Obesity and Other Problems Barring Teens from Military Service Need National Attention, Leaders Say

[rangerrebew]

Obesity and Other Problems Barring Teens from Military Service Need National Attention, Leaders Say
 
27 Dec 2020
Military.com | By Gina Harkins

Military leaders are worried about the shrinking pool of young people who qualify for military service, with some calling on the acting defense secretary to take immediate action.

More than 70% of young Americans remain unable to join the military due to obesity, education problems, or crime and drug records. Turning that around should be an issue of national importance, said Rear Adm. Dennis Velez, the head of Navy Recruiting Command.

"It is something that, as a nation, we should continue to work though ... to make sure our children are healthier," he said.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/12/27/obesity-and-other-problems-barring-teens-military-service-need-national-attention-leaders-say.html

[Fishrrman]

From the article:
"More than 70% of young Americans remain unable to join the military due to obesity, education problems, or crime and drug records. Turning that around should be an issue of national importance, said Rear Adm. Dennis Velez, the head of Navy Recruiting Command."

This reveals as much about the future of America itself, as it does regarding the future manpower needs of the military...

[SZonian]

And yet, our son who scored in the 90th percentile on the ASVAB, entering a critically undermanned field, had to endure 2 years of USAF MEPS ineptitude and stupidity only to be told that his one-time case of eczema DQ'd him.

He then spent another year working to join the US Army enduring much of the same, but eventually made it though. The USAF's loss is the USA's gain, he'll be working drones.

So "military leaders", why don't you get your own damned house in order before you start blaming potential recruits for your manpower problems?

This constant projection on the part of the Pentagon is whistling past the graveyard...in their attempts to avoid "service-connected" disability ratings, they're going overboard on medically disqualifying conditions.

What they will do however, is lower the education standards, the criminal record component will be neutered as well in order to increase the pool...it's what a PC military looks like after all.

[rangerrebew]

I think there may be a thing or two other thing for which teens are barred.  The first is being too self centered to want to donate part of their lives to the country that used to give it's citizens their freedom.  Another is the chicken sh*t virus, as deadly to a nation as
COVID is to individuals.