Annalyn Kurtz — Getting into the military is getting tougher

The myth that the military is the employer of last resort debunked. There are now two dogs for only one bone.

In a typical week, about 10 applicants will walk into a recruiting center in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, hoping to enlist in the United States Army. Sergeant First Class Israel Herrera doesn't like to turn them away, but he often finds that six out of 10 simply don't measure up to military standards.

Just like private-sector employers, the military is seeking higher-skilled recruits these days....

Thanks to high youth unemployment and the drawdown from both Iraq and Afghanistan, Uncle Sam can afford to be a bit pickier....

It wasn't always this way. Just six years ago, during the Iraq war surge, the military had lower standards. Only about 86% of new recruits had high-school diplomas, and just 67% of recruits scored in the top 50th percentile on the Armed Forces Qualification Test. Waivers excusing health issues and prior misconduct -- even felonies -- were not uncommon.
Those waivers were needed to hit enrollment targets. The Army fell short of its recruiting goal by about 7,000 people in 2005, but like the other military branches, it has had a surplus of recruits every year since then....

There are roughly two applicants for every slot the military is trying to fill.

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Getting into the military is getting tougher
Annalyn Kurtz