Seventy-one percent of Americans between 17 and 24 are ineligible to serve in the military, as they fail to meet requirements in areas such as physical and mental health, grooming standards, criminal records and education.
By SARAH CAMMARATA | STARS AND STRIPES Published: March 11, 2021 WASHINGTON The top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee pressed for answers Thursday on how to address what he calls the most important issue surrounding military service: the small percentage of young people who qualify. Congressional lawmakers had long studied how to expand military service eligibility for Americans who are between 17 and 24 years old, Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma said during a subcommittee hearing to discuss the findings of a congressionally mandated report about how to boost participation in military, national and public service. Seventy-one percent of Americans between 17 and 24 are ineligible to serve in the military, as they fail to meet requirements in areas such as physical and mental health, grooming standards, criminal records and education. Recruiters and experts have argued the lack of eligible candidates could pose a threat to personnel readiness because the military
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