In order to meet its goal of increasing its size, the Army seems to be moving towards retaining its current cadre rather than trying to recruit new troops. The reason for the shift is, "We have a sinking pool of qualified candidates", in the words of the fellow in charge of recruiting at the Pentagon. The Army estimates that 26% of those between the ages of 17 and 24 are qualified to serve. The rest have drug or alcohol problems, criminal records, dependents or are just plain stupid. Of this 26%, 11% are in college. So, the base is pretty low. And, as a result, the Army has lowered its standards.
The recruiting problem is particularly acute with regard to officers. The Army needs 3500 more than they have
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