Posted on 10/07/2005 7:32:53 AM PDT by Former Military Chick
WASHINGTON - Army Secretary Noel Harvey and vice chief of staff Gen. Richard Cody said Monday that the Army was using looser Defense Department rules that permitted it to sign up more high school dropouts and people who score lower on mental-qualification tests, but they denied that this meant it was lowering standards.
Until Army recruiters began having trouble signing up enough recruits earlier this year, the Army had set minimum standards that were higher than those of the Defense Department.
The Army has a recruiting shortfall of 6,000 to 8,000 soldiers over the past 12 months.
Harvey and Cody addressed the recruiting issue in news conferences during the annual convention of the Association of the U.S. Army.
Cody said that increasing the number of people with General Education Diplomas allowed to enlist in the Army was not really a lowering of standards.
GEDs are certificates granted in lieu of high school diplomas to dropouts who can pass an examination.
The Army's figures show that 6.5 percent of all enlisted soldiers held GED certificates at the end of 2004, the last year statistics were available. The Army plans to keep its limit on new soldiers with GEDs at 10 percent in any year.
Harvey said the Army was working hard to resolve its recruitment problem.
He said the number of soldiers on recruiting duty is increasing from 9,000 to 12,000, and the Army is asking Congress to increase enlistment bonuses from a maximum of $20,000 to a new limit of $40,000 for some who choose branches where there are shortages.
Harvey confirmed that the recruiting shortfall was affecting the Army's plans to temporarily increase troop strength of the active force by 30,000.
The Army secretary said the long-term Army plan was to increase the operational Army, the soldiers who fight, from the current 315,000 to 350,000, while maintaining today's total strength of 482,000.
By comparison, in 1980 the U.S. Army's active-duty strength was 780,000.
Well, we just lowerd the standards for judges too, what's the problem?
two words McNamara's 100,000.
I'd rather except the shortfall and have higher standards.
There's plenty of young people out there with gumption who, for whatever reason, don't fit the high school mold.
I'd like to know how many of these "dropouts" are actually homeschoolers who had to get a GED in order to enter the military.
In fact, with newly reformulated GED tests it is actually more difficult to pass the GED then it is to graduate from many highschools in this nation.
Ah yess... I remember it well. "Project 100,000," which enlisted substandard recruits in the 1960s, was widely hailed by military leaders as a resounding success until it was suddenly canceled as a disaster.
I can believe that..........USMC OOHRAH!!!!!A Force of WON!......
You had to be there to really appreciate it....LOL
I was and it took almost 20 years to fix that little problem. <p. The second worse thing old MC did, 1st trying to 3 cents a weapon on the M-16, failure to chrome bolts and chambers.
Some people who get GED'S are SMARTER.....they didn't want to prolong their agony in the PUBLIC SKOOLS which so many here (correctly) deride!
H.S. paperwork means nothing...check AQE/ASVAB SCORES...
Anecdotal: Last grade I remember is 9th...I scored 95+ on all AQE/ASVAB...
If the Army can make a good Soldier out of a HS dropout, more power to them.
In fact, by joining the Army, a young man or woman may see the advantage of completing and/or continuing their education.
Ya know Mark Steyn never graduated HS either.
I know, I know...Steyn is the exception and an exceptional gentleman; but young people who have not completed their education may find their purpose in life in the armed forces and dramatically improve their situation and future and maybe even be an asset to the Army. The Army is definitely an improvement over many other alternatives.
And if they don't make it through basic or their initial enlistment; they can always be discharged.
I know I was in the Marine Corps with Marines who hadn't graduated HS until later and they were some of the finest Marines the Corps ever produced.
Semper Fi,
Kelly
I dropped out when I was seventeen and joined the Navy. This was not my first choice. The first four years were rough and I almost quit several times, but because I had several supervisors that believed in me, I stayed (thank God). I've been in for just over 17 years. I was selected for Chief Petty Officer (CPO/E-7) in 2000 and I have a good chance at making Senior (E-8) this year. I earned a Master of Management with a concentration in HR and I'm also a Six Sigma Green Belt. Not too bad for a drop out.
The best Sailor I served with during my 23 year career was one of the dreaded GED accessions.... He was an awesome leader and a brillant technician. He didn't do too bad...made Master Chief in just under 17 years. When he transferred from our maintenance department, his successor(a BS Degree holder) stumbled and was fired.
Some folks may make mistakes when they are young...I'd rather take my chances with a GED holder than a liberal like Clinton the meticulously punches tickets every step of the way. Remember, he ended up being annoited to CiC.
Good luck with the rest of your career.
Worked for me.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.