They cited recent statistics from the Pentagon indicating that 75 percent of young Americans ages 17 to 24 are unable to serve in the United States military because they either lack a high school diploma, have a criminal record, or are overweight or physically unfit. In fact, for every five young people who finish high school on time, one fails to graduate on time or drops out entirely.
The generals expressed their support for early childhood education and care as a way to help more kids make responsible decisions and graduate from high school with many career options, including the military if they choose that path.
“In addition to the desire to serve our country, there are many reasons why someone can choose to join the military, whether to advance their education, learn new skills, or continue a family tradition. Unfortunately, there are just as many reasons why young people today are unable to serve if they wish to. We need to invest in early education so more young people succeed academically and become responsible adults,” Adams-Ender said.
Adams-Ender, a native of Willow Springs, N.C. near Greenville, said that education is the key to personal advancement. The daughter of poor sharecroppers, she was able to escape childhood poverty by pursuing education and military service, advancing through the ranks of the U.S. Army to the rank of brigadier general. She said that in order to make sure that opportunity for advancement is available to more young people, the country should start early to reach more kids at risk for school failure.
Long-term research studies have shown that children who benefit from early childhood education are significantly more likely to graduate from high school and avoid crime as adults. Researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill studied children who attended the Abecedarian early education program, along with similar kids who did not participate. By age 21, children who did not receive the intervention were 48 percent more likely to drop out of high school. The kids who attended were significantly more likely to work in a high-skill occupation or pursue higher education.
Another study of a Michigan early education program found that children who attended were 44 percent more likely to graduate from high school compared to similar kids who did not attend. By age 27, the kids who did not attend were five times more likely to be chronic offenders than those who did participate.
The generals said that investing in early childhood education and care would increase the number of recruits qualified for military service.
“Much depends on the choices that our young people make, including our national defense. With so many young Americans dropping out of school, it is becoming increasingly difficult for us to find enough qualified recruits to keep this country safe. The investment in early education has to start today to turn to this around,” Adams-Ender said.
Despite the proven benefits of an early start to learning, many children are unable to attend quality programs because of a lack of state and federal funding. Kelley, Adams-Ender and Douglass generals thanked Sen. Hagan for supporting early education during her legislative career and asked her to help craft new legislation to implement the administration’s Early Learning Challenge Fund proposal.
The proposal would provide grants to states to improve the quality and availability of early learning programs for at-risk kids. Sen. Hagan is a new member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which will likely be the starting point for any new early childhood initiative.
“Success builds on success; unfortunately, the opposite is true, as well. Investing in early education for all at-risk kids will give them the foundation they need to succeed in school and beyond,” Adams Ender said. “This will also help us build a stronger military and a stronger America.”
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