Military Shuns Many of Recruiting Age

[Tab]

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.
...
"Recruiters are looking for reasons other than themselves," said David R. Segal, director of the Center for Research on Military Organization at the University of Maryland. "So they blame the pool."
...
This year the Army is trying to recruit 80,000 people; all the services are recruiting about 180,000.

And about the tattoos: They are not supposed to be on your neck, refer to gang membership, be offensive, or in any way conflict with military standards on integrity, respect and team work. The military is increasingly giving waivers for some types of tattoos, officials said.

More: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060312/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/uncle_sam_wants_you

[sasha031]

didn't I read somewhere they were seeking Vietnam Vets

and they had dropped the high school requirement.

[jwirr]

17. If that is the case I know some Swift Boater's who are ready

willing and should put the bodies where their mouths are at! Of course with few rivers and all that sand maybe they will have to learn to walk.

[0007]

1. Man the Army has it all figured out

Other factors include:

_the rising rate of obesity; some 30 percent of U.S. adults are now considered obese.

_a decline in physical fitness; one-third of teenagers are now believed to be incapable of passing a treadmill test.

_a near-epidemic rise in the use of Ritalin and other stimulants to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Potential recruits are ineligible for military service if they have taken such a drug in the previous year.

Doctors prescribe these drugs to about 2 million children and 1 million adults a month, according to a federal survey. Many more are believed to be using such stimulants recreationally and to stay awake longer to boost academic and physical performance.

Other potential recruits are rejected because they have criminal histories and too many dependents. Subtract 4.4 million from the pool for these people and for the overweight.

Others can be rejected for medical problems, from blindness to asthma. The Army estimate has subtracted 2.6 million for this group.

That leaves 4.3 million fully qualified potential recruits and an estimated 2.3 million more who might qualify if given waivers on some of their problems.

The bottom line: a total 6.6 million potential recruits from all men and women in the 32 million-person age group.

In the budget year that ended last September, 15 percent of recruits required a waiver in order to be accepted for active duty services — or about 11,000 people of some 73,000 recruited.

Most waivers were for medical problems. Some were for misdemeanors such as public drunkenness, resisting arrest or misdemeanor assault — prompting criticism that the Army is lowering its standards.

[saigon68]

26. They don't want FATTIES they want KILLERS

Men who can bayonet babies and pulpify prisoners at will



A baton-wielding US soldier, appears to be ordering a naked detainee
covered in a "brown substance" to walk a straight line with his ankles handcuffed.


and women WHO can torture with no personal qualms



A US soldier gives the "thumbs up" sign as she appears to be stiching up a prisoner's leg wound.
It is unclear whether the injury was from a dog bite.

[tatertop]

2. The rise of Newspeak! It is all around us

We are watching the seedlings as they rise.

[RamboLiberal]

3. Gee and when I read the headline I thought they were

shunning Young Republicans. Oh, I forgot it's the Young Repukes who are shunning the military just like their mentors, Bush, Cheney, Limbaugh, Hannity..... :sarcasm:

[IsItJustMe]

7. You are so right.

[Benhurst]

4. I have a feeling

"VIVA CHAVEZ!" tatoos may become the rage.

[brentspeak]

5. Also, don't bother trying to enlist if you're on an antidepressant

As I found out for myself a few years ago.

[Blue_Tires]

20. or if you've ever had asthma

[bleedingheart]

21. You know I cried when my son was diagnosed with asthma...

but now I realize it makes him too risky a recruit....granted he is only in elementary school and about 8 years from draft age..

[Kailassa]

22. I had 4 older brothers of call-up age during the Vietnam war.

So when I found my "non-handicapped" son has Aspergers Syndrome I was delighted, knowing full well the implications, enlistment wise. I don't see it as a handicap and nor does he, but it definitely makes him a little wierd, and quite unacceptable for the army.

When he turned 18 he decided to join the army, and I explained that having Aspergers would probably make him ineligable, and was rather bothered when he insisted he was joining up and just not telling them.

The day of his interview arrived, and I was praying from the bottom of my heart that things would go the way they should for him. To my surprise he got nervous, and asked me to attend the recruiting centre with him. I told him that was just not on, but he insisted he couldn't go if I didn't. So we got there, I said I'd wait close-by, but that was not good enough for him; I had to go inside. Then when the army guy called him into a room, my son asked if his mother could come in too ...

Well, the recruiter looked me in the eye and we both worked at keeping straight faces, and he kindly invited me in. It turned out that this recruiter was a really nice guy, (this is Australia, where they are just employed to speak to people who make enquiries, not to look for people or meet quotas,)and he had a son with Aspergers too. So he asked my son about it. He gave advice about how he could study to work towards the sort of job he might enjoy in the army, and said to feel free to try again in a few years.

[bleedingheart]

23. that's interesting

my son also has Asperger's and I wasn't sure if that would disqualify him...but asthma apparently will.

My son is still young and he is keenly interested in becoming "an artist and a beekeeper"...he is obsessed with inspects..specifically bees and he love to draw...bees!...sometimes he swaps his obsessions and focuses on ancient egypt but the bee thing is always around...

[Kailassa]

25. Athsma does not necessarily last for life.

My son had very bad athsma as a child too, athsma and allergy problems seem to affect a lot of Aspergers kids. I'm into natural healing and gave him cod-liver oil capsules and took him for a run each day when he was young, and taught him to swim. He still gets athsma sometimes, but not badly any more. He hasn't used his nebulizer for years, now.

There is something very pure and lovable about these kids, and that hasn't changed, even tho my son is 23 now. He's become obsessed with singing, and is now breaking out of the Aspergerish need for strict guidlines and is not only singing beautifully and enjoying kareoke nights, (tho he'd prefer them if no-one else went...) but he's learned to modulate his voice and look people in the eye as a side effect.

I hope your son can keep studying what he loves and one day make a career of it. I want the government to keep regarding aspergers as a disability, to keep our kids safe, but never believe it is one. It's more like these kids are visitors from another planet, and should be respected for who they are, and not expected to be quite like the rest of us.

[lovuian]

6. Their finding out its hard these days to find the PERFECT

soldier...

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

13. No, don't.

It might conflict with the drugs the military gives you, to turn you into a "full-spectrum warrior".

[splat@14]

8. Wonder if the boil on Limbaugh's ass has healed yet. He and Hannity

can do a group sign up.

[catmandu57]

9. This just doesn't have the ring of truth to it

We've heard time and again how the military especially the army has lowered standards, failed to meet goals, stop lossed troops. Now they're running a reverse psychology game saying they have to turn people away? It just doesn't smell right, I could see where some people would be so undeniable they'd flat out turn them down, but i think they'd take about anyone now, if they wash out in boot then I believe they're still counted as a successful recruitment.

[stanwyck]

30. I agree

A friend told me about the tattoo ban...and I laughed. I know plenty of young men, including my son (a Marine), who have tattoos and were enthusiastically recruited.
The news media has already reported on the Army's boot camp training being altered for less fit recruits.
And I know from a co-worker's son's horrible experience at Marine boot camp that recruiters are enlisting young men/women before they're physically ready.

[Divernan]

10. So a way out of the draft is to get a Rx for ritalin?

You wouldn't even have to actually take them. Just keep getting the Rx refilled and create a paper trail of proof.

[The Backlash Cometh]

11. Waivers for swastikas and death skulls.

[Rex]

12. Imperial stormtroopers shouldn't believe in individuality.

It's against the rules.

[Earth_First]

(self-delete)

The infamous "double-post" strikes again.

[Earth_First]

14. Bullsh*t!

I personally experienced the desperation for new recruits when I enlisted 8 years ago. The SSG who enlisted me stated verbatim: "I am going to ask you a series of yes or no questions. Many of these questions determine your eligibility to enlist in the armed services. It would behoove you to answer the questions based on your commitment to enlistment today."

In fact, there has been a recent string of reporting out that ASVAB scores have been lowered in order to guarantee enlistment goals. The maximum age of enlistment has been increased. And height and weight requirements have been laxed in order to meet recruiting needs.

This story couldn't be any further from current reality.

[FooFootheSnoo]

15. I don't think their standards have changed much

I enlisted in 1990, I was only in the guard, but the same physical fitness standards applied then. I think a lot of the standards make sense and are to protect the soldier and their fellow soldiers. An obese soldier cannot run as fast as others (in most instances) and may not be able to get in and out of a tank as quickly as someone thinner. I was only 3 pounds over my weight limit and had to return home for a minimum of six weeks to lose the weight before they let me go. Someone with adhd may be able to function just fine in a combat setting as long as they have their medication, but what if their unit is cut off from the supply chain? Then is the soldier able to function in a way that does not put himself and others at risk? When I was in basic training I had a friend who lied about her asthma to get in. Then, one day during exercises she had a pretty bad asthma attack and was given a medical discharge. I agree with the military ensuring people meet minimal standards of health and physical fitness.
I don't think tattos are a big deal, but they are pretty strict about appearance. When I was in men could not wear earrings. They were even funny about sunburns.

[rooboy]

16. A golden rule of sales. Tell your customers that business is booming. n/t

[Ouabache]

18. I know a Marine Recruit in basic now

and as I understand it he has written home about how out of it, and incapable some of his recruit group actually is. So even of the ones they are taking, according to this guy, there will be a lot of flunk outs primarily due to the fact that, physically, they are just not up to it. And, of course then there are several guys who had no clue, and now are trying anything they can to get out like injuring themselves, and doing things to get themselves accused of a crime, etc. Just to get out now that they are in and finding it nothing like the recruiting trailers shown before movies and on television.

[yellowcanine]

19. They reject people for tattoos? I thought that was a requirement for

serving in the military. A lot of vets seem to have them anyway.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

24. too uneducated?

What sort of education are they looking for?

[saigon68]

27. 8th grade works well

[jbnow]

28. Being shunned

by the military in these times makes shunning sound like a blessing.

[stanwyck]

29. My son had two tattoos when he went into the Marines

and now has four.
A co-worker's overweight son somehow managed to scrape by on the weight requirement for the Marines. Then, he got to boot camp and became embroiled in an eight month mess until he was finally sent home. He couldn't complete the physical training. The recruiters were getting too much pressure to enlist without making sure the recruit was physically fit enough for the training.

[Nightflurry]

31. Here's my experience with JUST such stuff.

First off, I'm gay. Second, I had an elbow problem and the surgery to correct left some minor permenant mobility issues with my right arm. Nothing serious, but it's a liability to the Army. Also, I even foolishly got a tattoo that looked cool at 18 that happens to be a mafia symbol. There are three automatic disqualifiers for service (guess I won't be draftes).

I'm 20 now, and I actually went over to discuss enlistment last year since money is just getting far too tight, plus me and my family would rather strangle each other than live under the same roof.. even knowing the shithole the military has become I decided to at least hear what the military could offer coming from a very traditional Army family. I'd been approached by recruiters many times before, but I had a good chat with a sergeant for a few hours. He had just got back from Iraq and pulleed out of combat engineering and assigned to recruiting, and he was quite willing to talk about Iraq with a little prodding. (He also caught himself in the act of telling me not to go :P)

Point of this story was, even with my automatic disqualifiers, they were still willing to take me. I didn't say I was gay, but I DID show them the tattoo and arm condition. They cringed and exchanged glaces, but they would've let me in if I wanted.. of course.. I didn't enlist, but I don't think the recruiters are rejecting that many people. If they would've taken me, they'd take anyone. ..of course.. I'm in average shape and weight and established a rapport. Either way, I still say they're desperate for bodies

[Solly Mack]

32. Yeah? Hmmm...

Struggling for recruits, Army relaxes its rules
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/02/20/struggling_for_recruits_army_relaxes_its_rules

Army breaking rules to get more recruits
http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/05/03/news/recruit.php

[BiggJawn]

33. "You go to War with the Army you have, Not the Army you WISH you had"

Chickens coming home to roost, Rumsferatu?