Is The U.S. Military Recruiting The Best?

A drill seargent watches the basic-training graduation ceremony at Fort Jackson, S.C. The Pentagon and former military leaders are worried about a new report that shows many high school graduates can't pass the military's entrance exam. David Gilkey/NPR

Military Recruiting: Are We Passing The Test? -- NPR

Nearly one of every four high school graduates can't pass the basic military entrance exam, a new report shows.

Combine that with high obesity rates and a rise in criminal records, and the pool of potential military recruits is getting very shallow.

Every branch of the military is still reaching its recruitment goals, but the Pentagon's recruiting chief says he's worried. And a group of former military leaders is calling for significant changes in the educational system, calling the ineligibility rates a matter of national security.

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My Comment: A lot of attention has been on teaching Afghan soldiers to read, write, and do math. It looks like the focus is in the wrong direction.