i know in the United States at least that one needs a HighSchool diploma before they are eligible to enlist in the army/U.S.M.C/Navy etc. In my opinion anyone should be allowed to enlist, it is a right to serve one's country and is unfair that even if someone attained a GED which equates to a diploma in many scenarios they still can't join armed forces. I do understand that higher ranked officers should be better educated but why do you think that governments are so strict on who can serve their country?

It is not a right to serve in the armed forces. The government reserves the right to change the criteria for entering the armed forces based on mission and need. Many of the services don't accept a GED without 15 college credits because they feel, rightfully so, if one is not committed enough to attain the minimal education freely offered by the government, then why should they trust that same person to commit to an obligation that requires much more committment than that of a high school student. 80% of military age males cannot pass the minimum requirements to serve in the armed forces. Still, the military seems to be fine on gaining recruits.

You missed the GED band wagon. 4 years ago the Army, at least, was taking many people who before that time they would have never even considered taking in. With the drawdown of the armed forces, many soldiers who have served honorably over the last 5-10 years are being forced out of the militrary because the requirement for the Army to downsize by 80,000 soldiers. They can afford to be picky about who they let in and you can expect to see them only allowing the top 20% of candidates to join.

If you really have your heart set on joining then I would suggest enrolling in college. Join the ROTC program or gain a degree and go OCS. That's about your best bet at this time. Remember, once you are in, you are at the needs of the army. It's not a right to serve it's a priviledge. They reserve the right to keep you in or out of the military at any time. If you plan on being a soldier, this is something you must learn to accept.

Originally Posted by Jay

In my opinion anyone should be allowed to enlist, it is a right to serve one's country and is unfair that even if someone attained a GED which equates to a diploma in many scenarios they still can't join armed forces.

One;
Its not a right to serve ones country it is a privilege.

Two;
With the advances being made in the technology available to the ordinary foot slogger, there has to be a certain amount of brains under the helmet!

When I was in, twenty five years ago, there was just about one radio per infantry section, and things like GPS/sat nav were science fiction!
I was attached to an Infantry company to help them use anything bigger and more complicated than these section radios.
Now days, each infantryman has a radio and access to plenty of other technical kit that requires a certain amount of intelligence to use.
Also there is more to soldiering than pointing them in the right direction and saying "Go get em!"
It's not just officers who need the scholastic backing.
In the British Army the same level of intelligence and initiative is required and expected of anyone.
Get as much educational backing as you can, it can't hurt.

I remember the old back pack radio's that were heavier then a GPMG and had a range of about 2 miles, bloody hopeless.

Originally Posted by BritinAfrica

I remember the old back pack radio's that were heavier then a GPMG and had a range of about 2 miles, bloody hopeless.

The Royal Signals are known a "Scaly backs"
This is because the batteries in the radio packs were like car batteries and they leaked, burning the operator's backs and causing a horrible scaly look to the backs.
When battery technology improved and dry batteries were used, the name stuck because the "Man portable" sets were so heavy, they rubbed your back raw!

In the end it is all about numbers and quality.

When the insurgency in Iraq heated up, a large amount of Soldiers were not reenlisting and civilians were not real excited about joining. In an effort to fill the ranks, the Army began to allow people with GED and other things like felonies that once barred people from joining the Army. However, lowering the standards for the Army brought in a higher amount of people who were more of a problem then what they were worth (ie drug dealers). Now that the economy is better, the standards have gotten higher.

The days of recruiting from prisons and the scum of society are well behind us (referencing British history).

~DHC

Originally Posted by Duty Honor Country

The days of recruiting from prisons and the scum of society are well behind us (referencing British history).

The armed forces of the world have always, throughout history, been seen as the way to escape prisons, poverty, and anything else.
People think its an easy option, but get a bit of a shock when they get there!

The history of recruitment is closely tied to the history of the country.
When unemployment is high the recruiting offices are always busy.

You are right there. For the US, it is a great time to be a recruiter. The economy is bad, people are staying in the military and there are troop cuts on the way. Right now the higher ups are looking to cut the lower quality Soldiers right now from everything that has been said. Since I has served since 1997, the Army is just going back to the "pre 9-11" standards where if you cannot pass an APFT in 3 months you are out or if you cannot pass body fat within 6 months you are out.

Here is an interesting note about the captains in my career course. 6 captains are either more than 6% over body fat or are 25 pounds or more over weight and cannot make standard. That is 10% of my class.

Trooper 1854, what are the standards like across the big pond? I am not savvy to military standards for England.

Originally Posted by Duty Honor Country

Trooper 1854, what are the standards like across the big pond? I am not savvy to military standards for England.

The standards for the British Army, the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, and Royal Marines are very high. They always have been.
The armed forces have always had the pick of the litter, so to speak.
When I joined, unemployment was over 2.5 million and it took me nearly a year to get through all the required stages of assessments, and I had to go for specialist assesments for the trade I was going for.
I walked into the recruiting office with four friends, only two of us got in, and the other three guys were not slackers, one went off and joined the French Foreign Legion, did his five years and came out as a senior NCO.

Originally Posted by Jay

i know in the United States at least that one needs a HighSchool diploma before they are eligible to enlist in the army/U.S.M.C/Navy etc. In my opinion anyone should be allowed to enlist, it is a right to serve one's country and is unfair that even if someone attained a GED which equates to a diploma in many scenarios they still can't join armed forces. I do understand that higher ranked officers should be better educated but why do you think that governments are so strict on who can serve their country?

I'm not really sure that this qualifies as a question (more so a statement), but I'll try to give you a constructive answer. First, as others have said, serving is by no means a right. You can actually find that in article 1 of the constitution,which establishes the formation of the United States military. I point this out because your attitude, though understandable, is definately your first barrier.

Next, on GEDs: it's a numbers game. You're more likely to be a problem soldier if you have a GED, as opposed to a diploma. This isn't putting you down; it's a simple fact. Here's the kicker, though...if you start taking college courses, the GED vs diploma issue becomes moot, as the military (Army, at least) looks at your highest level of education. Will a couple completed semesters get you in? I'm not sure; 10 credit hours was the standard a couple years ago. I can tell you that an associates degree got my newest soldier out of MEPS and into Basic, and he had one of those 'diploma mill' GEDs...the ones that got black-listed a few years ago.

Your next mission is to start calling a recruiter regularly, and keep him/her posted. Enlistment requirements change just about every fiscal quarter. Sure, getting in is tough, but fortunately for you, staying in just got a lot tougher, so persistence pays dividends.

My source for this information is a briefing I received two weeks ago, as part of a Leader's Course. For those of you who've been there, it was just like it always is...Army can tell you everything you don't need to know ("your 17-year-old cousin can choose from these jobs"), but is still hazy on the pertinent stuff ("it hasn't been decided if a soldier who _____ or _____ will be able to stay in"). I guess it's good to know what the new crop'll look like, but so much is up in the air right now for those currently serving that it's definately nerve-wracking. I digress...

Maybe it's not the answer you want, but i hope it helps.