Posted on 10/17/2017 11:11:45 AM PDT by PROCON
Army Gen. George W. Casey, Jr., the Army's chief of staff, administers the oath of enlistment to 26 recruits in New York City, April 1, 2009.
The military is facing a growing recruiting crisis: 71% of Americans between 17 and 24 can’t meet the minimum criteria for service, which places the burden of service on an ever-small and shrinking pool of troops with a family history of joining the military.
At an Oct. 12 Heritage Foundation panel in Washington, D.C., Rep. Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican and former Air Force one-star general told attendees “the single most important ingredient to readiness is the constant flow of willing volunteers.”
Yet with less than a third of the population eligible for service, “it’s a red flag for our country,” Bacon said. “If we don’t turn this around, where does the world’s strongest military recruit from?”
Some quick math shows what the services are up against. For the Army, the recruiting goal for the coming fiscal year is roughly 180,000 new soldiers. According to a detailed analysis by Army Times, only 9.7 million out of the 33.4 million Americans between 17 and 24 meet the Army’s minimum standards. The reasons for disqualification range from failure to meet weight and fitness standards, misconduct, medical issues, mental health, and substance abuse concerns.
Once you take into account whether or not the remaining 9.7 million are enrolled in college — and that the Army doesn’t want the bare minimum for its future soldiers — the recruiting pool shrinks to just 1.7 million. And that’s before you get to those who are even interested in enlisting. What you’re left with is just 136,000 potential recruits interested in joining out of the original pool of 33.4 million, Army Times reports.
(Excerpt) Read more at taskandpurpose.com ...
Will the femi-nazis demand women be included?
It ain't my Army anymore ('69-'72). I'm sure the radical social experimentation in the military also has a lot to do with low enlistment numbers.
The vast majority of people who show up for Basic Training are unfit for military service. That’s why they get sent to Basic Training. Most of them are OK on the far side.
‘s because they’re all on DRUGS!!!!! Bah!
When I enlisted during the Carter administration the majority of applicants were weeded out before bootcamp.
Everything old is a crisis now that Trump is president.
Our son just scored a 66 on his ASVAB. The US Army is jonesing for him. :)
To many are unfit.period.
Never have seen so many pot bellied 20 something females.
Let alone the males who look they need a multivitamin and or a blood transfusion ..
Great job!
Don’t forget the Smart phone stoop ,how bent over will they be in 20 years
Thinking back to school in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s I am struck by how attractive I thought everybody was. Each class was likely to have “the fat kid.” But he was a relative rarity and the ones I remember mostly wouldn’t be noticed as such in a similar grade today. I was at a red-light as the high school let out. With few exceptions the kids ranged from fat to obese to grossly obese. Throw in the haphazard way they were combed and dressed and, for the most part, they were downright ugly.
Send them to Afghanistanistan.
And he’ll be an Eagle Scout soon too.
I don't recall fat recruits either in basic training. Sure there were awkward, uncoordinated recruits, but not overweight.
Got a letter in the mail...
Said go to war or go to jail...
++++
There were plenty of “jail or the army” privates in my basic class - way back in the day. Most turned out to be pretty good soldiers.
I was headed for trouble.
Army discipline straightened me out.
No truer words. I enlisted and went to basic on my 17th birthday. A hopeless classic juvenile delinquent. Of course this was mid 60's when a DI could and would knock you on your keister for being a F-up, if he wouldn't your barracks mates would. After Basic, was a different person entirely.
A friend’s grandson could not get into the army because of hearing loss and was told it was pretty common.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.