On Friday, The U.S. Navy announced it will allow those without a high school Diploma or GED to enlist.
Recruits without a high school diploma or GED can enlist if they score 50 or higher on the Armed Forces Qualification Test.
According to VOA, the last time the Navy accepted individuals without educational requirements was in 2000.
Vice Admiral Rick Cheeseman stated, “We get thousands of people into our recruiting stations every year who want to join the Navy but do not have an education credential.”
The move by the Navy is a response to needing help to reach its recruitment goals.
Per Navy Times:
The Navy said Friday that it will allow those without a high school diploma to enlist as long as they score a 50 or higher on the Armed Forces Qualification Test that all prospects must take, the latest move to boost recruitment in the face of an historic recruiting crisis reverberating across the services.
Those without a General Educational Development, or GED, credential will also be able to enlist, as long as they hit that test score threshold, according to the Chief of Naval Personnel’s office.Federal law allows the military to recruit such applicants, and the Navy last allowed those without a diploma to enlist in 2000, according to CNP officials.
To date, the Navy is the only military branch currently seeking to recruit those without a high school diploma or GED as it works to expand the number of eligible candidates to join the service amid an historically challenging recruiting environment.