CALIFORNIA, Md. – The U.S. Navy and other military branches have been struggling to reach their recruitment goals for the past few years. Now, the Navy is starting to enlist civilians with no high school diploma or GED.
Recruits without a diploma or GED will be accepted if they score 50 or above on the Armed Services Qualification Test.
In December 2022, the Navy started accepting many recruits with lower test scores. However, since recruitment goals continue to fall short, the Navy has decided to take this rare step to help give those numbers a very much-needed boost. This marks the first time since 2000 that the Navy accepted individuals without education credentials.
According to an interview with the Associated Press, Vice Adm. Rick Cheeseman, the Navy’s Chief of Personnel, stated that more than 2,400 people with education credentials visited recruiting stations and were turned away. He stated that of the more than 2,400 who were turned away last year, as many as 500 of them could score high enough on the test.
According to the U.S. Naval Institute, the Navy aimed to recruit 37,700 sailors. However, by the end of FY 2023, the Navy only enlisted 30,236 sailors. The Navy also missed its officer and reserve personnel goals. They missed the officer goal by 452, the enlisted reserve goal by 2,048, and the officer reserve by 773. Even though they missed the goal last year, the Navy has set their goal even higher, aiming to recruit 40,600 sailors.
The military has been trying to recover from the recruitment challenges they faced during the pandemic. But even then, the military has also faced the struggles of competing with the tight job market that offers higher-paying jobs with many appealing benefits such as funding for college, which for many young people, is the main reason for joining the military in the first place.
Young people are also starting to become aware of the lasting effects military service can have on many veterans, which makes them second-guess the idea of enlisting.
We will have to wait and see if these efforts will help the Navy to finally start reaching its goals once again.
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Not good… All military and other areas like the shipping industry aren’t getting recruits due to the silly covid/flu requirements. I bet you lost some great recruits making that stuff a requirement and firing ones that refused. Reap what you sow.
Agree 100%. Navy, & all military personnel need have at least a basic education.
Military service is not for everyone, but can be a great experience for those who do not have a clear path, or could benefit from a bit of structure. Organized separation from family and friends can bring focus and self reliance. For those of us that it suits (did 21yrs myself), it can prove to be a great 1st career that, played right, can launch one into a great 2nd career. With proper planning and investments, mine led to me being able to retire at age 59!
There’s no incentive to join the United States military