No Potential Soldier Left Behind

Back when I was in in high school, you could go to college, get a job, or, well, if you couldn't do either of those you could join the Army. But things have changed since then. The Army became selective. You had to have some kind of qualifications to get in. I remember having a conversation with a co-worker about one of his kids. I made some remark to the effect that if all else failed, he could join the Army, after which was I informed that he probably wouldn't qualify for the Army by today's standards.

But that was then. The standards they are a-lowering. Just today, we learn from the Associated Press that the Army recruited more than 2,600 extra soldiers by lowering its aptitude standards this year, helping the service beat its goal of 80,000 recruits in the throes of an unpopular war and mounting casualties. A total of 70,000 new IED fodder units signed up!

Even with these lowered standards, you have to have a high school diploma to get into the Army. But if you have one of those, then Uncle Sam wants you! Got medical, moral or criminal problems, including misdemeanor arrests or drunk driving? No problem! About 17 percent of the first-time recruits, or about 13,600, were accepted under waivers for various various medical, moral or criminal problems, including misdemeanor arrests, drunk driving, and drug and alcohol problems.



Former Representative Mark Foley, you're in!
John Mark Karr, you're in!
Patrick Kennedy, you're in!