Army drops diploma/GED requirement as recruiting struggles continue

The Army has gotten rid of its requirement saying potential recruits must have a high school diploma or GED certificate in order to enlist, according to a report from military website Military.com. The report said the service announced the decision last Thursday. There are caveats to the new policy, including:

• Recruits must ship to basic training by Oct. 1.
• They must be at least 18 years old and otherwise qualify for a job in the active-duty Army.
• They must score at least a 50 on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, an SAT-style quiz to measure a potential recruit’s academic ability.

“A 50 on the test is a relatively low score, with 31 being the minimum to qualify for service,” Military.com wrote. “Combat arms jobs such as infantrymen and cavalry scouts need only minimal scores to serve, while admin work such as a human resources specialist or public affairs require scores of 100 or higher.”

The dropping of the Army’s diploma/GED requirement is the latest tactic the military has taken to address an ongoing recruiting crisis. On Monday, NBC News reported every branch of the military is struggling to meet its fiscal year 2022 recruiting goals. NBC News cited multiple U.S. military and defense officials. The fiscal year ends Oct. 1, the same day Army recruits would have to ship to basic training under the new policy.

“This is the start of a long drought for military recruiting,” Ret. Lt. Gen. Thomas Spoehr told NBC News. “2022 is the year we question the sustainability of the all-volunteer force.”

All statistical indicators suggest an historically low percentage of young Americans eligible and interested to serve. More young men and women than ever have been disqualified for obesity, drug use or criminal records, shrinking the eligibility pool.

Last month, Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville testified before Congress that only 23% of Americans ages 17-24 are qualified to serve without a waiver to join. That’s down from 29% in recent years.

Interest in joining is also down to an historic low. An internal Defense Department survey obtained by NBC News found only 9% of young Americans eligible to serve in the military had any inclination to do so. That’s the lowest it’s been since 2007.