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The admiral’s letter (Spokesman-Review; July 21, 2016) complains that 71percent of our youth are too dumb to be eligible for military service.

That 71 percent probably also pertains to the rest of the population who voted to give us two equally unqualified candidates from which to choose to be president and to give us a bunch of legislators from Congress on down who are equally stupid. Sixteen years earlier, that 71 percent elected a stupid president who involved us in a centuries old religious war, and now the military needs warriors they can’t find to fight the religious terrorists that were stirred up.

The admiral suggests solving the problems through early childhood education. He’s right, but it must start much earlier than Head Start, like infancy.

Many public schools now require students to take a course in sex education. Since those infants result from sex, why not include parenting in that course?

Those future parents would learn that their child’s mind begins development from the very first day. It needs heaps of love and to be read to. When the child expresses interest in reading, a favorite storybook must be available.

Good parenting gives the child a head start to Head Start.

JOSEPH HENRY WYTHE

Sandpoint