Too fat to fight! Four star general says Americans are too obese or criminal to join the armed forces and defend the country: Enlistment is at its lowest since after the Vietnam War
- An Army general warns that young Americans are either too fat or criminal to join the armed services, as recruitment numbers run to historic lows
- Lt. Gen Xavier Brunson said young people are unqualified to enlist due to obesity or pre-existing medical conditions
- Only 23 percent of people of age to serve are physically eligible to enroll
- The Army won't meet its 2022 recruitment goal of 485,000 - falling short by a staggering 20,000 recruits
- Smaller recruitment numbers come after the Army announced all soldiers must receive the COVID-19 vaccine
Lt. Gen Xavier Brunson, the commander of Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, theorized as to why recruitment is so low following a July statement from the Army that announced it wouldn't meet its 485,000 recruitment goal for 2022, falling short by a staggering 20,000 recruits.
Officers across the country are failing to meet recruitment numbers as fewer youth are qualified to serve, which some blame on the COVID-19 pandemic.
'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,' Brunson told Spokesman Review.
'This is not an Army problem, this is an American Problem.'
To increase recruitment numbers, the Army plans to 'lower the gates' and find new ways to appeal to the armed services to youth, especially amid a the lowest deficit since after the Vietnam War, according to the New York Times.
'Only 23% of the people that are of age to serve are actually qualified,' Brunson said.
'This is now a condition. This is not an Army problem, so nationally what we have to look at is what's going on with our youth.'
- Recruitment numbers for the Army are falling as Americans are either too fat or criminal to join the defend the country, one Army general has theorized
- The Army is attempting to improve its recruitment and preparation process for young soldiers as only 23 percent of youth are qualified to serve
- The Army won't meet this year's 485,000 recruitment goal for new soldiers, and will be short by at least 20,000 recruits
Lt. Gen Xavier Brunson said the Army has developed a new pre-training program to help young recruits get up to speed before enrolling in the armed services
The survey conducted in June found that youth knew little about Army benefits, including home-buying, early retirement and educational benefits.
More than half also thought soldiers have poor work-life balance.
To appeal to young recruits, the Army plans on shifting its recruitment focus by deploying 'influencers.'
The Army plans to maintain its standards, focus on quality, and invest in youth. Educators will be a key component in reaching potential recruits by teaching the various opportunities the army offers, Brunson said.
Brunson highlighted one new effort, the Future Soldier Program in South Carolina, that strives to help potential recruits prepare for academic and physical requirements to enlist.
Officers anticipate the 90-day program will increase quality by allowing potential soldiers to prepare before officially enrolling.
'There are people who can be led from the front, but there are a certain number of people with a desire to serve who can be led from behind a little bit,' Brunson said.
Monetary efforts to increase recruits are also being deployed with enlistment bonuses offered up to $50,000, and bonuses up to $35,000 for soldiers who ship out within 45 days, according to General James McConville, US Army Chief of Staff.
'I think we just want to show people that the military is a viable option,' Sgt. Jesse Wallace from a Spokane recruitment office told Spokesman Review.
'We don't want it to be seen as a last resort.'
- General James McConville, US Army Chief of Staff, said the Army was increasing its monetary benefits to appeal more to new recruits
He called the armed service 'a pathway to success' while echoing the need to 'upgrade' how the military branch prepares young recruits physically and academically.
The Army General blamed the low number of qualified Americans on the pandemic.
'I think we're just going to have to work out way through that,' McConville said at the time.
'I think us, as a military and an Army, we have to invest in these young men and women. We want them to have the opportunity to serve, and I think it’s going to take a little more work on our behalf, and we’re prepared to do that. We are not going to lower our standards.'
Aside from the Army, the Navy, Air Force, and Marine Crops are also receiving less recruits.
- General McConville blamed the low recruit and qualification numbers on the pandemic
As of July, there were about 40,000 National Guard soldiers and 22,000 Reserve soldiers how have not been vaccinated.
Meanwhile, more than 10,000 soldiers requested either a medical or religious exemption with only 61 being permanently approved and 17,046 temporary approved as of August, according to the US Army. About 16,000 soldiers continue to refuse the jab.
The military branch has raised the stakes for soldiers and promised to go one further and discharge personnel if they continue to resist immunization. Soldiers were required to be vaccinated by July 1.
'Soldiers who refuse the vaccination order without an approved or pending exemption request are subject to adverse administrative actions, including flags, bars to service, and official reprimands,' an Army representative said in July.
'In the future, soldiers who continue to refuse the vaccination order without an exemption may be subject to additional adverse administrative action, including separation.'
Source:https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...-obese-criminal-join-armed-forces-defend.html
