A new report from the Department of Defense finds that most military prospects ages 17-24 and completely useless to the armed services.
The DoD report noted how 77% of Americans in the targeted age group don’t have the physical qualifications to enter the armed forces. And it’s getting worse. This represents a 6% increase from the numbers reported in 2017.
A major problem with so many young Americans, the report says, is rampant obesity. Youngsters are just to fat and unfit to perform the physical tasks needed to serve as soldiers. Apparently, about 42 percent are too fat to serve.
“Some of the challenges we have are obesity, we have pre-existing medical conditions, we have behavioral health problems, we have criminality, people with felonies, and we have drug use,” Lieutenant General Xavier Brunson told The Spokesman-Review.
Gen. Brunson described it as a “condition,” saying that “this is not an Army problem, so nationally what we have to look at is what’s going on with our youth.”
The general was responding to the problems that the military is having meeting recruitment goals.
“Each year, more than $60 million goes toward replacing the 1,200-plus first-term enlistees discharged for excess weight,” Irina Tsukerman said to The Epoch Times.
She added that high obesity rates have slashed the recruiting pool significantly, in addition to “falling intelligence and education standards.” She believes that these factors on top of reduced resiliency and flexibility, has made the military less prepared to confront “asymmetrical or conventional challenges.”
The service has been steadily lowering its standards here and there, but our military is still finding it hard to add the needed numbers to fill its ranks.
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