Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli PM Office: Netanyahu has ordered that the Rafah crossing will not open until further notice.
Ambrey: Cameroon-flagged tanker issues distress call following explosion abroad, approximately 60NM south of Yemen's Ahwar.
Araghchi: Iran adopted a constructive approach in its engagement to ensure the European Union and the E3 fully honored their commitments and lifted all sanctions.
Araghchi: After a year of Iran’s full compliance with the agreement, it began implementing gradual, proportionate, and reversible compensatory steps in accordance with its recognized rights under the deal.
Araghchi: Iran demonstrated the utmost restraint in the face of repeated and fundamental violations and made extensive efforts to restore balance and preserve the agreement.
In his letter, Araghchi stated: The E3 failed to fulfill their obligations and instead imposed additional illegal sanctions on Iranian individuals and institutions.
Araghchi: These coercive measures constituted a grave violation of international law and the UN Charter, causing severe disruption in the implementation of the agreement.
Araghchi: Washington initially refrained from fulfilling its commitments, then withdrew from the agreement, reimposed its illegal and unilateral sanctions, and even expanded them.
Araghchi: UN Security Council Resolution 2231 has expired and fully ceased to be in effect as of today, in accordance with its explicit provisions.
Iranian Foreign Ministry: Reimposing sanctions on Iran is illegal

US Navy recruitment fails: High school diploma no longer needed

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 28 Jan 2024 11:58
  • 3 Shares
3 Min Read

The US Navy lowers its admission standards for the second consecutive year as it yet again fails to reach the targeted recruitment number.

  • x
  • US Navy opens door for school dropouts after missing recruiting goals
    Recruits perform a warm-up run during a physical training session inside Freedom Hall at Recruit Training Command at the Naval Station Great Lakes, on the shore of Lake Michigan, United States in 2022. (US Navy)

The United States military continues to miss recruitment targets across most of its branches, prompting measures trimming off standards in order to hit the yearly numbers.

In a new decision, the US Navy announced that recruits no longer require a school diploma or GED.
 
“We get thousands of people into our recruiting stations every year that want to join the Navy but do not have an education credential... And we just turn them away.” said the Navy's chief of personnel Vice Admiral Rick Cheeseman.

This is the second consecutive year that the Navy has lowered its entry requirements, despite being the only branch that accepts personnel who score below 30/100 on a qualification test, after falling 5,866 recruits short of its goal in 2023.

Commenting on the number, Cheeseman estimated that some 500 of the applicants the Navy rejected would have scored enough on the exam to join the branch.

Yet, more policy changes are being considered to encourage more people to join.

'Weak'

According to a Newsweek report in October last year, the United States Army recorded its lowest size since World War II, as the service struggles to attract new recruits.

Related News

Trump's immigration curbs may cut 15 million US workers by 2035

Millions to march in US ‘No Kings’ protests against Trump

The report came after the army declared that it had recruited about 55,000 soldiers in the fiscal year 2023, falling short of the publicly declared objective of 65,000.

Also, for the second year in a row, a study assessed the US military as "weak" and warned that the country's armed forces may be incapable of safeguarding critical American interests.

According to the Heritage Foundation's 10th annual Index of Military Strength, the "weak" US military is "at significant risk of being unable to meet the demands of a single major regional conflict while also attending to various presence and engagement activities."

It details how nearly all branches of the US military cannot face a serious major war, with the Air Force rated as "very weak" in 2023, the lowest possible rating.

The Navy also received a "weak" rating for its low levels of capabilities and readiness.

Robert Greenway, the director of the Allison Center for National Security at the Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital that while China's Navy is growing and modernizing, the US Navy has seen a "slow decline".

"The Navy has had too little shipyard capacity to keep its fleet maintained, too few ships to pace the threats, and misguided leadership that has instigated a recruitment crisis."

Greenway also noted that the active-duty Army numbers have shrunk from 485,000 to a mere 452,000 forces, impacting the "readiness and effectiveness" of the army.

  • United States
  • Military recruitment
  • US Armed Forces
  • US Navy

Most Read

Iran strikes secret Israeli-US bunker under Tel Aviv high-rise

Tel Aviv high-rise struck by Iran hid Site 81, secret US-Israeli base

  • Politics
  • 14 Oct 2025
Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jaafarawi in an undated image in Gaza, occupied Palestine (Social media)

Gaza Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jafarawi killed by collaborators

  • Politics
  • 12 Oct 2025
drop site

New report details extensive Israeli arson in Gaza after ceasefire

  • Politics
  • 13 Oct 2025
Illustration of fists breaking shackles, representing the liberation of Palestinian detainees from Israeli prisons. (Illustrated by: AL Mayadeen English/Batoul Chamas)

4 prominent Palestinian detainees to be freed: Who are they?

  • Palestine
  • 13 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Residents remove debris from a house damaged by Wednesday's two drone strikes, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Afghanistan-Pakistan negotiations to begin in Doha: Exclusive

Palestine Action wins court fight to challenge UK terror ban
Politics

Palestine Action wins court fight to challenge UK 'terror' ban

John Bolton surrenders after classified documents indictment
Politics

John Bolton turns himself in after classified documents indictment

GSF, GMTG slams EU over complicity in Gaza genocide
Politics

GSF, GMTG slam EU over complicity in crimes against Palestinians

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS