Desperate for recruits, US Army may allow calculators on entrance exam
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The US Army is considering lowering its standards even further due to continued low rates of enrollment in military service.
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Students in an Army prep course in Fort Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina, on August 26, 2022 (AP)
The Pentagon is contemplating letting recruits use calculators on the military entrance test, which decides which occupations they are qualified for.
Although it is unclear when or whether the decision will be approved, the change in how the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, or ASVAB, is administered might be due to the continued grim recruitment prospects.
Due to the failure to reach its recruitment target, the #US military tried something different, enlisting students into their J.R.O.T.C. military program without their permission. pic.twitter.com/f4OgW4gpO7
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) December 17, 2022
Back in April, US Army Secretary Christine Wormuth warned that the army is currently facing recruitment troubles and won't be meeting its goal this year if the situation does change, further cautioning that structure cuts may be possible.
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According to the Heritage Foundation's 2023 Index of US Military Strength, the US military is currently "weak" and "at growing risk of not being able to meet the demands of defending America's vital national interests," which should be heavily alarming for Washington, as it is showing dwindling military strength, down from "marginal" in 2021.
A defense official told Washington Examiner Monday that "the Department is carefully considering the use of calculators for the ASVAB. We are taking a systematic approach, which will assess the impact of calculator use, and we are developing a way forward for calculator inclusion based on best practices in test development and psychometric theory."
According to Military.com, which originally reported the Pentagon's idea of allowing the use of calculators, some candidates do not reach scores high enough to enlist.
According to Pentagon data, 77% of young Americans need a waiver to qualify for military service due to drug use and mental and physical issues.
Appearance criteria have been relaxed while providing candidates who fail a drug test or fail to qualify on the aptitude exam additional chances to fix their mistakes, as well as higher incentives and other measures to encourage enrollment.
The Army began its Future Soldier Preparatory Course last year as a second shot for recruits who fell just short of the service's academic or body fat criteria.
Back in December 2022, a report by Fox News revealed that the army missed its targeted "recruiting goals for 2022 by 25%" estimated at about 15,000 service members. The report added that one of the leading causes of the decline in the numbers of new enlistees is the "confluence of obesity, lack of high school diplomas and accelerated mental health crises among youth."
In November, the secretary added that only 23% of young Americans were deemed fit enough to join the Army because the remaining fell below fitness and intelligence standards due to obesity issues and poor schooling.
Furthermore, only 9% of young Americans showed interest in joining the army.
The Army and Air Force have increased their marketing efforts to persuade legal residents to enroll, expanding their campaign, especially in inner cities.
Recruits are swiftly enrolled in a citizenship system under the new program, and when they begin basic training, an accelerated procedure begins, including all essential documentation and testing. When Air Force recruits complete their seven weeks of training, the procedure is complete, and they are sworn in as citizens of the United States.
After the #GeorgeFloyd protests, #US minorities' interest in military service has declined, according to Defense Department’s latest Survey. pic.twitter.com/7Y2GPXTqRP
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) September 30, 2021
