Navy Taking More Recruits Without High School Diplomas to Fill Ranks

The Navy said Friday that it has begun accepting more recruits who have not finished high school, as part of a series of initiatives meant to fill a shortfall of 22,000 jobs.

Navy Secretary Richard Danzig announced the moves, which he said are intended to improve the Navy’s readiness for war and raise morale among sailors who, because of the job gap, sometimes are forced to fill positions outside their own specialty or do double duty.

Of the 22,000 unfilled jobs, 18,000 are positions aboard ships at sea, he said.

“Undermanning the Navy is simply not acceptable to me, especially when more quality personnel can be recruited or high-quality sailors can be retained,” Danzig said in a written statement.

Danzig said the Navy would increase the proportion of recruits who have not graduated from high school to 10% from 5%. Ten percent is the maximum allowed under Defense Department rules, but the individual services are allowed to set stricter limits of their own.

In March 1997 the Army loosened its limit of non-high school graduates from 5% to 10%.

The Marine Corps takes no more than 5%. The Air Force’s maximum is 10%, although it has not had more than 1% in recent years.

Among other changes announced by Danzig: a planned revision of the Navy’s physical fitness and health standards. He said new standards would be set within a year, and in the meantime sailors will not be discharged solely on the basis of failing to meet the current standard. Danzig said this could mean keeping 2,000 sailors who otherwise would be lost.

Last year 95% of Navy recruits were high school graduates, but the Navy fell nearly 7,000 short of its recruiting goal.

Danzig said the Navy figures that by taking more non-high school graduates it will get an extra 2,600 boot camp entrants this year. It expects to get an additional 4,500 through other new measures, including increasing advertising and offering more enlistment incentives.

The Navy secretary said he believes that having a smaller proportion of high school graduates in boot camp will not dilute the talent pool. He said those who sign up who are not high school graduates will have to score above average on Navy entrance exams and have good references.

“A high school diploma is an important validation of ability to succeed,” Danzig said. “It is not, however, the ‘be-all’ or ‘end-all’ of a potential recruit’s measure of worth.” He said the Navy wants “proven performers,” even if they have left school because of financial need, personal circumstances, home schooling or because it was “not the right place for them.”

“Experience shows these ‘proven performers’ make good--indeed, sometimes exceptional--sailors,” Danzig said.

Recruits without high school diplomas have historically failed to complete recruit training at a rate about 10% greater than those who did finish school, the Navy secretary said. But he said the recruits without diplomas who do succeed in boot camp usually stay in the Navy longer.