Well the Army officially opens it’s prep school today…a prep school to recruit high school dropouts that is. Those entering prep school have signed on for a two- to four-year stint, just like any new recruit.
“We have two missions: get the GED and prepare them physically and mentally for basic training,” said the school’s commander, Capt. Brian Gaddis.
Last October, Army officials said they intended to expand the force by adding 74,000 soldiers by 2010, with the active duty force growing to a total of 547,000.
But Sanderson said the Army’s own studies show that only 3 in 10 people ages 17 to 24 are eligible to enlist, with the remainder barred by health or legal issues, or the failure to earn a high school diploma or equivalent.
A study issued by the National Priorities Project released in January found that while the Army has a goal that 90 percent of recruits be high school graduates, it hadn’t met that percentage since 2004. In the 2007 budget year, the Project found that only 71 percent of soldiers entering the service had graduated.
We need more young bodies to fuel George Bush’s endless war(s). I find it so sad that my country spends so little money on these same kids to keep them in High School, instead the dropout rate continues to grow at an alarming rate.
Have no fear though, if John McCain gets elected we won’t need to set up prep schools to recruit more young bodies…. he’ll reinstate the draft and they won’t have a choice.
Maybe we should put more effort into keeping these kids in school, and maybe George W. could instead take the fathers of these kids who are not paying their child support. Many men would find the money then, if it would keep them out of the war zone.
I agree – how hard can it be to help kids stay in school? Help them to think so they grow to make wise decisions and hopefully, find a way to establish and maintain peace.
Hopefully the number of drop outs especially in high school will lessen and it’s important that they will be given enough education and THEY SHOULD be in school learning and studying instead.
I had no idea. But it’s seeming unlikely that the Republicans will win this election. The Democratic convention put out a ticket that will be hard to beat.
wow, this is so frightening on so many levels
Background check – excellent point!
and yes it is!
Keli – unfortunately our educational system is need of a complete overhaul. The drop out rate for a country such as ours is shameful.
James - very true.
Therapydoc – I certainly hope you are right! The next 2 months are about to get very dirty though and the GOP will stop at nothing to get their candidate elected.
Laoch – welcome back
As someone who struggled to do my best in a broken, ineffective educational system for 30 years, I know that one of the things that America desperately needs are schools that truly teach and motivate from the very start. A society whose citizens can’t read, can’t function. A “prep school for drop-outs” to have more fodder for the army? Makes me sick!
Wow.
Some young people choose to serve their country and thrive in a military environment. And I really don’t have a problem with national service of *some* sort.
But this is a very different scenario indeed.
How funny the statement is that Army would open the schools for its manpower outage maintenance:) Do American military professional thinks that people would hesitate to serve their country and children growing in such war fare like 9/11 and other insurgence situations developed within US or outside US but by US? Things are definitely confusing much and leadership has blown a last punch on this critical situation, fueling this with new and young bodies would lead the situation with worst conditions, I suggest let the American children again to follow same old saying that “thing that doesnt make money doesnt make sense either” they need business activity in their practical lives and some research on new technologies rather than stuffing them in army…….US is still safe and living worthy place but if it stop indulging into other nations.
Think seriously!
child behavior problems
I think you may be right about reinstating the draft. . . I find it interesting that the draft was one of the things that led to so much protest against the war in Vietnam. Everyone was at risk once most of the deferments were taken away. The lack of a draft today almost makes it too easy to get involved in these wars.
Hopefully. Never. Again.
During my time in the navy (submarines), the navy welcomed those who dropped out of high school. Once out of bootcamp the first school they attended earned the the equivalent of a GED and if any student was found lacking in any particular skill such as reading or math then concentration was focused on that specific lack per individual student. There were amazingly view failures (Naval schools and the respective instructors have long been considered the best in the world).
The trade off was a minimum enlistment of 4 years for regular ratings (fields of expertise) and 6 years for any of the advanced ratings, mine being advanced computers and electronics for example. After your enlistment was up you had GI bill benefits which paid for a large portion of higher education and I believe all of the above is still in effect today along with a revamped GI bill.
Obviously a major difference of ultimate goals between services. A dropout could join the Navy, receive all the above benefits and spend their enlistment mostly out of combat situations that those in the Army would undoubtedly be exposed to unless they chose to join one of the Naval special forces or became a medic (they service both Navy and Marines) or fighter pilot. It doesn’t mean there wouldn’t be danger involved for those on ships or shore duty but not the type you’d find in as a foot soldier in a land war.
In a way, the Navy version has always had many more assets than liabilities attached to the educational benefits whereas the “new” Army version sounds like it comes with an almost guarantee of seeing ground or air combat. This is not necessarily a bad thing since those “dropouts” who don’t want anything to do with the armed forces won’t bother to join but still, it’s an enticement with definite goal in mind…more troops to send into the current conflicts.
And the draft? Watch the sh** hit the fan (‘scuse the French). Obama probably won’t, McCain probably will. ‘Nuff said.
I dont know about all this drop out of school kids in the military, such a shame. Just two weeks ago I said goodbye to our son as he left to serve up to a year in Iraq with the national guard, he is in the military 16 years now, anyway when we took him to the local gap to get his bus to the airport I did see alot of very young boys there, just broke my heart. Can only pray for them all.