25% Gen Z recruits ineligible

[f16 1ub]

1 out of 4 in this age group are ineligible for military service due to obesity or criminal background. Thank you social media. Geeze Read this on Military News. 🇺🇸

[n2ratfishin]

It's an issue we talked about 25 years ago. I had a tough time finding people who met the Air Force standards back in 1986 way before social media. I know the Army has been talking about it for at least ten years. It's especially hitting the special forces community with the mission load the now bear.

Back in 1988 the teens would hang out at McDonalds etc...and be teenagers. They did not really tear up stuff, they were load sometimes. People in town had the police start busting up the meetings. They would give a ticket for loitering. Two of those tickets and you were ineligible to enlist in the Air Force.

[G-man]

I thought the military of today was only concerned about using proper "pronouns" and transgender stuff.....damn shame.

[1stindoor]

The pronouns and LGBTQ-MOUSE stuff is just one part of it...still have to physically able to climb the stairs to meet the recruiter and able to pass the background checks, physical etc.

[mikesxpress]

Unbelievable. The LMNOPQ's (alphabet people) are in play.

.
https://americanmilitarynews.com/202...r-safe-spaces/

[f16 1ub]

Our war fighting training machine at work. What a frickin joke.

[troutspinner]

It’s not just Gen Z. We are fat!! If everyone in the US were to be at a healthy weight, hospitals would shutter and our health insurance rates would fall big time.

[NathanDLTH]

It’s not just Gen Z. We are fat!! If everyone in the US were to be at a healthy weight, hospitals would shutter and our health insurance rates would fall big time.

That's a big part of it, we have also grown lazy and complacent as a nation. It's a damn shame.

[ChuckS]

It’s only going to get worse. Army can’t make mission and dropped the high school diploma requirement.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/...ng-crisis.html

Good until the end of the FY. Pray to God we don’t start giving felony waivers.

[NAMVET1968]

[tbone116]

Unbelievable. The LMNOPQ's (alphabet people) are in play.

.
https://americanmilitarynews.com/202...r-safe-spaces/

This is insane. If I went back in the Navy I don't think I would even recognize it.

[mikesxpress]

It’s only going to get worse. Army can’t make mission and dropped the high school diploma requirement.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/...ng-crisis.html

Good until the end of the FY. Pray to God we don’t start giving felony waivers.

Toss in the new tattoo rule. The kid that waited on you at Mickey D's that looked like he fell face first into a tackle box with the neck tattoos can enlist. Less the hardware.

https://www.army.mil/article/257828/...%20each%20ear.

[TomM]

Toss in the new tattoo rule. The kid that waited on you at Mickey D's that looked like he fell face first into a tackle box with the neck tattoos can enlist. Less the hardware.

That's fine with me! If the tattooed person wants to serve, more power to them.

Yes, I'm tattooed and yes, I served (retired actually).

Tom

[Jaredn]

Toss in the new tattoo rule. The kid that waited on you at Mickey D's that looked like he fell face first into a tackle box with the neck tattoos can enlist. Less the hardware.

https://www.army.mil/article/257828/...%20each%20ear.

Yea…cause most military folks are and have always been anti-tattoo. Has anybody ever met a sailor without ink?

[Ship]

Yea…cause most military folks are and have always been anti-tattoo. Has anybody ever met a sailor without ink?

I have, yes. I'm retired with no ink. I don't care about people that do though. Let them serve. Let the kids with misdemeanor marijuana charges serve. Some of the best people I knew over my career had been pot smokers in their youth. They just didn't get caught and got grew out of it.

[InfantryMP]

Recent Army Recruiter here (out 5 years ago). The recruiting missions have been crazy for the last few years. The wars did not help, the political atmosphere sure as heck did not help. The biggest complaint that I have, is the ASVAB testing. They are testing Algebra II level, and some vocab stuff that I still do not even know. When I was a recruiter and station commander 1 out 4 passed the ASVAB test. We only tested if they were not fat.

So now, its the weight coupled with the education levels. Dropping the requirements do not work well. In 2004ish they let felons in (non violent) and it did not work all too well as a lot of substance abuse happened with those folks who required those felony waivers. Also, they dropped the scores for the ASVAB for a while to, and the study the Army conducted was the a vast majority of the people getting kicked out where in the felony, and ASVAB waiver category. They need a better aptitude testing system and not rely on the ancient ASVAB test. A welder coming out of high school may have skipped higher algebra levels, but could still be a great welder in the military.

I feel bad for the military recruiters. I know how hard they work and it is a thankless job!

[1stindoor]

Recent Army Recruiter here (out 5 years ago). The recruiting missions have been crazy for the last few years. The wars did not help, the political atmosphere sure as heck did not help. The biggest complaint that I have, is the ASVAB testing. They are testing Algebra II level, and some vocab stuff that I still do not even know. When I was a recruiter and station commander 1 out 4 passed the ASVAB test. We only tested if they were not fat.

So now, its the weight coupled with the education levels. Dropping the requirements do not work well. In 2004ish they let felons in (non violent) and it did not work all too well as a lot of substance abuse happened with those folks who required those felony waivers. Also, they dropped the scores for the ASVAB for a while to, and the study the Army conducted was the a vast majority of the people getting kicked out where in the felony, and ASVAB waiver category. They need a better aptitude testing system and not rely on the ancient ASVAB test. A welder coming out of high school may have skipped higher algebra levels, but could still be a great welder in the military.

I feel bad for the military recruiters. I know how hard they work and it is a thankless job!

Welcome, and thanks for the unique view. I know the ASVAB changed a lot over the years from when I took it back in the mid 80's. I barely recognized the test my son took back in 2011. With a GT score of 149 (if memory serves) he was prize for his recruiter. He's still in.

[mikesxpress]

2nd chance?

Army program gives poor-performing recruits a second chance
https://wtop.com/national/2022/08/army-program-gives-poor-performing-recruits-a-second-chance/

[rgbtr196le]

[InfantryMP]

Is that the Army fat camp and summer school program?