Getting into the military is getting tougher [View all]

[hack89]

The Pentagon estimates that only one in four of today's youth are fit for military service. More than 20% of high-school students fail to graduate. Obesity and other medical conditions disqualify about 35% of candidates. Prior drug and alcohol involvement disqualify another 19%, and criminal records disqualify 5%.

Over the last couple years, the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines have enlisted their highest-quality recruits since at least 1973, when the military discontinued the draft. Now a whopping 99% of recruits have a high-school diploma -- an all-time high. Even candidates with GEDs are often turned away and encouraged to complete at least 15 college credits before re-applying.

Two key factors are driving the trend. First, the military is recruiting fewer active-duty soldiers overall, as it reduces troop levels in both Iraq and Afghanistan. In fiscal 2012, the military enlisted about 155,000 new recruits, the smallest cohort on record in the post-World War II period.

Top military officials also credit the sluggish job market for their hiring success. A slow economy "makes recruiting less challenging, and operates to the advantage of those who are hiring, including the U.S. military," Acting Under Secretary of Defense Jessica Wright said last month in a prepared statement before the Senate Armed Forces Committee.

http://money.cnn.com/2013/05/15/news/economy/military-recruiting/index.html?iid=HP_LN

Interesting article on many different levels. What caught my eye is that now the military is no longer an option for many young people.