More than 70% of young adults cannot qualify for military service

A new report shows the vast majority of young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 are unprepared for the workforce, and that 71 percent nationwide cannot qualify for military service.

This is the second annual release of the Citizen-Readiness Index, produced by Council for a Strong America (CSA), comprised of experts from several sectors of American society:

Mission: Readiness: 700 retired admirals and generals

Fight Crime: Invest in Kids: 5,000 police chiefs, sheriffs and prosecutors

ReadyNation: 2,000 CEOs and other business leaders

Shepherding the Next Generation: 800 faith leaders

Champions for America’s Future: 400 top athletes and coaches

Across the nation, more than three-fourths of the states (37 states) earned a grade of C or worse based on the percentage of young adults who miss the mark. The new Citizen-Readiness Index shows that, nationwide:

12 percent of adults aged 17-24 have been arrested at least once,

Approximately 1 in 8 young adults aged 16 to 24 is neither employed nor in school;

More than 70 percent of those between the ages of 17 and 24 cannot qualify for military service due to problems with obesity, education, drug abuse or crime.

“Yes, this report is full of bad news that the nation cannot ignore, but we don’t have to take it lying down,” said Lieutenant General Norman R. Seip, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), a member of Mission: Readiness, an organization of more than 700 retired admirals and generals. “Quality early education, strong families and good nutrition and physical activity in our nation’s schools can put all of our young people on track to succeed in today’s economy or in the military, if that’s the path they choose.”

See the full report here: http://bit.ly/2BGLyIb