Retired Admirals And Generals To Release Report Showing Administration's State-Federal Pre-K Proposal Could Lead to Two Million More High School Graduates And $150 Billion In Economic Benefits

WASHINGTON, June 10, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released by Mission: Readiness:

WHAT:     Press Conference on Impact of Early Learning on National Security

WHERE:   National Press Club, 529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor, First Amendment Lounge 
                Washington, DC

WHEN:     Tuesday, June 11, 2013, 10:00 AM

WHO:       General Gene Renuart, US Air Force (Retired) 
                Rear Admiral Casey Coane, US Navy (Retired) 
                Brigadier General Velma Richardson, US Army (Retired) 
                Senator Brice Wiggins (R - MS, 52nd District)

Background:  Recognizing that 75 percent of all young Americans are unable to join the military, in large part because they do not have a high school diploma or cannot score highly enough on the military's entrance exam to be allowed to serve, the retired admirals and generals of Mission: Readiness will release a new report showing that the Administration's state-federal early education proposal could lead to two million more high school graduates nationwide and $150 billion in net economic benefits to society.

The Mission: Readiness members will release the national report, A Commitment to Pre-Kindergarten is a Commitment to National Security, in Washington, DC, and state reports at high-quality pre-K classrooms in Bangor, ME; Dayton, OH; Richmond, VA; Savannah, GA; Louisville, KY; Des Moines, IA; Las Vegas, NV; and San Diego, CA. The report also highlights results of quality programs in Arkansas, Illinois, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and West Virginia.

Mission: Readiness is the nonpartisan national security organization of 350 retired admirals and generals calling for smart investments in America's children to address the fact that military service is out of reach for an estimated 75 percent of all young Americans between the ages of 17 and 24, primarily because they are too poorly educated, are overweight, or have serious criminal records.

Media Contacts: Chris Beakey, 302-448-0253, [email protected]; David Carrier, 202-464-5362, [email protected]

TO VIEW THE LIVE WEBCAST OF THE EVENT, VISIT WWW.MISSIONREADINESS.ORG.

SOURCE MISSION: READINESS