Due to increasing unpopularity of the criminal wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. Army has again been forced to lower its standards to meet recruitment quotas.
Conduct waivers increased to 11 percent last fiscal year, up from 4.6 percent in 2004. Since October 2007, 13 percent of recruits have been issued waivers. (USA Today, April 6) Conduct waivers are required for recruits with one felony or serious misdemeanor, or more than three minor misdemeanors.
Additionally, high school graduates among Army recruits has dropped from 91 percent in 2001 to 79 percent in 2007.
Simultaneously, in a program called Blue to Green, the Army is attempting to increase its troop strengths by drawing from the Air Force and Navy. The program calls for reductions of 40,000 in the Air Force, 60,000 in the Navy and expanding the Army to 512,000. (Air Force Times, Nov. 10, 2006)
