Most Americans not Fit to Join

Associated Press ^ | 3/13/06 | Associated Press

[bnelson44]

WASHINGTON - Uncle Sam wants YOU, that famous Army recruiting poster says. But does he really? Not if you're a Ritalin-taking, overweight, Generation Y couch potato - or some combination of the above.

As for that fashionable "body art" that the military still calls a tattoo, having one is grounds for rejection, too.

With U.S. casualties rising in wars overseas and more opportunities in the civilian work force from an improved U.S. economy, many young people are shunning a career in the armed forces. But recruiting is still a two-way street - and the military, too, doesn't want most people in this prime recruiting age group of 17 to 24.

Of some 32 million Americans now in this group, the Army deems the vast majority too obese, too uneducated, too flawed in some way, according to its estimates for the current budget year.

"As you look at overall population and you start factoring out people, many are not eligible in the first place to apply," said Doug Smith, spokesman for the Army Recruiting Command.

[ASA Vet]

The same is true for the top number.

[truemiester]

If your on patrol always walk behind the fat kid!

[edchambers]

I was one of the few, OK, only people I've ever seen that was in better shape before basic training.Not that I was in bad shape after wards, it's just that before the Army I was in masonry construction.I lost allot of muscle mass in basic, too much running around.Oh well, I guess that made me a smaller target.

[SkyPilot]

The amazing thing is that now that media have reported that the military has high standards, they suddenly will cry "discrimination" and want everyone to be eligible.

We can't make people feel bad for their "lifestyle choices." Standards are made to be lowered.

Right?

[marine86297]

"I know someone who was on a medication (for seizures)"

As a former recruiter for the US Marines, The someone you knew was frauded in. ANY history of seizures is a non-waiverable ailment. There are a lot of recruiters out there who will do, say or hide anything to make quota.

I've even seen some go so far as to "grant" fake waivers to a kid and tell'em they don't have to say anything to the processing doctors.

All these types of recruiters do, is put other servicemen in danger to make a number. How would you like to be on patrol with a guy who goes into a seziure?

There are reasons for standards, they save lives and give us the greatest military in the world.

Semper Fidelis

[dakine]

Give me a few months with the lard-a$$es...

[Lokibob]

No, the troop has to wear 40 lbs of body armor and hump 60 lbs of equipment for 8 hours in the Iraq desert.

For years the Soviet Army had fat officers and lean troops, while the U.S. Army had lean officers and fat troops. Something had to be done, and in the 80's it started for real.

A high school diploma is required because the military saw that if a kid is a quitter in school, he will be a quitter in Basic.

My son couldn't get into the military for 6 weeks, because he was under treatment to have some warts removed from his hands. I don't believe for a second that the military took a bipolar individual.

[SouthernBoyupNorth]

Obesity to the Army is not 20 pounds... its not 50 pounds. It's anything Over 50 pounds over weight.... Really quite sad that most young people now days are the fat....

[Larry Lucido]

Let's just say he was beside himself.

[joseph20]

There are lots of disqualifiers for joining the Army. But at the same time, nearly anything is waiverable.

If you are thinking of joining the Army (or any of the other services), don't let this article discourage you.

[Gay State Conservative]

I quit going to "Amy's Ice Cream" here in Austin because the employees look like they come straight out of a tribe in the Amazon jungle.

I had a similar experience at a popular pastry shop in Harvard Square about a week ago.With all those piercings,I'm surprised I didn't see anyone with a plate in his/her lower lip.

[linda_22003]

"As for that fashionable "body art" that the military still calls a tattoo, having one is grounds for rejection, too."

I never knew that. Tattoos are hideous, of course, but why are they a disqualifier?

[bnelson44]

Your question about tattoos is answered here:

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/army/l/blartattoo.htm

[linda_22003]

Okay, that makes sense. So, it's pretty much tattoos that would show, or send inappropriate messages (which I think ANY tattoo does, but that's just me). Thanks.

[GovernmentShrinker]

The solution would be to have a special 1-2 pre-enlistment program, where would-be recruits are knocked into shape, phsyically and mentally. A significant chunk of these rejects are living on various sorts of public assistance (subsidized housing, Medicaid, and student financial aid for questionable academic and vocational programs), while making little or no progress towards becoming competent, self-sufficient adults. The money would be better spent on putting them into a military environment where physical and academic education would actually happen. Many would end up qualifying for military service, and even the ones who didn't would end up better off than they otherwise would have been. Award certificates of successful completion that would mean something on a resume. And include tattoo removal in the deal -- that will be very helpful to them when they emerge into the real world.

[bnelson44]

How about just start up PE in the High Schools and colleges again?

[SJSAMPLE]

100% true.
I had a soldier have a seizure while driving a HMMWV on the autobahn. Nearly killed the four of them.

[lormand]

One of the guys at Amy's Ice Cream had half dollars mutilated into his ear lobes.

That was the last time I have been there, which is about 3 years.

[GovernmentShrinker]

I thought you couldn't get in if you were on maintenance medications of any kind.

That's going to be a harder and harder standard to enforce, as pharmaceuticals are increasingly being used routinely for "quality of life" purposes, rather than for survival, which used to be virtually the only reason. A lot of people taking Ritalin just do better in school or workplace with it, but are certainly not out of control or totally dysfunctionaly without it. Same for a lot of people using antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds. And the military should be comfortable with that, since they are experimenting with some heavy duty drugs to keep fighter pilots and Special Forces personnel awake and alert for unnatural lengths of time. If it's fine to use drugs to improve performance within the military, doing the same (and with much milder stuff) outside the military shouldn't be a bar to military service.

[GovernmentShrinker]

A high school diploma is required because the military saw that if a kid is a quitter in school, he will be a quitter in Basic.

Given that a lot of kids who try to enlist are coming out of inner city school systems, I don't think that's a safe assumption. Going to school in many inner city high schools is physically dangerous, and means spending the day surrounding by chaos, while having little opportunity to actually learn anything. Given that these schools routinely graduate kids who are completely illiterate, I wouldn't hold it against any kid who decides that graduation isn't a goal worth pursuing.