You don’t even have to be mentally competent
When my Dad was in the Army Air Corp in World War 2 they didn’t need to have a high school degree.
U.S. military likes to imagine, that it needs “game controllers” instead of Americans educated in our worthy American Heritage, limited government, foundations and principles of freedom for, and in, a democratic-republic.
Anyone wonder why actually decent and desirable personnel don’t want to be involved with a military run by woke and progressive morons, under a drooling decrepit dementia patient?
Oregon Eliminates Educational Standards
For this school year, Oregon students will not be required to demonstrate skills in reading, writing, and math. Until 2026, an Oregon high school diploma no longer guarantees academic achievement, but only participation in a system with undefined parameters. The legislators, school districts, and the governor supporting Senate Bill 744 saw that this “will benefit Oregon’s Black, Latino, Latina, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander, Tribal, and students of color”.
The state adopted the position held by many 19th century abolitionists. When I read Fredrick Douglass’ autobiographies, one passage always stays with me. After speaking to an abolitionist audience, Douglass considered the evening a great success, because he concluded his talk believing these people were convinced, he was equally human with them.
He mentioned this as a significant event, because many strong supporters of black freedom questioned whether these people were fully human. If educators would treat minorities as individuals, they would design programs allowing opportunities for achievement commensurate with those they see for white students.
I remember Dr. Martin Luther King saying, "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character…..little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.”
To me these men’s understanding of brotherhood and individual value proves more meaningful than any perception of racial or ethnic inferiority.
Oregon just dropped all graduation standards, failing all of its students in the name of ‘equity’
https://thehill.com/opinion/education/4288044-oregon-just-dropped-all-graduation-standards-failing-all-of-its-students-in-the-name-of-equity/
Just show up (most of the time) and don't cause (too much) trouble.
How stupid -- and unmotivated -- must you be to not even graduate?
I remember reading about an Army infantryman who was nudged into accepting a unit citation. Even after four years, he wasn’t conversant in English!
In the 70’s, you needed at least a grade 8 to get into the Canadian Forces. A series of aptitude tests determined hireability/suitability. In a similar vein, a post on FR years ago suggested NYC employers were looking for two things in young prospects: punctuality and enough cognitive capacity to engage in conversation. They’ll teach them the business. I’m afraid that search is even more difficult today.
Take that, Putin!!!! We don’t need no soldiers who can read* because WE ARE AMERICA, and therefore INVINCIBLE!
*not that US High School graduates can read
I read that World War II soldiers won the war with the average educational attainment at 8th grade, and then they went on to build the mightiest industral complex in history.
Of course, an 8th grade back then was equivalent to at least college freshman now.
McNamara’s morons.
Even though I am WAY past age & health requirements, maybe I could re-up & get in the Navy. All it takes(apparently) is a lowering of standards & they’ve done that already. I can still lift(maybe 30 lbs.), can’t run, but can walk slow for short distances. I could use the money. Of course this would be ludicrous to even consider, but the Navy must decide whether it is worse to not meet recruiting goals, or to have a helpless group of recruits. First they need physically fit people & then instill in them the proper qualities of serving without going to some goofy set of “woke” rules. No trans people accepted would be a start.
Do you suppose that since we no longer see any positive, patriotic advertisements and news about our military, and much negative publicity plus all the Wounded Warrior stories and the like, plays a big role in poor recruitment??
Right now the military has made it known that your career path is going to be handicapped unless you're a member of a few preferred minority groups or female. The people that the military has relied upon throughout our history to function are being told that their opportunities will be purposefully limited in favor of others who are less qualified and who do not work as hard as themselves. It isn't illogical for an industrious young person today to choose not to go into work where they know their efforts will not be rewarded, choosing other work with more potential for them.
People don't have to take a job unless they don't have better opportunities. The military has made it clear that they don't want people from what has always been their best performing demographic. The Navy will just have to suck it up and make do with the lower quality recruits they have access to now. They made their bed, lie in it.
Diplomas Aweigh!
I was a navy recruiter in the late 80’s. Asvab scores range from 0 to 99. Anyone scoring 50 would be a pretty good candidate. Over 75 was super! Each person was categorized into categories. A “cat 4” was the lowest we could enlist and their scores were something like 28 to 40. We were limited on how many cat 4 we could enlist and they did not count as a full quota fill. I would enlist people scoring 50 or above all day every day even without a diploma or GED. Scoring 50 or above on the asvab is not like getting a 50 on some high school test. A 50 is the mean score meaning half score above that and half below that...so a 50 is average. The article is misleading in that regard. If they meet moral, medical and pass the reading test I see nothing wrong with enlisting these people.
Press gangs?
When you’re about to go to WWIII you enlist anybody who can fog a mirror.
Makes sense at for our useless public highschools in Democrat voting states. It’s a phony credential.