The Pentagon is set to make changes to its entrance exam for military qualification in an effort to address dropping recruitment numbers.
As part of this change, the Pentagon will now allow the use of calculators during the timed exam. The exam not only assesses academic performance but also determines the types of jobs applicants can obtain within the military, according to sources who spoke to Military.com.
The decision to allow calculators on the exam is seen as a way to increase the number of applicants who can pass the test. The decline in recruitment numbers has largely been attributed to applicants struggling to perform well on the exam. A Pentagon official stated that this new measure will allow the military to take a systematic approach in assessing the impact of calculator use and that calculators will be used going forward.
The United States Military has been facing lower-than-normal recruitment rates in recent years, with a shrinking number of people applying to military programs. Retaining members of the military has also proven to be challenging. This trend is evident across all branches, including the Army, Navy, and Airforce, all of which are expected to fall short of their recruitment goals in 2023.
Some have suggested that political issues have contributed to the decline in recruitment numbers, with the military being perceived as too left-wing. One example cited is when the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs advocated for greater access to abortion services for military members.
One of the main obstacles faced by applicants is poor performance on the aptitude exam. To address this issue, the Army introduced the Future Soldier Preparatory Course last year. This course aims to prepare individuals who narrowly missed the qualifying mark. The course focuses on improving academic performance and also includes a track for reducing body fat.
According to Military.com, the Army has successfully enrolled over 9,200 students into basic training through the course. The majority of participants have taken the aptitude track, while a smaller portion have opted for the fitness course.
The decline in scores on the Pentagon's exam coincides with a drop in the average ACT score, which has reached its lowest point in 30 years at 19.8 out of 36. The CEO of ACT stated that these declines are not solely due to the pandemic but also reflect long-standing systemic failures that have been exacerbated by the current situation.
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