SAS Recruitment trouble

excert from an e-mail i recieved thought some of you might be interested

SAS Recruitment Slumps

The recruitment shortfall has extended to the SAS after leaked figures indicated a dramatic drop off in applications. In most years the SAS receives around 150 applications and 10% of those applicants pass the rigorous training. But last year only 93 men applied for positions, a drop of 38% from the previous year.

According to defence sources, the drop off is widely attributed to the current operations in Afghanistan. In peace time the regiment is an attractive option for soldiers and servicemen who want to see combat. But now with every major infantry regiment seeing action at some point in Afghanistan, the desires for combat action are being fulfilled. “Before, when the regular Army rarely saw any real fighting, everyone wanted to join the SAS,” a defence source said. “It meant you would get to do what you joined up to do: fight. Now you get that in any front line infantry regiment.”

The SAS has lost a number of men in Iraq and Afghanistan, which has led to an even greater demand for recruits to replenish the ranks. The demand for recruits has never been higher as MoD prepares to surge several hundred SAS personnel into Afghanistan to root out the Taliban leadership. The shortfall is not believed to be serious at this point but is a growing cause for concern among commanders.