Lower the Bar One More Time

Via Americablog

Sounds like another brilliant plan from the Pentagon.

"We have clear experience from the 1970s with recruiting a sizable number of people from the lowest mental categories," said White. After the Vietnam War, the Army accepted a higher proportion of low-scoring recruits, leading to training and discipline problems, he added.

To achieve last month's recruiting targets, 12 percent of those accepted by the Army had the lowest acceptable results. They scored between 16 and 30 points out of a possible 99 on an aptitude test that quizzes potential soldiers on general science, mathematics and word knowledge.

Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey told reporters last month that the Army would begin accepting more people who scored in the bottom third on the military's aptitude test, increasing the proportion to 4 percent from 2 percent. The Army had kept the figure at 2 percent since 1990.

Do they not have any pride in the quality of their forces? Do they think it will somehow solve their problems if we lower the standards for military service? What happened to the FEW good men meme?
Is the problem that the only people they can find to sign up are the ones that will score lowest on these apptitude tests? If they don't lower their standards does that mean that we have to give up and get our folks home?

I can just see the ads now. "Are you dumb enough to join todays Army? Can't find your ass with both hands...no problem we can make a target out of anybody and the dumber you are the easier it is. Can't find the recruiter's office...no problem, just have your little brother or sister dial the number on your screen and we'll come to you."

I am being a smart ass and the truth is that it takes smart people to survive in a combat theatre. People that can think on their feet and improvise quickly in order to save their life and the lives of their comrades. Lowering the standards is going to mean higher casualties...I guarantee it.

Another in the seemingly endless chain of tragedies our current misadministration is visiting upon us. Goddess help us all.