A Pentagon study revealed that 77 percent of young Americans do not qualify for military service without a waiver due to being overweight, drug use, or
To compare, before WW1 the US rejected 83% of all applicants for medical/psych issues, and during WW1 rejected almost half.
That doesn't mean that the current US army doesn't have a problem though, since before WW1 the Army was basically a volunteer cadre force with a secondary (some might say primary) function as a colonial supression force in the Western States. For that kind of army you want high quality recruits, preferably ones from the labour aristocracy looking for a leg up the ladder or marginalised members of the upper class.
The current army is supposed to be a hegemonic force, like the British or Roman Colonial troops, and for that you need a strong core but also a bunch of cannon fodder to soak up the revolts in the periphery. Odd that the USA doesn't have that and instead relies on naval and air force projection, along with unequal treaties.
On the other hand you could say the Imperial Core client states are the Limitani/Colonial troops, but they don't look like the typical model.
To compare, before WW1 the US rejected 83% of all applicants for medical/psych issues, and during WW1 rejected almost half.
That doesn't mean that the current US army doesn't have a problem though, since before WW1 the Army was basically a volunteer cadre force with a secondary (some might say primary) function as a colonial supression force in the Western States. For that kind of army you want high quality recruits, preferably ones from the labour aristocracy looking for a leg up the ladder or marginalised members of the upper class.
The current army is supposed to be a hegemonic force, like the British or Roman Colonial troops, and for that you need a strong core but also a bunch of cannon fodder to soak up the revolts in the periphery. Odd that the USA doesn't have that and instead relies on naval and air force projection, along with unequal treaties.
On the other hand you could say the Imperial Core client states are the Limitani/Colonial troops, but they don't look like the typical model.
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Mercs are great for killing and blowing stuff up not so great when it comes to the day to day occupying stuff.