Dexter Filkins

They're pushing everywhere. The most obvious places are Ukraine, where, you know, Russia has been at war there for three years, and Taiwan, where, you know, the Chinese... refuse to recognize the sovereignty of Taiwan, which is an American ally, a vibrant democracy, and one of the world's most important economies.

They're pushing everywhere. The most obvious places are Ukraine, where, you know, Russia has been at war there for three years, and Taiwan, where, you know, the Chinese... refuse to recognize the sovereignty of Taiwan, which is an American ally, a vibrant democracy, and one of the world's most important economies.

They're pushing everywhere. The most obvious places are Ukraine, where, you know, Russia has been at war there for three years, and Taiwan, where, you know, the Chinese... refuse to recognize the sovereignty of Taiwan, which is an American ally, a vibrant democracy, and one of the world's most important economies.

And so it's a really big question, you know, what do we need to kind of hold all that together? And is it just up to us? But I think the international order as we know it, you know, such as it is, is under more stress than it's been at any time, I think, in the last 75 years.

And so it's a really big question, you know, what do we need to kind of hold all that together? And is it just up to us? But I think the international order as we know it, you know, such as it is, is under more stress than it's been at any time, I think, in the last 75 years.

And so it's a really big question, you know, what do we need to kind of hold all that together? And is it just up to us? But I think the international order as we know it, you know, such as it is, is under more stress than it's been at any time, I think, in the last 75 years.

The Navy has definitely had to lower the requirements. I think what the future soldier training course represents is kind of a – it's like a pre-boot camp preparation course. So, yeah, there's all these young people, 19, 20 years old, and they want to enlist. But then I went down to Fort Jackson and you kind of see it.

The Navy has definitely had to lower the requirements. I think what the future soldier training course represents is kind of a – it's like a pre-boot camp preparation course. So, yeah, there's all these young people, 19, 20 years old, and they want to enlist. But then I went down to Fort Jackson and you kind of see it.

The Navy has definitely had to lower the requirements. I think what the future soldier training course represents is kind of a – it's like a pre-boot camp preparation course. So, yeah, there's all these young people, 19, 20 years old, and they want to enlist. But then I went down to Fort Jackson and you kind of see it.

And, you know, I started reporting the story thinking it was going to be mostly about the military. But for me, it ended up being mostly about America. You know, America has like what, like a 40% obesity rate. Well, you can see it there at Fort Jackson. And America's got a lot of failing schools. You can see that at Fort Jackson. And so Fort Jackson is sort of the place where the U.S.

And, you know, I started reporting the story thinking it was going to be mostly about the military. But for me, it ended up being mostly about America. You know, America has like what, like a 40% obesity rate. Well, you can see it there at Fort Jackson. And America's got a lot of failing schools. You can see that at Fort Jackson. And so Fort Jackson is sort of the place where the U.S.

And, you know, I started reporting the story thinking it was going to be mostly about the military. But for me, it ended up being mostly about America. You know, America has like what, like a 40% obesity rate. Well, you can see it there at Fort Jackson. And America's got a lot of failing schools. You can see that at Fort Jackson. And so Fort Jackson is sort of the place where the U.S.

military comes face to face with America's youth, such as it is in 2025. For instance, yeah, they're overweight. And so the military's got pretty strict weight standards. They're not really onerous. You know, you don't have to be super ripped to be in the military. It helps. But they're strict about making them. So if you come in and you're, I think it's if you're less than 10% overweight,

military comes face to face with America's youth, such as it is in 2025. For instance, yeah, they're overweight. And so the military's got pretty strict weight standards. They're not really onerous. You know, you don't have to be super ripped to be in the military. It helps. But they're strict about making them. So if you come in and you're, I think it's if you're less than 10% overweight,

military comes face to face with America's youth, such as it is in 2025. For instance, yeah, they're overweight. And so the military's got pretty strict weight standards. They're not really onerous. You know, you don't have to be super ripped to be in the military. It helps. But they're strict about making them. So if you come in and you're, I think it's if you're less than 10% overweight,

You can get into this course, and they'll try to take the weight off of you. And so you have three months to basically lose the weight to get under the Army standard. And the same goes with the aptitude test. So, like, you go to these classes, and they're basically, you know, I hate to say it, but they're basically teaching the test.

You can get into this course, and they'll try to take the weight off of you. And so you have three months to basically lose the weight to get under the Army standard. And the same goes with the aptitude test. So, like, you go to these classes, and they're basically, you know, I hate to say it, but they're basically teaching the test.

You can get into this course, and they'll try to take the weight off of you. And so you have three months to basically lose the weight to get under the Army standard. And the same goes with the aptitude test. So, like, you go to these classes, and they're basically, you know, I hate to say it, but they're basically teaching the test.

So, you know, you do your math problems and your reading comprehension over and over and over, and then you take the aptitude test. And if you pass, you can get in. But they're trying to hold the standards where they are. I think what's remarkable is that there are so many people out there that can't meet these minimum standards.

So, you know, you do your math problems and your reading comprehension over and over and over, and then you take the aptitude test. And if you pass, you can get in. But they're trying to hold the standards where they are. I think what's remarkable is that there are so many people out there that can't meet these minimum standards.