Sad lack of 'readiness'

South Carolinians can and do share justified pride in our state's tradition of providing more than its share of brave Americans for military service. But we also should share justified concerns over a variety of problems that are now limiting our state's contribution to the nation's defense.

As reported last week in The Post and Courier, many young people in our state are ineligible for military service due to our high rates of obesity and youth crime and our low rate of high school graduation. According to research by a non-profit organization known as "Mission: Readiness, Military Leaders for Kids," more than 380,000 South Carolinians from the ages of 17-24 are ineligible for duty due to their physical condition, educational limitations or criminal records.

That's bad news for America as we struggle to maintain sufficient troop levels for the long-term challenges our nation faces in a dangerous world.

Retired Army Brig. Gen. Pat Foote, who monitors research for the Mission group, cited the high rates of pre-emptive disqualification from military service across the nation -- as high as 75 percent -- as "a devastating statistic" that is "eroding the national security of America."

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and former NATO commander Wesley Clark are echoing Gen. Foote's warning. They are calling for increased investment in early childhood education to counter the negative trends that are driving this "devastating statistic" upward.

Some more sad statistics hit home here in South Carolina. According to the Mission report, 41 percent of young people in our state fail to get high school degrees, far higher than the 26 percent national rate. Our 34 percent rate of overweight youth also exceeds the national level of 32 percent.

Though military service is demanding and risky, it also can be quite rewarding. The inability of a rising number of young Americans to qualify for the armed forces doesn't just endanger our nation. It limits the options these young people have for a brighter future.