Most Americans not Fit to Join

Associated Press ^ | 3/13/06 | Associated Press

[bnelson44]

WASHINGTON - Uncle Sam wants YOU, that famous Army recruiting poster says. But does he really? Not if you're a Ritalin-taking, overweight, Generation Y couch potato - or some combination of the above.

As for that fashionable "body art" that the military still calls a tattoo, having one is grounds for rejection, too.

With U.S. casualties rising in wars overseas and more opportunities in the civilian work force from an improved U.S. economy, many young people are shunning a career in the armed forces. But recruiting is still a two-way street - and the military, too, doesn't want most people in this prime recruiting age group of 17 to 24.

Of some 32 million Americans now in this group, the Army deems the vast majority too obese, too uneducated, too flawed in some way, according to its estimates for the current budget year.

"As you look at overall population and you start factoring out people, many are not eligible in the first place to apply," said Doug Smith, spokesman for the Army Recruiting Command.

[MikefromOhio]

I had a similar weight loss when I went through Basic at Ft. Benning and I wasn't fat either :)

And it enabled me to drop a weight class in wrestling too....

[Tamar1973]

they have the ASVAB test to measure intelligence..

I had to take that test my senior year of high school (all the students in my social studies class had to take it). Big mistake. The Army, Navy and Airforce were hitting on me, so to speak, for months afterwards to get me to enlist. If I would have known that I would be on their mailing list for the next few years, I would not have taken it.

[Coleus]

was taking the test voluntary? I'm surprised, most High School teachers are very liberal and hate the military. was your teacher ex-military?

[Tamar1973]

was taking the test voluntary? I'm surprised, most High School teachers are very liberal and hate the military. was your teacher ex-military?

Voluntary? Kind of. We got some kind of grade for taking it and passing it, (whatever that means). I wouldn't be surprised if the teacher was ex-military, though.

I really would like to know what part of it I did so well in that they wanted me. I guess if I had bothered to go to the recruiter, they would have told me what my score(s) were.