Struggling For Recruits, US Navy Lowers Education Standard
Authored by Bill Pan via The Epoch Times
The U.S. Navy said on Jan. 26 that it will start to enlist those who didn’t graduate from high school in the latest attempt to fill its ranks in the wake of a recruiting crisis that troubles every branch of the U.S. military.
Under the new plan, Navy recruits without a high school diploma will be able to join as long as they score 50 or higher on the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT), which is used to determine basic eligibility for military service. The highest possible AFQT score is 99.
Those without a General Educational Development, or GED, credential can also enlist as long as they meet the same AFQT score threshold. The GED consists of four academic subject tests—math, science, social studies, and reasoning through language arts—and passing those tests certifies that the taker has the skills and knowledge equivalent to a high school graduate.
The last time that the Navy allowed those who lacked education credentials to enlist was in 2000, according to the Chief of Naval Personnel’s office.
In a statement announcing the change, Navy officials said it is “another pathway of opportunity for previously excluded individuals to serve” and that it could fill some 500 to 2,000 empty slots at sea every year.
