New Report Reveals That 75% of Young Americans Are Unfit for Military Service

American Soldiers.

5 Nov 2009 12:00 Africa/Lagos


New Report Reveals That 75% of Young Americans Are Unfit for Military Service

Education Secretary Duncan, former NATO Supreme Commander General Wesley Clark, retired generals and admirals say early learning key to reversing national security threat

**SATELLITE UPLINK AND AUDIO NEWS CONFERENCE AVAILABLE, SEE BELOW**

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- According to an alarming new report, 75 percent of young people ages 17 to 24 are unable to enlist in the military because they fail to graduate high school, have a criminal record, or are physically unfit. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and some of America's top retired military brass will hold a news conference at the National Press Club Thursday to call for immediate action to address this national security threat.


The retired admirals and generals and Secretary Duncan will call for greater investment in high-quality early learning programs to ensure that more young people graduate, obey the law, and have the option of military service if they choose that path. They will also release state-specific data on the number of young Americans unable to serve in each state.


Who: Secretary of Education Arne Duncan - U.S. Department of Education


General Wesley K. Clark, U.S. Army (Ret.) - Former Supreme Allied Commander - NATO


Major General James A. Kelley, U.S. Army (Ret.) - Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense


Major General James W. Comstock, U.S. Army (Ret.) - Former Reserve Component Advisor, U.S. Central Command


Brigadier General John W. Douglass, U.S. Air Force (Ret.) - Former Assistant Secretary of the Navy


Rear Admiral James Barnett U.S. Navy (Ret.) - Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, FCC


Former Under Secretary of the Army - Joe Reeder
National Director, Mission: Readiness - Amy Dawson Taggart

What: News Conference

When: Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009
2:15 p.m. EST

WHERE: National Press Club, The Lisagor Room
529 14th St NW, Washington, D.C.


To join the conference through a live "listen-only" audio conference, call: 800-926-7358


LOGISTICS: Secretary Duncan will join retired military leaders for a news conference beginning at 2:15 p.m. Media packets with background information and research reports with state-specific data will be available.


VISUAL: Army, Navy, Air Force retired generals and admirals with education secretary; chart depicting ratio of young people unable to enlist, number of ineligibles per state


A video feed of the event will be available via satellite from 4:30-4:45 ET:


Sat Space - C- Band Analog
Date: November 5th, 2009
Time: 1630 - 1645ET
Satellite: Galaxy 19
Transponder: 20
Downlink: 4100 (H)

Source: Mission: Readiness

CONTACT: Ted Eismeier of Mission: Readiness, Cell: +1-315-335-9222,
ted@missionreadiness.org


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