New Report Reveals That 75% of Young Americans Are Unfit for Military Service

Education Secretary Duncan, former NATO Supreme Commander General Wesley
Clark, retired generals and admirals say early learning key to reversing
national security threat

**SATELLITE UPLINK AND AUDIO NEWS CONFERENCE AVAILABLE, SEE BELOW**

According to an alarming new report, 75 percent of young people ages 17 to 24
are unable to enlist in the military because they fail to graduate high
school, have a criminal record, or are physically unfit. U.S. Secretary of
Education Arne Duncan and some of America's top retired military brass will
hold a news conference at the National Press Club Thursday to call for
immediate action to address this national security threat.

The retired admirals and generals and Secretary Duncan will call for greater
investment in high-quality early learning programs to ensure that more young
people graduate, obey the law, and have the option of military service if they
choose that path. They will also release state-specific data on the number of
young Americans unable to serve in each state.

Who: Secretary of Education Arne Duncan - U.S. Department of Education
General Wesley K. Clark, U.S. Army (Ret.) - Former Supreme Allied Commander -
NATO
Major General James A. Kelley, U.S. Army (Ret.) - Former Deputy Assistant
Secretary of Defense
Major General James W. Comstock, U.S. Army (Ret.) - Former Reserve Component
Advisor, U.S. Central Command
Brigadier General John W. Douglass, U.S. Air Force (Ret.) - Former Assistant
Secretary of the Navy
Rear Admiral James Barnett U.S. Navy (Ret.) - Chief, Public Safety and
Homeland Security Bureau, FCC
Former Under Secretary of the Army - Joe Reeder
National Director, Mission: Readiness - Amy Dawson Taggart

What: News Conference

When: Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009
2:15 p.m. EST

WHERE: National Press Club, The Lisagor Room
529 14th St NW, Washington, D.C.

To join the conference through a live "listen-only" audio conference, call:
800-926-7358

LOGISTICS: Secretary Duncan will join retired military leaders for a news
conference beginning at 2:15 p.m. Media packets with background information
and research reports with state-specific data will be available.

VISUAL: Army, Navy, Air Force retired generals and admirals with education
secretary; chart depicting ratio of young people unable to enlist, number of
ineligibles per state.

A video feed of the event will be available via satellite from 4:30-4:45 ET.

Sat Space - C- Band Analog
Date: November 5th, 2009
Time: 1630 - 1645 ET
Satellite: Galaxy 19
Transponder: 20
Downlink: 4100 (H)

Mission: Readiness is the nonprofit, bi-partisan organization of 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.

CONTACT: Ted Eismeier of Mission: Readiness, Cell: +1-315-335-9222,
ted@missionreadiness.org

/PRNewswire-USNewswire -- Nov. 3/

SOURCE Mission: Readiness