VOA慢速英语：美国降低征兵目标

US Army Lowers Target for New Soldiers

美国降低征兵目标

The United States Army will not meet its target of adding 80,000 active duty soldiers this year and has officially lowered that goal. But Army leaders say they have been able to persuade many experienced soldiers to stay in the military to satisfy a growing need for troops.

美国陆军今年将无法实现新征收8万名现役士兵的目标，并且已经正式降低了这一目标。但是陆军领导人表示，他们能够说服很多有经验的士兵留在部队，以满足对士兵日益增长的需求。

Army Sergeant Major Daniel Dailey announced this month that the new goal will be 76,500. Over the past six months, the armed forces has recruited just 28,000 new soldiers.

陆军军士长丹尼尔·戴利(Major Daniel)本月宣布，新目标将为76500人。在过去六个月里，陆军招募了2.8万名新兵。

Dailey said the goal is to grow the Army to 483,500, as approved by Congress. It is the Army's decision whether to add more recruits or extend the military service of current soldiers.

戴利表示，目标是将陆军人数增加到国会批准的483500人。由陆军决定是招募更多新兵还是延长现役士兵的服役期。

Daily noted that keeping current soldiers has been more successful this year than in the past. About 86 percent of current soldiers are staying on, compared with 81 percent in recent years.

戴利指出，今年留用现役士兵的工作比往年更加顺利。大约有86%的现役士兵留用，相比之下往年的比例为81%。

Army Secretary Mark Esper said there is a difference between the number of soldiers in the Army and the demand for more troops. He noted that the "strong economy does make it challenging." He said, however, that the Army will not sacrifice quality and its standards will not be lowered to meet recruitment goals.

陆军部长马克·埃斯帕(Mark Esper)表示，陆军人数与需要更多士兵之间存在差异。他指出，“强劲的经济确实使其颇具挑战性。”然而陆军不会牺牲质量，也不会降低标准以达到征兵目标。

The struggle to meet recruiting numbers — an increase over the goal of 69,000 last year — was expected. One reason is the strong American economy. Another is competition from business employers. They are able to pay high school and college graduates more money because of the economic growth.

今年的征兵目标比去年6.9万人的目标有所增长，实现征兵人数的挑战性也早已被预见到。原因之一是美国经济强劲，另一个原因是商业雇主的竞争。由于经济增长，他们能够为高中和大学毕业生提供更高薪水。

Major General Jeff Snow is head of the Army's recruiting command. He had said last year that the higher goal would be difficult to meet, considering economic conditions. He also noted the military's need for recruits to pass physical tests that many young people are unable to complete.

陆军少将杰夫·斯诺(Jeff Snow)是陆军征兵指挥部的负责人。他去年曾表示，考虑到经济状况，较高的目标可能难以实现。他还指出，军方要求新兵通过很多年轻人都无法完成的体能测试。

It will be a "significant challenge for the command," Snow told The Associated Press in December. Meeting the goal, he said, could force the Army to take in more recruits who would require special waivers for drug use, low test results or other health issues.

斯诺去年12月对美联社记者表示，“这对征兵指挥部来说是一项重大挑战。”他说，要满足这一目标，可能会迫使陆军征收更多需要特别服用药物豁免、测试结果偏低或是存在其它健康问题的新兵。

"The numbers don't tell the whole story," noted Dailey. He said that waivers require the Army to take a closer look at a recruit who may have had a legal problem when they were younger or has had some kind of health problem. The issue could be simple colorblindness or an arrest.

戴利指出，“数字不能说明全部问题。”他说，这种豁免要求军队进一步审查那些年轻时可能犯过罪或存在某些健康问题的新兵。这些问题可能是单纯色盲或是被逮捕。

But in December, Snow said his goal for 2017 was to have fewer than 2 percent of the new recruits with low test results. Esper said that he had told the Army not to go past the 2 percent limit; currently, the Defense Department accepts up to 4 percent.

但是去年12月斯诺称他2017年的目标是测试成绩不高的新兵比例要低于2%。埃斯帕表示，他曾告知陆军不要超出2%的限制。目前，国防部要求不高于4%。

Military leaders have increasingly warned of recruiting difficulties. They say that lower unemployment rates, a strong economy, and the lowering physical abilities of young Americans have shrunk the number of people who can become recruits.

军方领导人不断警告征兵的困难。他们表示，失业率降低、经济强劲以及美国年轻人身体素质下降使得符合当兵条件的人数减少。

Defense officials have said that after 16 years of war in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, the American public is increasingly disconnected from the military. Officials say many people have misunderstandings about military service and often do not personally know any service members.

国防部官员表示，在阿富汗、伊拉克和叙利亚进行了16年的战争之后，美国公众越来越同军方脱节。官员表示，许多人对服役有误解，而且往往私下不认识任何军人。

This time of year is usually the hardest for military recruiters. It is the time when high school seniors start learning if they have been admitted to colleges or universities.

对征兵人员来说，每年这个时间通常是最艰难的。这个时间如果高中生被大专院校录取，他们就要开始上学了。

I'm Susan Shand.

苏珊·珊德报道。