US Military Recruitment Standards Overhaul: What You’re Not Supposed to Notice

Hello, Earnest Mann here. Today I’m pulling back the curtain on the US military's new recruitment strategy—and let me warn you, it reads like satire... but it’s not. Starting mid-2026, the Armed Forces are shifting gears. We’re talking lowered ASVAB IQ requirements, reduced physical standards, and a whole new level of inclusivity that’s being marketed as progress—but smells a bit more like policy-by-committee.

The Great ASVAB Reset: A Smart Way to Attract the Not-So-Smart?

The ASVAB test, formerly a gatekeeping tool to determine military roles based on aptitude, is being recalibrated. The new target IQ range? 60 to 75. Yes, you heard that right. This move allegedly solves two problems: it keeps the brain drain from sapping the private sector, and it ensures new recruits are, well, easier to manage. Think “don’t ask why, just comply” levels of docility. Apparently, that's now the ideal soldier profile.

Physical Standards Get the Participation Trophy Treatment

Forget what you’ve seen in war movies. Physical standards are being dramatically reduced for both men and women, and the weight limit is going up by 40 pounds. Why? Because group cohesion apparently works best when nobody feels superior for being able to run a mile without collapsing. And if you think this is some kind of joke—well, I wish it was.

Inclusivity or Insanity? A New Kind of Soldier

All of this is being spun as part of a “kinder, gentler” military. The recruitment funnel is being widened in the name of inclusivity, but the underlying message is clear: compliance over competence. Strength in numbers, not in ability. And if all goes to plan, we’ll end up with a force the Pentagon thinks could outshine even World War II’s enlisted ranks. No, seriously—they said that.

What This Really Means for America’s Military Future

So what does this military transformation actually achieve? A larger, more malleable force that’s easier to manage but potentially less capable under pressure. The reduced entry standards might boost recruitment numbers, but at what cost to effectiveness, morale, and readiness? If nothing else, it’s a bold new chapter in military policy—or a bureaucratic fever dream, depending on how much faith you have left in institutions.

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0:00

Today I have some fascinating news

0:02

concerning military recruitment. So

0:04

stick around if you want to hear the

0:06

unbelievable. If you are considering

0:09

joining the military, regardless of

0:11

branch, here are just some of the new

0:13

changes coming to the US military that

0:16

many believe are long overdue. In

0:19

keeping with the desire of citizens for

0:21

far greater inclusivity, the military is

0:24

now recognizing that desire,

0:27

demonstrating its willingness to have a

0:29

gentler and kinder recruitment process

0:32

by giving those an opportunity to serve

0:34

their country that previously would not

0:37

have been possible.

0:50

Hello, my name is Ernest and thank you

0:52

for being here. Today I want to talk to

0:55

you about something I seldom talk about,

0:58

the military. More specifically, the

1:01

updated military recruitment standards.

1:04

You may think what I'm about to tell you

1:07

is a joke, but I assure you it's not.

1:11

Just hear me out. Now, if you are

1:14

currently considering becoming a member

1:16

of America's armed forces, or if you're

1:19

just curious, what I'm about to say is

1:23

probably going to affect you one way or

1:25

the other. So, please listen up.

1:29

Before I get going into explaining the

1:31

changes that are about to take place,

1:33

allow me to explain the process of

1:36

signing up because it really is relevant

1:40

and actually it's fairly

1:42

straightforward.

1:45

You meet with a recruiter and at some

1:47

point you and perhaps one or 200 others

1:51

are scheduled to take a test called the

1:55

Armed Services Vocational Aptitude

1:58

Battery or ASVAB,

2:01

which is simply a broad intelligence

2:03

test that supposedly determines what

2:06

kind of job or function, if you will,

2:10

you as a recruit best qualify for.

2:15

In addition to that, you and of course

2:18

many others will undergo a general

2:21

physical exam which includes a vision

2:23

and hearing test in addition to some

2:26

basic physical strength and dexterity

2:28

test. So long story short, if you are

2:32

currently found to be at least minimally

2:36

acceptable for the ASVAB and physical,

2:39

the only requirement left is for you and

2:43

again quite a few others to meet in a

2:46

single large room for the United States

2:48

military swearing in procedure. Once you

2:52

do that and sign certain papers, it's a

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done deal. You will eventually report

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via a bus for your basic training and

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assuming you successfully complete that,

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you will then be a member of the United

3:08

States military.

3:11

Now, with all that out of the way, here

3:14

are the changes that are going to take

3:16

3:21

Briefly before I continue, if you're

3:23

enjoying this episode and you haven't

3:25

already done so, please consider

3:28

subscribing and hit that notification

3:30

bell. By subscribing, you really do help

3:34

the Earnest Man Show continue to grow.

3:37

And if you leave a comment or question,

3:40

I actually read and respond to them all.

3:43

And I really do appreciate you reaching

3:45

out. Now, back to the episode.

3:50

So, here are just two of the major

3:52

changes concerning the military. First,

3:56

it concerns the ASVAB test. We'll get to

4:00

the change in physical requirements in a

4:03

bit.

4:05

I'm sure that most of you out there have

4:08

heard the term brain drain and the

4:10

military is quite aware of that

4:12

situation as well. But because military

4:16

policy, even as far as improvement is

4:19

concerned, often unfortunately happens

4:23

at a snail's pace. But fortunately, it

4:27

looks like it's finally happening.

4:30

So, concerning the brain train, here's

4:32

what's been going on in the military and

4:35

how it will tie in with the new ASVAB

4:39

testing.

4:40

The military is finally doing something

4:43

about an issue. it's known about for

4:45

quite some time.

4:48

Because of the current ASBA requirements

4:50

for military service, the best and

4:53

brightest from our top colleges and

4:56

universities have been joining the

4:58

military in record numbers for the last,

5:01

you know, 20 years.

5:04

The problem with this is that those very

5:07

same people are no longer available in

5:10

the private sector. And if they're not

5:12

available in the private sector, it

5:15

means very bad things for the private

5:18

sector, meaning brain drain.

5:22

So the military has finally come up with

5:24

a solution. It has revamped the ASVAB

5:28

testing methodology.

5:31

This is not hearsay.

5:33

This change is in actual fact and will

5:36

be implemented across all branches of

5:39

the US military somewhere around

5:42

5:45

Before I go any further, one important

5:48

note.

5:49

This policy change concerns enlisted

5:53

personnel only. It is not applied to the

5:57

officer ranks regardless of military

6:01

branch. When the new revamped ASVAB

6:04

testing is implemented, its primary

6:06

focus will be base IQ and that base IQ

6:11

has been restructured, desiring IQ

6:14

scores between 60 and 75 max.

6:20

Besides the affformentioned issue of

6:23

brain drain, there's another very good

6:26

reason for this action. It's been

6:29

determined that when considering all

6:31

metrics for recruit usability and

6:34

optimal military functionality for

6:37

enlisted personnel,

6:39

it is the ideal IQ.

6:42

meaning that for example enlisted

6:44

personnel at this IQ level are far more

6:48

compliant and tend to follow orders

6:51

without issue such as insubordination or

6:55

any other individualistic

6:57

disruptive tendencies such as going

7:00

awall.

7:02

To put this as simply as possible, to

7:04

use an old military adage, the military

7:08

does not need a soldier which questions

7:11

why. It needs a soldier that will do or

7:15

die. Now moving on to the physical

7:19

requirements side of this equation. The

7:22

military fully realizes that amongst

7:25

current potential recruits, there is a

7:28

strong desire for inclusivity.

7:31

So with that in mind, it will also

7:34

change physical requirements.

7:38

The military is going to strongly

7:41

encourage female recruits. And one of

7:44

the ways they plan on doing this is by

7:47

changing physical requirements, not only

7:50

for female recruits, but males as well.

7:54

All physical testing requirements,

7:57

regardless of gender, are going to be

8:00

dramatically reduced. And in addition to

8:03

that, the acceptable base weight of any

8:06

recruit will be increased by 40 pounds.

8:11

This is not only designed to

8:13

dramatically increase the number of

8:15

potential recruits, but is generally

8:18

viewed as a morale booster. As recruits,

8:22

regardless of gender, will be able to

8:25

sympathize with their weight challenged

8:28

comrades and not consider themselves

8:31

superior, which is actually very

8:34

important for group cohesion, especially

8:37

in a combat situation. So, I'm going to

8:41

wrap this up, but I feel the actions the

8:45

military is taking, such as revamping

8:47

the ASVAB testing with the new lower IQ

8:52

requirements,

8:54

as well as reducing the physical

8:56

requirements in boot camp training are

9:00

going to go a long way of not only

9:03

increasing military recruitment, but

9:06

producing a military force that America

9:10

has never experienced before.

9:14

The ranks of enlisted personnel not only

9:17

equal to, but perhaps even far superior

9:21

than those who participated in World War

9:25

II. I only ask that you respect my

9:30

feelings.

9:34

Until next time, this is Ernest. That's

9:37

all I've got for today.