70% Young Americans can't qualify for military service

The full story explains what's being done about this, but obviously this compromises national security, plus limits the opportunities for some youth who want to use military service as a method to gain education, and other benefits.  The basic point of the article:

Money spent on early-childhood education today can help protect America's national security tomorrow, former military leaders said yesterday at a news conference in Richmond.

About 70 percent of the nation's military-age young people cannot enlist in the armed forces because of inadequate education, criminal records or physical problems.

"We estimate that only about three out of 10 American youth between the ages of 17 and 24 are fully qualified for military service," said Douglas Smith, a spokesman for the U.S. Army Recruiting Command at Fort Knox, Ky.

Richmond Times-Dispatch