Prep school for military recruitment

Investment Analysis Clubs Macro Economic Trends and Risks
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President Trump recently changed the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War. (Without the permission of Congress.)

It’s pretty arrogant to move to an aggressive “War” title when the U.S. would fail even at defense. Darn lucky that Canada and Mexico don’t want to invade the U.S.

If a truly capable aggressor invaded we’d be toast because our population is fat and unfit. About three-quarters of American youth do not meet the minimum requirements to serve due to falling test scores, high obesity rates and an increase in young people reporting mental health problems.

The U.S. military has been missing its recruitment goals for years. The Army set up a prep school to prepare unfit volunteers before Basic Training.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/04/us/politics/army-recruiting-trump.html

This Program Rescued Army Recruiting

The defense secretary cites a ‘Trump bump.’ But the Army’s recruiting surge wouldn’t have been possible without the program started three years ago at Fort Jackson.

By Greg Jaffe, The New York Times, Oct. 4, 2025

…

The Army program launched a program three years ago during one of the worst recruiting droughts in U.S. history, that helps those who aren’t eligible to join because they are overweight or unable to pass the military’s aptitude exam…

About 22 percent of the Army’s more than 61,000 new recruits this year came in through the Future Soldier Preparatory Course, a senior Army official said….

The program also offers benefits that are harder to measure, he said. It has become a lifeline for people searching for housing, stability and a piece of the American dream….

Trainees in the program have 90 days to meet the Army’s minimum academic and body fat standards, or they are sent home. Those who pass go directly to 10 weeks of basic training….Today, about 95 percent of recruits in the program make it to basic training….

A program called “Parole in Place” allows the parents, spouses or children of active-duty service members to avoid deportation….[This encourages young people who want to protect their illegal immigrant families.]…

To pass the aptitude test, the trainees needed to score in the 31st percentile or higher. They had three hours. They get three tries to pass the test*….

Most Army recruits have some say over their career field. Those who come in through the Future Soldier Preparatory Course are typically limited to the toughest-to-fill positions — another reason the Army has been eager to keep the program in place….infantry, artillery or armor…. [end quote]

Since the U.S. dropped the draft in favor of an all-volunteer army the military lost almost everyone who has the potential to succeed in the free market. Making matters worse, the obesity rate has been rising and academic scores have been falling.

The Future Soldier Preparatory Course is a way to bring unfit volunteers up to the minimum standards to fill the least skilled jobs in the Army. This is a win-win because the volunteers have no chance of success in the free market and they get the full range of military benefits if they complete their service. (Including lifelong medical care from the VA.)

I personally prefer the Israeli system where every young man and woman (including immigrants like my nephew) are expected to serve in the military and train periodically in the reserve.**

But the U.S. all-volunteer military has to deal with the current situation where most youth don’t qualify and many who could work are opting out of the work force completely.

The poor quality of American youth is a Macroeconomic as well as a defense problem. The youth of America is already beginning to develop chronic illnesses that used to begin in middle or old age. This will burden the medical system.

Wendy

* Here is the link to the test. The military tries to make it as easy to pass as possible by letting people practice ahead of time. ASVAB Test & Preparation | U.S. Army

** (Except the ultra-Orthodox - but that’s a different story.)

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I wonder how the reenlistments are going?

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The poor quality of American youth is a Macroeconomic as well as a defense problem.

And they need haircuts, too

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Not a fan. You get all the dregs and unqualified people, and all the people who don’t want to be there. The training program bar has to be lowered to accommodate them.

Many of them would otherwise be productive members of the economy and are advancing their own careers but are removed to serve the defense needs of the state.

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Not really. About 6 months before induction, each potential recruit is tested, both physically and psychologically. And a good percentage of potential recruits are rejected and never get inducted. Some of the ones that don’t serve in the army will choose to do a different kind of national service. And many of those who are inducted get shunted to non-combat roles for various reasons including not really wanting to potentially fight in a war.

In the end, they don’t really end up with all the people who don’t want to serve, only with some of them. And quite a few of those who don’t want to serve at first eventually gain some sense of wanting to serve.

Most of the combat units don’t have to lower their bar because they have MORE volunteers than they need, and they pick and choose among the best of them. Many young recruits are rejected from the unit they requested.

This is absolutely true to some extent. But most people serve at age 18 or so, before college. And college is generally 3 years instead of 4+ years. And finally, serving in the army tends to mature a person and improve their focus once they choose to study for a career.

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My dad used to tell me that. :clown_face:

The Captain

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@ MarkR
I love the point by point rebuttal!

Without a state no one has a career. Want proof? Why do so many want to go the USA? Because their states suck.

As much as I liked Venezuela, had my Desktop Help Software caught on I likely would have stayed in the USA. My cousins there have all done quite well.

The Captain

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I don’t know if you recall, but back then I periodically urged you to get out of there before someone injured you in an alley to steal the 5 liter jug of olive oil that you just purchased.

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Let me start by saying - I love and appreciate our service members. There are tons of extremely talented people who sign up to protect and serve our country.

That said - there are lots of people who join the military because they don’t have many options. By opening it up to everyone, we’d get more of the cream of the crop!

Anecdotally - I worked with a young dude at a Hispanic specialty grocery store in college. Let’s call him Marty. From day 1, Marty dreamed of joining the military. He’d often say that he’d like to do this exciting job, or that challenging role. Same dude would often be off on his register by $100, $200, $300. Let’s face it, making change is not brain surgery.

I tried to explain to Marty that joining the military didn’t guarantee a position he wanted. He’d be placed according to his abilities. Based on my rudimentary evaluation of his capabilities, I predicted he’d be scrubbing toilets, or would be sent to the front lines. Meat! There are a lot of people like Marty joining the US military.

Opening it up to a mandatory conscription doesn’t just take in the dregs, it opens it up to highly qualified people who wouldn’t ordinary conscript.

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I vaguely remember and I got similar safety advice from a cousin but I just refuse to live intimidated. That’s not living, it’s cowering. This is not to say that I don’t take precautions, the main one is not to be ostentatious.

What drove me to leave was the destruction of public services like electricity and water.

The Captain

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Sweden, Norway and Denmark conscript both men and women.

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On economic/financial considerations, there has been a lot of debate on whether a professional army, an all-volunteer or a hybrid force would be more cost-effective. Most economists consider conscription results in an ‘inefficient match between people and jobs’ and in ‘output losses’ which could have been avoided. The basis of this argument lies in the beliefthat conscripted armies ignore the comparative advantage of each person, leading to lower productive capacity. Moreover, from a societal perspective, a conscription system shifts the burden of manpower costs from society (i.e. taxpayers) onto young conscripts. Additionally, a 2024 study commissioned by the German Federal Ministry of Finance indicates that the reintroduction of conscription could lead to significant macroeconomic costs. A researcher from the IFO institute for economic research proposed that, instead of establishing a conscription system, it would be wiser to provide the German armed forces with additional financial resources to become a more attractive employer.

Public opinion and how society has historically perceived conscription and the military in general play crucial roles in this discussion. At the same time, the polls cited in the Niinistö Report illustrate growing support for conscription and national service in some EU Member States, as public opinion tends to be sensitised by the threat environment. Research indicates that a population’s strong willingness to fight a) plays a crucial role in shaping political decisions regarding conscription, and b) can influence the effectiveness of conscription by fostering a sense of unity and enhancing morale.

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