroiled in a major war.

Taking these measures would decrease costs and reduce the future cost of health care and other benefits — all while improving the military’s readiness to support Ukraine, Taiwan and elsewhere as needed.

Louis Simons, Charlottesville, Va.