[mark502inf]

Good article. Although the perception still lingers, it's been a long, long time since the military accepted the dregs.

The Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) that everyone must take to get in is normed to the general population, so it provides some indicators of military quality. Scores range from 1-99 and a score of 90 means you have scored better than projected for 90% of the population; a score of 40 better than 40% of the population, etc.

Over the past several years, the Regular Army normally required a score of 31, although it sometimes dipped to 26. In any event, the bottom 25-30% of the population in the US has not been eligible to join. Further, through last year, over half the Army's recruits had scored over 50 on the AFQT very year since the 1980s, so on the average we've been getting people of above average intelligence for quite some time.

[dts32041]

The last time dregs were accepted was during the a demo rat administration, McNamara's 100,000 when they brought cat IV's in.

Seems like the demo rats want to do that again to get rid of the societal rejects.

[exnavychick]

That's correct, AFAIK, anyway. I scored a pretty respectable 74 on my ASVAB, but I knew many folks that scored in the 90's. I knew enlisted folks with a couple of degrees, as well, and I'm talking about E-3's and E-4's. My score seemed to be pretty average, to be honest.

I felt like a virtual idiot compared to those folks. :)

[Night Hides Not]

Although the perception still lingers, it's been a long, long time since the military accepted the dregs.

Here, here!!! I served in the Army between 76-84, and we had our share of problems. However, I was damn proud of the soldiers that served with me. We were always short of men and materiel, especially during the Carter years, but things got better in the 80's.

Back then, a kid with a high school diploma could write his own ticket as to MOS and duty station. I can't recall the exact percentage, but I had many soldiers who completed their GED in the service.