| About Us
Mission: Readiness is the nonprofit, bi-partisan organization led by senior retired military leaders ensuring continued American security and prosperity into the 21st century by calling for smart investments in the next generation of American children.
As senior military leaders, we have spent our lives in service to our country. We understand the challenges we face at home and abroad. We are proud that America has the most highly-skilled, best-equipped, and most professional military in history.
Competent, educated, and healthy young people are the future patriots tasked with defending America’s national security and prosperity.
Today, 75 percent of 17 to 24-year-olds do not meet the basic minimum standards required for military service.
A limited recruitment pool will hold back our military readiness and erode our national security in the long run. What can we do now to ensure that this trend is not the wave of the future?
A world-class military requires world-class health and education. The most effective long-term investment we can make for a strong military is in the health and education of the American people. If we want to ensure that we have a strong, capable fighting force, we need to help America’s youth succeed academically, stay physically fit, and abide by the law.
The path to success does not begin at age 17. The earliest months and years of life are a crucial time when we build the foundation of children’s character, how they relate to others and how they learn. Long-term research shows that quality early childhood education raises graduation rates by up to 44%. Research further shows that kids who fail to get it are 70% more likely to be arrested for a violent crime by age 18, making them potentially unfit for service and a threat to their communities. Furthermore, every dollar invested in quality early childhood programs can save $16.
We must invest now in the next generation to preserve our nation’s security, freedom, and opportunity. The safety of our country demands urgent and intelligent action. We call on all policymakers to ensure America’s national security by supporting interventions that will prepare young people for a life of military service and productive citizenship; this includes fully funding early childhood education programs, improving graduation rates, supporting families in ways that improve parenting skills and reduce child abuse, improving child health, mental health and nutrition services, and helping troubled kids get back on track. |
