According to recent testimony from Pentagon officials, 75% of young people, ages 17 to 24, are unable to enlist because they either lack a high school diploma, have a criminal background or are physically unfit.

Retired military leaders and State Legislators from across Pennsylvania will hold a news conference at the State Capitol Wednesday to discuss this threat to national security and the need for continued investment in the 2009-2010 budget for early childhood education to ensure that the US military and National Guard have a qualified pool of recruits for the future.

The generals will release a new report called "Ready, Willing, and Unable to Serve" showing that children who benefit from high-quality early education are significantly more likely to finish high school, stay away from crime, and enter the workforce with many options, including a career in the military if they choose to pursue one.

Is it possible that this is the result of a failing public education system? Nah! that couldn't be it. Physical education is no longer required for all students, there is a distinct lack of discipline in schools, and homes, and all of our pop culture promotes deviant behavior. Is it any wonder that many young Americans are fat, stupid, criminals?

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