Posted on 07/21/2019 8:27:59 AM PDT by Towed_Jumper
As the Army, Navy and other services contend with a thriving economy and a directive to expand their ranks, there is a growing debate over whether the military should consider lowering the minimum enlistment age from 17 to 16. More than a dozen countries, including the United Kingdom, already have adopted the policy.
Critics say the idea is deeply flawed and presents a host of societal problems, but supporters argue that the Pentagon needs to think outside the box if it wants to continually overcome one of the toughest recruiting environments in decades.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Also, per the article link below, the Marine Corps is considering going the opposite direction - at least for Infantry units.
https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2018/07/31/go-four-before-grunt-the-controversial-idea-posed-by-the-head-of-mattis-task-force/
As we have a large contingent of US military veterans who are FReepers, I would be interested in everyone's thoughts about lowering the age of enlistment down to 16.
Just in terms of the acknowledgement that a 16 year old can aspire to being a man as opposed to the many democrat options pop culture pushes, it’s a good idea.
Agreed. But the problem is there are too many Democrat social pushes in the military too
There must be a better way. Maybe modernizing i.e. automating clerical and supply tasks could free up personal.
Can’t get in with flat feet, can’t get in with tattoos on your hands, can’t get in with bad teeth, can’t get in with a history of broken bones, can’t get in with an undescended testicle, can’t get in with a GED, I could go on but I think the point has been made.
I tried for years to get into the military but they look for excuses to not let people in. I’m not a drug user and have no criminal record. Their excuse was I was 6 pounds over their weight limit.
So I lost the weight and went back in a few weeks.
Then their excuse was I can’t get in with a GED and need 15 college credits. For infantry. These manpower problems are largely of their own making.
Want to increase volunteers? Stop teaching global communism in our public and Catholic schools.
It’s a bit different now that homosexual rape is such a big problem in the military.
Lord knows, going to the military to get a free sex change.
Sounds problematic. Base pay for a newly minted E1 is $9.70 per hour if I understand correctly (and please correct me if I don’t). Hard to compete when everyone is headed to $15/hr.
Worst idea possible. High school grads are usually 18 so lowering the age also means lowering the level of intelligence. Most 16-year-olds don’t even know what they want for supper for crying out loud. With all the high technology used today in what possible position could they serve anyway? I found myself back in the 60’s surrounded by McNamara’s 100 Thousand. You old-timers know what happened there!
If the services can’t get quality recruits, start up the draft again.
So the first two years of military service will be spent getting recruits up to high school proficiency.
The answer is mandatory National Service.
At age 18 EVERYONE goes with no exemptions for any but the most crippling of conditions such as confined to bed and hooked up to a respirator.
The best of these kids will be in the fighting end and the rest in support. Two full yrs and not a day less, long with bonuses offered to reenlist to those deserving.
Your average 16-year-old male these days is not as mature as the average one 50 years ago. I’d rather see a renewed focus on getting teens in shape, which would presumably make a significant chunk of those “17- to 24-year-olds who are ineligible to serve” eligible.
It’s about disposable inncome. How much does a kid making $15 an hour in civilian life actually get to carry around after making rent and a car payment? Not much.
Free food, clothing, medical care, tuition benefits, learning a skill you can use later that is more valued than any school in existence...
Roll that up against the minimum wage you posit and tell me which is a better value
16 is too young (17 is almost too young).
Geez, your story of trying to enlist is amazing!
I joined the AF in 1960 (Judge said join the Military or go to jail) along with a buddy. I didn’t have a HS diploma OR a GED. I did have a juvenile arrest record but was accepted AND got a Top Secret clearance needed for my work in Security and OSI.
Lowering the age limit isn’t going to solve the problem of queer, freak and feminist social engineering that’s infecting the military. No normal human who would otherwise serve and put their lives on the line wants to be subjected to that every day.
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