GED and the Military
Community
How does the drop out rate affect the economy? Lower earnings translate to roughly 1.8 billion in lost tax revenue each year. In the Air force GED holders must score at least 65 on the Armed Forces Qualification Test score portion of the ASVAB which is 29 points higher than the score required for tier1 applicants. Coast Gaurd says 11 points higher. The Army 31st percentile for high school grads on the AFQT where GED applicants must score in the 50th percentile. To disparage against a GED individual in such a fashion seems quite unfair. 401 us 424 Griggs v Duke Power Company was rightly concerned that childhood deficiencies in education and back ground of minority citizens, resulting in forces beyond their control not be allowed to work a cumulative and invidious burden. " (McDonnell v Green, 411 us 792) Both cases discuss Title 7 and fair employment handling, and I want to say Griggs might be on point with the testing issue. The Army and Navy are the highest in employing GED individuals at 10% of their work force. My Dad was a high school Industrial Arts teacher. He told me once that he did not get the cream of the crop for students. I will say this for him, is that he did help what cream he had rise to the top of their Blue Collar work potential.
I don't see a "Report Post" option...does the site have one?
Pat/Moderator - Meaning no disrespect the the OP as I understand there are some challenges in his life, but perhaps this is not the best place for Mr. ICON to share his thoughts.
Given the competition and high standards my son had to live up to in order to get accepted to Marine Corps Officer Candidate School I would be surprised if anyone who has a GED could get in even as enlisted. Our military has pretty high standards these days and a high school equivalency isn't much of a credential to your potential.
Good question. I went in the CG barely graduating high school....but graduating none the less. I knew quite a few folks who came in with a GED and were quite successful in their careers. The military is an institution that can legally "discriminate" if you will. They can raise or lower standards, incentives, enlistment bonuses, etc as they see fit to meet recruiting needs. If the economy is bad, recruitment is high so they can get selective via entrance requirements. If the economy is good, recruiting tends to drop off and they will lower standards, etc to get folks to come in. They have to maintain recruiting levels to keep the personnel pipeline running smooth. If they don't there is a personnel shortage within the pipeline. As people get out or retire, those below move up thru the pipeline.
Bottom line.....yes, the military can and will pick and choose who they let in via enlistment/officer standards. If we went to war.....all bets are off and those who registered with Selective Service would get a call if the military needs to ramp up quickly and normal recruiting thru-put could not keep up with demand.
The Marine Corps does not accept enlisted with a GED.
"Our military has pretty high standards these days"
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"The Marine Corps does not accept enlisted with a GED."
The Army and Marines are having a tough time meeting recruiting goals. You would be suprised what they will waver to put a beating heart in boot camp.
Air Force basic training, 1972. Our drill instructor, who I admit was crazy, told us a GED wasn’t worth toilet paper.
FYI on the below......
What are the qualifications to join the Coast Guard?
Following are the basic requirements for becoming a member of the Coast Guard: ?You must be a U.S. citizen or a Resident Alien. ?Be between the ages of 17-31 (up to age 32 if qualified for attending guaranteed 'A' school) for Active Duty.(If you are 17, you'll need parental consent.) ?Reservists must be between 17-40. Prior-service personnel should contact their local recruiter for specific programs. ?Have a high school diploma. GEDs are accepted in special circumstances. ?Have no more than three dependents. ?Pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test. ?Pass a military entrance medical exam.
The extent of my military service is that I signed up for selective service upon graduating high school. As a college of choice on my second ACT test I put Annapolis as a college of choice. My ASVAB scores were in the 90s with one 88.
What I did receive was a visit from a full dress naval recruiter. He said they wanted to put me on a submarine. My Dad called me an a-hole for even considering it because he was going to give me a free ride to college. One of the three memories I hold against my Dad was influencing that career choice because I knew I needed some discipline in my life.
The way I see the military wanting higher test scores from GED holders is that they must want them to qualify for more skilled positions, or from Title 7 in Griggs v Duke Power Company at 21: "What Congress has commanded is that any tests must measure the person for the job and not the person in the abstract." With respect Jason Cohee
In 1980, 2 weeks into my senior year I dropped out of High School and got married. I joined the Air Force in Dec 1980 and entered into delayed enlistment until March 1981. I had no HS diploma or GED. I scored an 89 on my ASVAB test so I was allowed in. In 1986 I needed 6 semester hours for my Associates Degree in Criminal Justice, but got a call from the Ed Center. I couldn't take any more college classes until I got my GED. I retired in March of 2001. I'm now a GS-13. I lucked out, best thing I ever did was join the A.F.
Paul was never a recruiter.....
""I joined the Air Force in Dec 1980 and entered into delayed enlistment until March 1981""
I was DEP in Oct80 and went to boot in Mar81.
One point to my thread I have failed to mention is that approximately 20% of low income students fail to graduate. If that's believable. Is school too expensive? Blacks and whites are fairly consistent in the drop out rate where the Hispanics are considerably higher by demograghic. My bleeding heart says it appears to be a crying shame a poor high school dropout with a GED is hamstrung with the Achilles heel of a military misunderstanding, and can not easily capitalise on the certain perks that the Military has to offer. It takes my my hard right wing law, that I do not want to "bully or bump heads " with anyone with at this point, because there is a United States Code title 18 statute that keeps me restrained. I am not ready to run the table quite yet. This what I see, half of GED recruits wash out. They are set to higher test score standards so therefore from the outside looking in are they driven harder in basic training? If anyone knows the answer to that question please fill me in. Thanks.
" crying shame a poor high school dropout with a GED is hamstrung with the Achilles heel of a military misunderstanding, and can not easily capitalise on the certain perks that the Military has to offer."
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Pure bullshit, right there.
"This what I see, half of GED recruits wash out. They are set to higher test score standards"
A damned lie, right there.
"are they driven harder in basic training?"
Another outright damned lie, right there.
Tony
Former USMC MOS 8511.
Apparently we have another reincarnation...
JL, who knows, maybe we were in the same dorm. I went in March 16th. What career field did you end up in? I was a Law Enforcement Spec.
