Many could not even run 2 miles without falling out of formation. I addressed these issues because they are tangible things that can be identified in the short time the new soldier is inprocessing. Her response was shocking. Most new 11Bs are between 17-20 years old. So it was not uncommon for me to get a soldier who was way overweight from day one in his unit, a unit which could deploy to war in 18 hours.
Numbers count in peacetime.
I think the article overstated the 3rd and 4th attempt issue. Basic training is designed to introduce and indoctrinate the recruit into the respective service. Some guys learn quicker than others and may have civilian experiences that are applicable to the military, specifically they were athletes or shooters or hunters. That does not necessarily mean they will be better soldiers in the long term. The central issue is that there must be a rigid enforcement of the minimum standard of performance.