# Close to 75% of young Americans, ages 17 to 24, are not eligible for the military **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 20, 2018, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/close-to-75-of-young-americans-ages-17-to-24-are-not-eligible-for-the-military/809224 "2018-02-20T20:30:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BuckChongo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@BuckChongo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuckChongo)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/close-to-75-of-young-americans-ages-17-to-24-are-not-eligible-for-the-military/809224/41 "2018-02-22T00:53:56Z")
Robert Mcnamara is howling in Hell, one big reason being Plan 100,000. The Military will never go back to a draft, day be coming an E-1 graduates basic with no student loan debt and 75k starting salary. Young fatties be dying to join… ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/close-to-75-of-young-americans-ages-17-to-24-are-not-eligible-for-the-military/809224/42 "2018-02-22T02:39:37Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > You’re absolutely right. I didn’t realize that you were the OP. … No prob. ---
**Author:** ![Hector\_St\_Clare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@Hector\_St\_Clare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hector_St_Clare)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/close-to-75-of-young-americans-ages-17-to-24-are-not-eligible-for-the-military/809224/43 "2018-02-22T03:21:48Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT?? > [ **Fat, unhealthy Americans threaten Trump’s defense surge** > _Rising obesity numbers, drug use, criminal backgrounds and other problems mean most people at prime military recruiting age are ineligible to serve._](https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/19/pentagon-buildup-troop-recruiting-shortage-351365)Apart from the military recruiting implications, this is pretty, well… disgusting. America’s military footprint is massively excessive and a net negative for the world, and has been for a very long time. If obesity, crime etc. mean we have to cut back on the size of our military, that’s a good thing, not a bad one. (Not that I think our health and crime problems are good, but this would definitely be a good side effect). ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/close-to-75-of-young-americans-ages-17-to-24-are-not-eligible-for-the-military/809224/44 "2018-02-22T22:25:22Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Well, I, for one, feel better LOL. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/close-to-75-of-young-americans-ages-17-to-24-are-not-eligible-for-the-military/809224.md?page=2)