Those who serve in our nation’s military are some of the most capable among us, and that’s no coincidence; enlistment standards recognize and ensure that the physical health, good character, and academic skills of troops are the raw materials for building a strong national defense.
But the reality is that the pool of young adults who meet those standards is shockingly small. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Defense, 77 percent of youth between the ages of 17 and 24 cannot qualify for military service. Worse still, that number has gone up, over time, from a 71 percent ineligibility rate in 2017.
The reasons for this high rate of ineligibility are multiple. Some young adults have not received a GED or high school diploma, or cannot score highly enough on the military’s qualification and aptitude exams. Others have a history of drug use or a criminal record. Poor health is a major contributor; for example, being overweight alone disqualifies 11 percent of youth from serving if they choose, and is a significant contributor to the 44 percent who are disqualified from service for more than one reason.
Retired flag and general officers in Illinois, who are members of Mission: Readiness, have been sounding the alarm about these concerns for almost 15 years. Their message is simply that we cannot wait for adulthood to address these issues, which limit young Americans’ opportunities for employment, post-secondary education, and military service alike. Every young American should reach adulthood with a full array of options before them.
Fortunately, we have solutions to this crisis within our reach. Retired admirals and generals recognize that the underlying causes of the military ineligibility crisis cannot be solved by the efforts of the military alone. And with increasing ineligibility rates, it is more important than ever for policymakers to take action.
Research shows that starting in children’ s most formative years is perhaps the most effective way to achieve better outcomes. Early childhood is a critical developmental period physically, behaviorally, and cognitively. High-quality early childhood care and education programs give children the essential, foundational skills necessary to have success in grades K-12 and beyond. For example, children who attend high-quality preschool programs are more likely to graduate from high school and are less likely to be arrested for a crime when they’re older, which addresses two significant barriers to military service, employment, and post-secondary education.
In 2015 and in 2023, Mission: Readiness participated in special subject-matter hearings in the Illinois General Assembly to highlight the ineligibility crisis and the particular role that early childhood programs play in improving outcomes for children. Mission: Readiness members have encouraged state policymakers to increase funding for the state’s Early Childhood Block Grant, Child Care Assistance Program and other related programs for children ages birth through 5.
In addition, policies that improve physical activity, healthy school meals, and access to nutritious foods at home can help address obesity and other disqualifying physical health concerns. Mission: Readiness has encouraged the state to maintain rigorous standards for physical education in schools, and has promoted policies like Illinois’ 2023 Healthy School Meals for All legislation that, with adequate funding, would ensure every child has access to a nutritious breakfast and lunch. At the federal level, retired generals and admirals in Illinois have spoken up in support of maintaining children’ s access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition programs, and preventative pediatric health care services through Medicaid.
Further, while classroom instruction is essential to academic success, what youth do outside of school hours is just as important. Programs such as the statewide Teen REACH and federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers keep tens of thousands of Illinois kids safe after school, encourage physical activity, curb behavioral challenges, boost academic achievement, and help build new skills for the future.
By supporting and expanding these programs, state and federal policymakers can ensure America’s young people are mission ready, no matter what path they choose to take in life.
Image at top: April 2023 hearing of the Illinois House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, where four Mission: Readiness members testified about the national-security significance of early childhood investments: Major General Wiliam Enyart, U.S. Army (Ret.), of Belleville; Major General Willie Cobetto, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), of Hillsboro; Major General Gary Dylewski, U.S. Air Force (Ret.) of Peoria; and Brigadier General Roger Machut, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.) of Elgin.
