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Report Says 75 Percent of Young Americans Unfit for Military Service
WASHINGTON -- It's tough enough selling military service to teen-agers who might not be so keen on getting their heads shaved or buy the whole "we do more by 9 a.m." line. And the fact that enlisting today could very well mean a visit to the front lines doesn't help, either.
But according to a new report, there are other factors that make recruiters' jobs even more difficult: the country's poor education system and the worsening obesity crisis.
About 75 percent of the country's 17- to 24-year-olds are ineligible for military service, largely because they are poorly educated, overweight and have physical ailments that make them unfit for the armed forces, according to a report issued Thursday.
Other factors, such as drug use, criminal records and mental problems, contribute to what military leaders say is a major problem that threatens the country's ability to defend itself at a time when the all-volunteer force is already strained fighting two wars.
To combat the problem, a group of retired military leaders has joined Education Secretary Arne Duncan to call for greater investment in early education, which advocates say helps boost academic achievement and social development.
quote:Originally posted by IWISHIHAD: Since we are getting real picky now, maybe when(if) we really need them, they say tough luck, we didn't meet your military standards before.
Can you say draft
-------------------- It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious. Posts: 3311 | From: St. Louis | Registered: Feb 2005
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But what if they say tough luck, you did not want me before.
I could agree with their point completely.
For some the military is a place for training and security that many have never had a chance to get through out their lives.
It appears to me that these top officals want a perfect army in "their" eyes, not what is necessary good for the army or the nation.
I thought about the changing standards of the military off and on for many years now.
Especially when i hear some of the prior servicemen talk about indivuals being let go from the service because of some minor glintch.
A long time ago some indivuals were given a choice, service or jail,(when they had committed a crime, nothing to do with the draft) didn't make them any better or any worst soldiers.
Posts: 3875 | From: ca. | Registered: Jul 2005
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I really like the idea of having retired military personal working with the schools and department of education to educate our children.
-------------------- No longer eligible for government service due to lack of tax issues. Posts: 5178 | From: Up North | Registered: Dec 2005
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