Army opens prep school for dropouts to fill ranks

[NoMyths]

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AP: Army opens prep school for dropouts to fill ranks
Aug 27, 6:58 AM (ET)
By SUSANNE M. SCHAFER

FORT JACKSON, S.C. (AP) - Austin Swarner left high school to care for his mother while she fought a losing battle with cancer. Tony Brown wanted to begin supporting himself and left two classes shy of a diploma. Haelee Holden got tired of trying to make it through school while flipping burgers until 1 a.m.

But the U.S. Army, eager to fill its ranks amid wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, doesn't see them as dropouts. They are recruits who only need a GED before they're ready to begin basic training.

And so, the Army formally opens its first prep school Wednesday.

"It's academic immersion," explained Col. Jeffrey Sanderson, chief of staff at Fort Jackson, home of the Army's largest basic training school. "Our studies show that with only three out of every 10 people of military age being capable of joining the Army, we are going to have to do something different."

That includes turning six World War II-era buildings at the base into a mini-campus of spartan classrooms and barracks. Under the yearlong pilot project, classes of about 60 soldiers will enter the monthlong program every week.

Their day begins in uniform at 5 a.m. with physical training. Then they attend about eight hours of academic review classes, followed by homework each evening. An hour of marching drills and military discipline is thrown in for good measure.

"It's a tough, structured day. Some of them have sat on the couch for 18 years, but I haven't heard any howling yet," said social studies instructor John Solis, one of 14 certified teachers on hand. "By and large, they are chomping at the bit; they are ready to go."

The soldiers work in small classrooms outfitted with simple desks, chairs, and dry-erase boards. In-desk computers are used for test-taking. Grouped three to four to a class, the students hunch over special GED preparation books, working on basic math, social studies and reading selections.

Recruits must score in the top half of the Army's aptitude test to qualify for the prep school and get two tries at a General Educational Development certificate. If they still can't pass, the Army will release them from their contract, Sanderson said.

He said the Army prefers those who graduate from high school on their own, because it demonstrates "tenacity." But the reality of current graduation rates has the Army pressed to find an alternative, Sanderson explained.

Holden, 18, of Medford, Ore., is racing through her first week of practice tests before taking a formal GED exam soon. She left home at 16, one of nine children of a mill worker, and wants to be a military police officer.

"There's no jobs out there, nothing. It's just horrible. And it got hard just trying to support myself and go to school at the same time," Holden said.

Swarner, a native of Baton Rouge, La., left school in the ninth grade. Now 20, he dreams of becoming a combat engineer.

With the small classes, hovering teachers and a disciplined schedule, Swarner said he's learning quickly.

"The teachers here are helping a lot. My best class is English, the hardest is probably the math," he said.

With the GED behind them, Swarner and his classmates will enter basic training at Fort Jackson, where more than half of all incoming male soldiers and more than 80 percent of female recruits go through basic combat training. Others will go to one of the Army's three other basic training sites.

Those entering prep school have signed on for a two- to four-year stint, just like any new recruit.

"We have two missions: get the GED and prepare them physically and mentally for basic training," said the school's commander, Capt. Brian Gaddis.

Last October, Army officials said they intended to expand the force by adding 74,000 soldiers by 2010, with the active duty force growing to a total of 547,000.

But Sanderson said the Army's own studies show that only 3 in 10 people ages 17 to 24 are eligible to enlist, with the remainder barred by health or legal issues, or the failure to earn a high school diploma or equivalent.

A study issued by the National Priorities Project released in January found that while the Army has a goal that 90 percent of recruits be high school graduates, it hadn't met that percentage since 2004. In the 2007 budget year, the Project found that only 71 percent of soldiers entering the service had graduated.

Gaddis said he knows his students might have quit high school, but believes that shouldn't be held against them. He added that the school is a move to reach those who have been left behind, not to attract those who are less qualified or lower than the Army's standards.

"These kids may have quit at some point, but the big thing is, a lot of people have quit on them," Gaddis said. "We are not going to allow them to quit."

[samifan24]

If they want to better themselves by joining the military, good for them. Just because they're high school dropouts does not mean they won't be good soldiers.

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by samifan24

If they want to better themselves by joining the military, good for them. Just because they're high school dropouts does not mean they won't be good soldiers.

Agreed.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by samifan24

If they want to better themselves by joining the military, good for them. Just because they're high school dropouts does not mean they won't be good soldiers.

+1

[flere-imsaho]

As long as the recruiters are straight with them about the possibility of combat, I don't see any issues with this, and in fact think it's a good use of resources.

[Crapshoot]

And yet apparently gay people are not eligible. What a brilliant system/.

[finketr]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

As long as the recruiters are straight with them about the possibility of combat, I don't see any issues with this, and in fact think it's a good use of resources.

umm.. you're joining the military... wouldn't combat be a possibility any which way?

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by finketr

umm.. you're joining the military... wouldn't combat be a possibility any which way?

That part always cracks me up. That issue cropped up during Iraq I: "wait, what do you mean, I might have to FIGHT someone?"

[Young Drachma]

I have no problem with this. These kids are the ones who without this, wouldn't have anything to do with themselves at all. They're not even the ones signing up for the educational benefits like college or whatever. They're fine with being soldiers and will probably do well at it. It's worth doing.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

As long as the recruiters are straight with them about the possibility of combat, I don't see any issues with this, and in fact think it's a good use of resources.

Anybody who scores in the top half of the aptitude test, yet still can't figure out that combat is part of the military probably shouldn't be accepted into the program.

[BrianD]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Anybody who scores in the top half of the aptitude test, yet still can't figure out that combat is part of the military probably shouldn't be accepted into the program.

There are lots of non-combat positions in the military though. I don't know exactly how many or how easy they are to get, and I would expect recruiters to be honest about those prospects. It is easy for us on the outside to realize that combat should be expected of all recruits, but I could see where recruits could get swayed by lying recruiters.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by Crapshoot

And yet apparently gay people are not eligible. What a brilliant system/.

You can join, you just can't publicize it. Your sexuality is not anybody's business anyway.

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by Dutch

You can join, you just can't publicize it. Your sexuality is not anybody's business anyway.

No it isn't - but being ashamed of it? You can bring your wife/girlfriend to the base at social events or have a picture of her (at least I assume so - may be wrong) - why the hell can't the a guy have his boyfriend in the same way? What is it that bothers some people so deeply that they would rather allow convicted felons to join the army as opposed to perfectly reasonable, patriotic gay citizens?

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by BrianD

There are lots of non-combat positions in the military though. I don't know exactly how many or how easy they are to get, and I would expect recruiters to be honest about those prospects. It is easy for us on the outside to realize that combat should be expected of all recruits, but I could see where recruits could get swayed by lying recruiters.

It's a fair goal, but I'm not sure it's reasonable to expect perfection here. I mean, recruiters are salesman and they work off an expected quota. And it's hard enough for those cats with two battlefields currently in progress, amazingly low American support for the effort, and "recruiter-hate" at all-time high levels. It's easy to see where they are going to work that grey area to get by. However, having said that, the recruiting levels are doing well right now, I think, so they don't have to get too desperate.

All I can say is be informed. Ask questions. That's the way the world has always worked. Knowledge is power. If you can't think to ask the military if combat is a possibility and you are "duped" into joining the US Marine Corp, and the first words out of your mouth are "Wait, I'm gonna get shot at?"...well...there's a sucker born every minute I guess. (Mostly liberals, apparently, but I digress. )

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by Crapshoot

No it isn't - but being ashamed of it? You can bring your wife/girlfriend to the base at social events or have a picture of her (at least I assume so - may be wrong) - why the hell can't the a guy have his boyfriend in the same way? What is it that bothers some people so deeply that they would rather allow convicted felons to join the army as opposed to perfectly reasonable, patriotic gay citizens?

Public showers are gay enough, thank you.

[Raiders Army]

Originally Posted by Crapshoot

No it isn't - but being ashamed of it? You can bring your wife/girlfriend to the base at social events or have a picture of her (at least I assume so - may be wrong) - why the hell can't the a guy have his boyfriend in the same way? What is it that bothers some people so deeply that they would rather allow convicted felons to join the army as opposed to perfectly reasonable, patriotic gay citizens?

I can't even imagine some guy bringing another dude to a dining out.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by Crapshoot

What is it that bothers some people so deeply that they would rather allow convicted felons to join the army as opposed to perfectly reasonable, patriotic gay citizens?

Is that a flagpole or are you just happy to see me?

[BrianD]

Originally Posted by Crapshoot

No it isn't - but being ashamed of it? You can bring your wife/girlfriend to the base at social events or have a picture of her (at least I assume so - may be wrong) - why the hell can't the a guy have his boyfriend in the same way? What is it that bothers some people so deeply that they would rather allow convicted felons to join the army as opposed to perfectly reasonable, patriotic gay citizens?

Fear and hate is all I can think of.

[Sgran]

God damn it, this irks me to no end! Once and for all: it is "champing at the bit" not "chomping"!