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The Looming National Security Crisis: Young Americans Unable to Serve in the Military [71 percent of young Americans between 17 and 24 are ineligible to serve in the military.]
Heritage.org ^ | February 13, 2018 | Thomas Spoehr and Bridget Handy

Posted on 02/22/2021 7:57:32 AM PST by daniel1212

According to 2017 Pentagon data, 71 percent of young Americans between 17 and 24 are ineligible to serve in the United States military[1 ].

The military depends on a constant flow of volunteers every year to meet its requirements, and as the number of eligible Americans declines, it will be increasingly difficult to meet the needs. This is not a distant problem to address decades from now. The U.S. military is already having a hard time attracting enough qualified volunteers. Of the four services, the Army has the greatest annual need. The Army anticipates problems with meeting its 2018 goal to enlist 80,000 qualified volunteers, even with increased bonuses and incentives...2

In 2009, a group of retired U.S. generals and admirals formed a nonprofit group...Mission: Readiness, “Ready, Willing, and Unable to Serve,” undated, http://cdn.missionreadiness.org/NATEE1109.pdf (accessed January 26, 2018 ). they report that the main causes of this situation are inadequate education, criminality, and obesity. Unchecked, the combined effect of these three conditions will continue to decrease the number of young adults eligible to serve in the United States military. ..

“experts said seniors graduating from high school [in 2014] face[d] the longest odds to qualify for military service since the draft was abolished in 1973...

Graduation rates reported by major U.S. cities tell a more accurate and depressing story, with places like Montgomery, Alabama, reporting 70.7 percent and Albany, Oregon, as low as 51.3 percent.

Another hindrance to young adults’ ability to join the military is criminal history. ..Criminal history is relevant because it shows recruiters the kind of behavior and activities that recruits have exhibited in the past—which, while not predictive, certainly hint at the potential for similar behavior in the future...According to the 2009 Mission: Readiness report, criminality prevents one of every 10 young adults from being able to join the armed forces. [23]..National Institute of Justice claims that according to The Pittsburgh Youth Study, “52 to 57 percent of juvenile delinquents continue to offend up to age 25.[25]...

Health Issues

According to the former commander of the U.S. Army Recruiting Command,Major General Allen Batschelet, the biggest culprit keeping young adults from qualifying to serve in the United States military however is health concerns, mostly obesity.[32]

In 2015, he stated: “The obesity issue is the most troubling because the trend is going in the wrong direction…. By 2020 it could be as high as 50%, which means only 2 in 10 would qualify to join the Army.”[33]..

The Mission: Readiness report previously cited reports that “27% of young Americans are too overweight for military service,” and of the total number of those who attempt to join the Armed Forces, approximately 15,000 are rejected every year because they are overweight. [35]

Another 32 percent of the young adult population cannot join the military for health concerns other than obesity. These issues include asthma, hearing and eyesight problems, and mental illness.[38]


TOPICS: History; Military/Veterans; Religion; Society
KEYWORDS: china; feminization; obesity; russia
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Excerpts. Another aspect resulting from spiritual and moral decline, of faith and family, and thus enemies abound within while enemies without increase, making for a sinking ship taking on water and that imagines its future will see victory as in the past.

But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. (Deuteronomy 32:15)

They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee. (Deuteronomy 32:17-18)

They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off. (Hosea 8:4)

I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing. (Hosea 8:12)

Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him. (Hosea 8:3)

Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. (Jeremiah 6:16)

If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the Lord, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove. (Jeremiah 4:1)

1 posted on 02/22/2021 7:57:32 AM PST by daniel1212
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To: daniel1212

Now that the communists have seized power, this is actually a good thing for us.


2 posted on 02/22/2021 8:01:06 AM PST by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizens Are Born Here of Citizen Parents)(Know Islam, No Peace - No Islam, Know Peace)
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To: daniel1212

....sadly, I agree with your opening observations. I wonder how many transgenders there are in China’s military forces, or how many mandatory seminars their troops have to attend regarding intersectionality (I’m still not sure what that means...), or how many warnings about being aware of the vast number of domestic terrorists and supremacists there are in their ranks...? Jus’ wonderin’ ......


3 posted on 02/22/2021 8:02:46 AM PST by TokarevM57
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To: Lurkinanloomin

Its kind of obvious whats coming next.

Lets lower the requirements (again) to serve!


4 posted on 02/22/2021 8:02:50 AM PST by hillarys cankles
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To: daniel1212
Approximately 40% of U.S. adults and about 20% of adolescents are obese, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. This is the highest obesity rate ever recorded in the U.S. and is especially troubling due to the number of children and adolescents considered obese, according to an October 13, 2017 NBCNews.com article. Obesity is considered having a body-mass index of over 30 and is linked to such conditions as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. - https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/obesity-american-adults-youth/
5 posted on 02/22/2021 8:03:05 AM PST by daniel1212 (Turn to the Lord Jesus as a damned + destitute sinner + trust Him to save + be baptized+follow Him!)
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To: daniel1212
Based on the abject idiocy that has passed for "foreign policy" in the U.S. over the last 50 years, I don't see how any of this is a problem.

No offense to anyone here on FR with a military background, but I think you'd have to be certifiably nuts to join the U.S. military today.

6 posted on 02/22/2021 8:04:13 AM PST by Alberta's Child ("And once in a night I dreamed you were there; I canceled my flight from going nowhere.")
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To: daniel1212

Well, the Biden-Harris Junta is already erasing all kinds of protections for women, so adding them to the Selective Service requirement should be a no-brainer (and therefore right up Zhou Bai-den’s alley). And once they’ve doubled the candidate pool, they can revert to type, reconstitute the military as a conscription force, and promulgate policy that all students must now meet physical fitness minimums so that they may Serve the Interests of The Homeland (or some more socialist-sounding variation).

That should solve the eligibility issue within a couple of years.


7 posted on 02/22/2021 8:04:50 AM PST by Little Pig
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To: daniel1212
Then from without:

Chinese hackers 'steal missile plans' from US Navy contractors 12/14/2018, 8:05:06 PM · by Libloather · 15 replies Telegraph ^ | 12/14/18 | James Cook Classified military information including missile plans have been stolen from contractors working for the US Navy by hackers linked to China, according to reports. Contractors working for the US Navy have reportedly suffered a series of breaches in the past 18 months. Richard Spencer, the secretary of the US Navy, has ordered a review of cybersecurity threats, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. The review follows reports of the theft of classified plans for a supersonic anti-ship missile to be used by submarines. The plans for the missile were found to have been stolen in June during a hacking.

8 posted on 02/22/2021 8:05:09 AM PST by daniel1212 (Turn to the Lord Jesus as a damned + destitute sinner + trust Him to save + be baptized+follow Him!)
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To: daniel1212
My son was in an ROTC program, plenty smart, not obese, no criminal record. But he decided he no longer wanted to serve because of the wokeness and the election.

Have to consider if the country we are becoming is worth defending.

9 posted on 02/22/2021 8:06:42 AM PST by Bruce Campbells Chin
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To: daniel1212

Fat, drunk and stupid!


10 posted on 02/22/2021 8:08:20 AM PST by DarthVader (Not by speeches & majority decisions will the great issues th the day be decided but by Blood & Iron)
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To: Lurkinanloomin

I am not sure why any patriot/conservative/constitutionalist would join the military now

Wars for the deep state abroad, and political wars on conservatives and “white nationalists” at home.


11 posted on 02/22/2021 8:08:59 AM PST by PGR88
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Hire a ton of PMC’s.
Pay them properly, and no UCMJ to boot...


12 posted on 02/22/2021 8:09:11 AM PST by EEGator
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To: hillarys cankles

Lets lower the requirements (again) to serve!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Aylmer Fudd says, “bwing back the dwaft.”

Make basic Training altered so as to end recruit obesity.

That should convery of a lot of the socialist mewling youngsters who appreciate America as it is.


13 posted on 02/22/2021 8:10:01 AM PST by Candor7 ((Obama Fascism:http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/05/barack_obama_the_quintessentia_1.html) )
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To: daniel1212

Remembering basic training, a lot of people came in heavy and slimed down pretty quickly.


14 posted on 02/22/2021 8:10:08 AM PST by Jimmy Valentine (DemocRATS - when they speak, they lie; when they are silent, they are stealing the American Dream)
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To: Lurkinanloomin

Of the 25% eligible, how many are John Gault, particularly if they are white males? Given the last “election” why would any conservatives join the military?


15 posted on 02/22/2021 8:11:17 AM PST by alternatives? (If our borders are not secure, why fund an army?)
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To: Bruce Campbells Chin

You are correct, I would not recommend the military now, they are more concerned with wokeness than readiness.


16 posted on 02/22/2021 8:11:23 AM PST by phormer phrog phlyer
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To: daniel1212

When your country decides to trash your Rights as a Citizen by allowing an invasion of third world people to occur,what would you expect.

Would I risk my life today to save a country bent on self destruction and bankruptcy? Hell No.

The Rats allegedly won the Presidency with an overwhelming Majority of Rat Voters so let the Rats get their lazy children to enlist in the military that they are Now in the process of destroying.


17 posted on 02/22/2021 8:11:37 AM PST by puppypusher (The world is going to the dogs.)
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To: Alberta's Child
"No offense to anyone here on FR with a military background, but I think you'd have to be certifiably nuts to join the U.S. military today."

No offense taken here. I completely agree with your conclusion.

18 posted on 02/22/2021 8:13:03 AM PST by chief lee runamok (Anti Socialist Derelict at Large)
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To: daniel1212

Volunteering to serve is going to devolve to one issue - meal ticket.

Anyone with a brain would be an idiot to sign up today, with the “cancel culture” being the main mission.

With “cancel culture” you get what you ask for — brains not required, nor desired.

There will always be those who will stand in line for a meal ticket, but the number of potential recruits are probably going down exponentially.


19 posted on 02/22/2021 8:13:15 AM PST by detch (")
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To: daniel1212

RATS waiving their socialist wand and making student loans go away (now and forever) would destroy the Military. The money for college that is an incentive for enlistment would be worthless.


20 posted on 02/22/2021 8:14:08 AM PST by DAC21
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