Military Service Out of Reach for Most Young Adults in Nebraska

New report cites poor educational achievement as a threat to national security

LINCOLN, Neb., May 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Military service is out of reach for most young adults in Nebraska, according to a new report released by MISSION: READINESS, a national security nonprofit group composed of more than 200 retired generals and admirals.

Called Nebraska's Educational System: Supporting Our National Security, the report cites U.S. Department of Defense estimates that up to 75 percent of young adults nationwide are currently unable to join the military, with poor educational achievement one of the major reasons. Being overweight or obese is another leading reason why young adults cannot enlist.

The report finds that one in six young adults in Nebraska does not graduate from high school on time. Even among the state's high school graduates, 15 percent seeking to enlist cannot join the military because of low scores on the military's basic exam for math, literacy and problem solving.  Among African-American and Hispanic high school graduates in Nebraska, the percentage is twice as high.  Of 311 minority high school students in Nebraska who took the military exam, nearly 100 – over 30 percent – did not score highly enough to enlist, according to a recent study from The Education Trust.

"We know what works to help more children do well in school and in life," said retired Air Force Major General Mark Musick, a member of MISSION: READINESS and a resident of Lincoln.  "The report cites long-term studies of high-quality early care and education that show at-risk children benefitting greatly from these programs."  Musick noted, for example, that at-risk children who attended the Perry Preschool Project in Michigan were 44 percent more likely to graduate high school than those who did not attend. Another study of Chicago's Child-Parent Centers, which have served over 100,000 three- and four-year olds since 1967, found that by age 20, participants in the program were 29 percent more likely to have graduated from high school than those who did not participate.

Musick also noted that early childhood programs not only promote early reading and math skills, they also help cultivate curiosity, build character and develop social skills.  He emphasized that success in the military, like success in many careers, demands self-discipline, the ability to work with others and a mind-set to stick with a task until it is completed.

"The research is clear and early education has gained bipartisan support in Nebraska because our elected leaders know it is a solid investment in our future," said Musick.  "Even in these challenging times, local, state and federal policymakers in Nebraska should continue to provide even better quality early learning opportunities to more children in the state.  It's a matter of national security."

To read the full Nebraska report, go to www.missionreadiness.org.

To arrange an interview with retired Maj. Gen. Musick in Nebraska, call 202-464-7016.

MISSION: READINESS is the national security organization of over 200 retired generals, admirals and other senior military leaders who support policies and investments that will help young Americans succeed in school and later in life.

SOURCE MISSION: READINESS