If the worries of the U.S. military leaders are true, then potential enemies of the U.S.A. may need not be worried about future conflicts with what they see to be as a dwindling superpower. America’s youth are not fit to serve in the military for being too overweight, poorly educated, have history of drug use, and other reasons that may bar them from joining any of the branches of the U.S. military.

In a report by Military.com, over 70% of young Americans are barred from serving due to those reasons and the head of the U.S. Navy’s recruiting command, Rear Adm. Dennis Velez stresses that turning that around should be of national importance, "It is something that, as a nation, we should continue to work though ... to make sure our children are healthier.”

Mission: Readiness, a group of around to 800 retired generals and admirals, agrees and they wrote a letter of Acting Defence Secretary Christopher Miller to act on this pressing issue that specifically urges him to “immediately stand up an advisory committee on military recruitment in conjunction with the Departments of Agriculture, Education, Health and Human Services, and Justice, as recommended by the Senate Armed Services Committee.”

The number is indeed worrying especially for an all volunteer military like the U.S. Armed Forces. In the same Military.com article, less than 30% of young people are eligible to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps according to Maj. Gen. Jason Bohm, the head of Marine Corps Recruiting Service.

Defence officials have not responded yet if they are Acting Secretary Miller will act on convening the committee to address this pressing issue.

Mission: Readiness is very much involved in turning this problem around. According to their website, they are working into ensuring that kids stay in school, stay fit, and stay out of trouble. In 2018, they released a report “Unhealthy and Unprepared” to stress the problem confronting America’s youth:

“Obesity has long threatened our nation’s health; as the epidemic grows, obesity is posing a threat to our nation’s security as well. In the United States, 71 percent of young people between the ages of 17 and 24 do not qualify for military service, and obesity disqualifies 31 percent of youth from serving if they so choose. This year, the Army fell short of its recruiting goal for the first time since 2005, and these recruiting challenges will continue unless measures are taken to encourage a healthy lifestyle beginning at a young age.”

It is indeed an enormous challenge that the country faces if its young are unable to grow and be able to defend its people from threats foreign and domestic.