Joining the military could get easier (and more attractive)

For recruits with certain skills -- especially those in the cyberspace and tech realm -- the Pentagon might relax restrictions around age and criminal record.

Age restrictions for recruits currently vary by service branch -- with 35 the upper limit for Army enlisted, 34 for the Navy and 28 for the Marines.

Once in, recruits can expect more robust benefits, including a 401(k)-style retirement account.

Since troops have to serve at least 20 years to get a pension in today's military -- and since many serve less than that -- the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments estimates more than 80 percent of service members leave the military with no retirement.

For troops looking to start a family or go back to school, the Pentagon might even allow mid-career breaks -- sabbaticals that allow service members to take a break, then come back to where they left their careers.

Whether all that will be enough is definitely a question. With the Army specifically -- fewer officers are sticking around for careers. That's a drop that began with the Iraq War.

The branch has been accused of mismanaging talent and restricting autonomy -- criticism we so far haven't seen addressed in Carter's plans.

And with unemployment in the private sector going down -- the military might struggle with recruitment and retention despite Carter's proposals. The secretary kicks off a two-day trip to Pennsylvania and New York Monday.