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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: greenspirit who wrote (52764)	7/4/2004 9:06:31 PM
From: unclewest	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793781

I am sure you´re aware, many fine people in the past joined with a GED and then went on to do great things. Our military does not differentiate between a traditional HS Grad and a GED. Both are treated equally. the services are still turning away thousands of volunteers every year who don´t have a High School diploma, a policy they only began about a decade ago. If the services are really hurting for people, (which I don´t believe they are), they should as a first step relax the standards on admissions. The first time I recall instituting the HS/GED diploma requirement was in the 70s...From time to time since then, it has been relaxed but with poor results. For several years the Army ran GED Schools at every major command. But it was too late...Those recruits needed that learning before entering initial military training not after. Non HS Grads do not do well in basic or AIT. The drop out rate is very high and those who manage to complete the initial four months of training do not generally do well in permanent units. Once a quitter always a quitter is a term that comes to mind. Your suggestion that entrance standards be relaxed is naive. But you are not the first to ask for it. Congress actually required it for a few years. Tell you what...Hire some non HS Grads in your workplace. Work with them for four months and then ask yourself if you are willing to place your life in their hands. You would never make that suggestion, if you had served in the military. Our Armed Forces today require mechanical, computer, physical, reading, writing and basic math skills at every level. The weapons, tactics and commo gear are far more complicated to operate effectively than most would ever imagine. The higher the education level, the greater the chance of battlefield survival...And the more effective a combat team member the soldier will be. Bringing back the draft will increase the average recruit's education level. I am for raising standards not lowering them. uw