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namvet
11-04-2009, 02:36 PM
ran into this on AOL.

70 Percent of Young Americans Are Unfit for Military Duty


WASHINGTON (Nov. 3) -- Are America's youth too fat, dumb or dishonest to defend the nation against its enemies?

The latest Army statistics show a stunning 70 percent of military-age youth are ineligible to join the military because they are overweight, can't pass entrance exams, have dropped out of high school or had run-ins with the law.

So many young people between the prime recruiting ages of 17 and 24 cannot meet minimum standards that a group of retired military leaders is calling for more investment in early childhood education to combat the insidious effects of junk food and inadequate education.
"We've never had this problem of young people being obese like we have today," said Gen. John Shalikashvili, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

He calls the rising number of youth unfit for duty a matter of national security. "We should be concerned about how this will impact this overstretched Army and its ability to recruit."

Shalikashvili is among dozens of retired generals, admirals and civilian Pentagon officials who have banded together as Mission Readiness: Military Leaders for Kids. The group, which includes former NATO commander and presidential candidate Wesley Clark, will appear with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan at the National Press Club on Thursday to urge immediate action to reduce dropout rates and improve the physical and moral fitness of the nation's youth.

They will cite research that shows quality early childhood education raises graduation rates by up to 44 percent and reduces the odds of being arrested for a violent crime by age 18.

Douglas Smith of the U.S. Army Recruiting Command said 2008 data shows about three in 10 youths have an initial "barrier to enlistment."

Most aren't insurmountable. "If you're overweight, we tell you to come back when you've lost the weight. If you don't score well on the armed forces aptitude test, we suggest you study and take it again," he said.

Between 2004 and 2008, the Army more than doubled the number of "conduct" waivers it granted to would-be soldiers with criminal or misdemeanor records. The loosened standards proved necessary in a time of war and amid a booming economy that forced military recruiters to work overtime to fill the ranks.

The new warnings about a generation of couch potatoes comes just weeks after the Pentagon announced its best recruiting year since the all-volunteer force began in 1974. The economic meltdown and rising unemployment, combined with bigger military bonuses and benefits, enticed hundreds of thousands to enlist despite the inevitability most would be sent to war.

The plethora of would-be recruits allowed the military services to be choosier after years of taking in more high school dropouts and those needing extra physical training to meet weight requirements.

Recruiting may have gotten easier, but "the good times don't stay forever," warned David Segal, a University of Maryland military sociologist. When the economy recovers and young people are able to get jobs or can afford to go to college, the military will be faced with the same out-of-shape, ill-prepared pool of recruits as before.

"Recruiting will get tough again," he said. "The trend line is clear: The youth population is getting less healthy."


AOL (AOL)

wow. 70% !!! to fat to dumb and to mean.

gabosaurus
11-04-2009, 08:41 PM
But they will be taken anyway, because the military has to meet it quotas.
The best way would be to eliminate recruiting quotas altogether. Return to the time when the U.S. military comprised the best and brightest. (OP not included :p )

Gaffer
11-05-2009, 11:38 AM
The military can pick up what they need by changing their requirements. Fat kids would get diets and lots of extra PT, as you remember. High school drop outs were given a GED test and schooling if needed. And how many do you remember were given the choice of go to jail or join the military?

namvet
11-05-2009, 02:46 PM
The military can pick up what they need by changing their requirements. Fat kids would get diets and lots of extra PT, as you remember. High school drop outs were given a GED test and schooling if needed. And how many do you remember were given the choice of go to jail or join the military?

me. although I never considered running i think my dad would have got to me before the law

-Cp
11-05-2009, 03:39 PM
Not at all surprising ...

AFbombloader
11-10-2009, 12:19 PM
ran into this on AOL.

70 Percent of Young Americans Are Unfit for Military Duty



AOL (AOL)

wow. 70% !!! to fat to dumb and to mean.

The numbers get worse if you change the branch. When I was a recruiter for the AF, we disqualified closer to 90% on initial interview. The statistics are also a bit misleading. These people are initially unfit, but they can become qualified. Lose the weight, get the GED, get a waiver for the law violations, etc. But again, this all changes branch to branch.

AF:salute:

Binky
11-10-2009, 03:52 PM
The military can pick up what they need by changing their requirements. Fat kids would get diets and lots of extra PT, as you remember. High school drop outs were given a GED test and schooling if needed. And how many do you remember were given the choice of go to jail or join the military?

There was a young man in my husbands battery, during the Viet Nam war, that was told by a judge, because he'd been in trouble with the law, that he was to either join the military or go to jail....Obviously, he joined the army and ended up in Nam, trying to keep from gettin' his ass shot off....I believe, back in that era and before, they did offer that. I don't know that they do today....

namvet
11-10-2009, 07:50 PM
There was a young man in my husbands battery, during the Viet Nam war, that was told by a judge, because he'd been in trouble with the law, that he was to either join the military or go to jail....Obviously, he joined the army and ended up in Nam, trying to keep from gettin' his ass shot off....I believe, back in that era and before, they did offer that. I don't know that they do today....

that's odd. not saying its not true. but i knew some kids that had trouble with the law. they tried to join and were flat turned down. by all 4 branch's. when i came home on leave only the bad ass's were in town. the rest of us gone.

they held up my security clearance for a speeding ticket !!!!

when i was overseas these two shady lookin' guys in suits knocked on my moms door. flashing FBI badges they invited them selves in and sit down and started asking her a lot of qustions about me and people i knew. almost gave her a heart attack. she thought i was AWOL or worse !!!!

Kathianne
11-10-2009, 07:57 PM
that's odd. not saying its not true. but i knew some kids that had trouble with the law. they tried to join and were flat turned down. by all 4 branch's. when i came home on leave only the bad ass's were in town. the rest of us gone.

they held up my security clearance for a speeding ticket !!!!

when i was overseas these two shady lookin' guys in suits knocked on my moms door. flashing FBI badges they invited them selves in and sit down and started asking her a lot of qustions about me and people i knew. almost gave her a heart attack. she thought i was AWOL or worse !!!!

It was common back then, if you didn't or don't know it now, you are being disingenuous. Emmett has written about the same, many times. I think it's something that should still be offered. However, tort law. Imagine: 'Army or jail?' Choice, Army. The private or higher gets killed, a war IS going on. So the family sues for wrongful death. Times have changed. Not necessarily for the better, for country or individuals.

Mr. P
11-10-2009, 08:06 PM
that's odd. not saying its not true. but i knew some kids that had trouble with the law. they tried to join and were flat turned down. by all 4 branch's. when i came home on leave only the bad ass's were in town. the rest of us gone.

they held up my security clearance for a speeding ticket !!!!

when i was overseas these two shady lookin' guys in suits knocked on my moms door. flashing FBI badges they invited them selves in and sit down and started asking her a lot of qustions about me and people i knew. almost gave her a heart attack. she thought i was AWOL or worse !!!!


It was common back then, if you didn't or don't know it now, you are being disingenuous. Emmett has written about the same, many times. I think it's something that should still be offered. However, tort law. Imagine: 'Army or jail?' Choice, Army. The private or higher gets killed, a war IS going on. So the family sues for wrongful death. Times have changed. Not necessarily for the better, for country or individuals.

It was common in the 70's. I served with many that were given the option of "jail or..." all good kids, just a bit off track.

namvet
11-10-2009, 08:07 PM
It was common back then, if you didn't or don't know it now, you are being disingenuous. Emmett has written about the same, many times. I think it's something that should still be offered. However, tort law. Imagine: 'Army or jail?' Choice, Army. The private or higher gets killed, a war IS going on. So the family sues for wrongful death. Times have changed. Not necessarily for the better, for country or individuals.

so your saying what i said is false or misleading???

Kathianne
11-10-2009, 08:10 PM
so your saying what i said is false or misleading???

I've not a clue to whether you were misleading, intentional or not. Just saying that back in 50's. 60's and early 70's, it was common for judges to give non-violent offenders of certain ages choice between military and jail. Most chose the Army.

Binky
11-10-2009, 11:34 PM
that's odd. not saying its not true. but i knew some kids that had trouble with the law. they tried to join and were flat turned down. by all 4 branch's. when i came home on leave only the bad ass's were in town. the rest of us gone.

they held up my security clearance for a speeding ticket !!!!

when i was overseas these two shady lookin' guys in suits knocked on my moms door. flashing FBI badges they invited them selves in and sit down and started asking her a lot of qustions about me and people i knew. almost gave her a heart attack. she thought i was AWOL or worse !!!!\\


That's the only case I'd heard of as well. You were in the military when they showed up at her door? If so, why didn't they contact the military? The military would've made sure you took care of it.....

I remember a day when I was visiting my parents, and while outside, I saw two MP's from the army, knock on a neighbors door and took their son into custody for being AWOL.... They hauled him back to his base where he stayed until his trial came up, and then they sent him on his way with a dishonorable discharge.

Joyful HoneyBee
11-10-2009, 11:49 PM
I knew a few guys back in the seventies who went into the military to avoid jail, but things have changed quite a bit. My son had a friend with a terrible driving record who has been told by the Army recruiters that he has to get his act together, pay his fines and serve his probation before they want him to cross the threshold of a recruiting office again.

Based on conversations with my son, the military doesn't want to have to whip someone into shape who is that far out of whack. The goal is to find suitable recruits who can be brought into proper condition in a reasonable amount of time. The philosophy is that if someone is anti-social in society they are more likely to be anti-social soldiers, too. It makes perfectly good sense to me. Soldiers must be willing to be selfless. I know I don't want my son serving alongside some anti-social selfish twerp.

namvet
11-11-2009, 09:32 AM
\\


That's the only case I'd heard of as well. You were in the military when they showed up at her door? If so, why didn't they contact the military? The military would've made sure you took care of it.....

I remember a day when I was visiting my parents, and while outside, I saw two MP's from the army, knock on a neighbors door and took their son into custody for being AWOL.... They hauled him back to his base where he stayed until his trial came up, and then they sent him on his way with a dishonorable discharge.

this was in 1966. a long time ago. I can't remember every single event. I was in service and left for oversea's when this incident happened. may have had something to do with getting my clearance and the speeding ticket. I was going to work with classified docs. and they were very strict about civilian records. after I got oversea's it was about a 2 week wait before i got the OK.
I remember later we were going to get a new guy. but his clearance was turned down for a bad record. that's how strict they were back then. the FBI always investigated this. national security was involved. I don't think the Navy had the time.

as far as those guys go. they we in trouble for DUI's, drinking under age. a public nuisance and stuff like that. they had been in front of judge's BUT they also may have been under age. I simply can't remember. but when they turned 18 they tried to enlist. and turned down. EVEN BY THE ARMY !!! they spent the war at home.

BTY remind me sometime and ill tell you about when i came home on leave how I went out on a drinking binge with these guys and got my ass hauled off to jail with them !!! :laugh2: