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To be sure there are multiple factors causing the failure to meet officially stated recruitment goals.
But, as a few posters above alluded to, my impression among the main factors is the perception that the US military does not wage war for the purpose of military victories, but as for-profit business ventures abroad in which recruits have little stake beyond basic salary and whose beneficial owners are corporate executives who profit most, then their puppets in political theater (so-called “party” does not matter), and then maybe some random financial market participants who trade and invest in the bonds and stocks of these corporations.
Put another way, the perception is that the US military has little to do with national defense and the bulk of the population has almost zero stake in these never-ending for-profit military business ventures abroad.
The perception is there is very little public good.
To be sure, there are many other factors contributing to the current situation, but this perception, as accurate or as inaccurate as it may be, is among them.
Finally, none of this may matter for as long as there is no draft and the business of war is increasingly waged by machines and less by boots on the ground, voluntary for-hire wearers of boots that is, and not involuntarily drafted military slaves.
War waging is certainly done on behalf of the MIC and over the past 1/4 Century to help Israel reign supreme in their part of the world. The blueprint is The Project of for a New American Century.
https://militarist-monitor.org/profi...rican_century/
The creators of this, who coined themselves as neocons although neobolsheviks would be a better term, Kristol, Kagan, Wolfowitz, Krauthammer, etc., are the folks primarily most influential relative to our foreign policy and war mongering. They stated in the manifesto from the 90's that the US military should be active globally but should there be another Pearl Harbor (obviously broadcasting the forthcoming 9/11) then we can do anything we want.
Looks like thread was hijacked to banter about support to Israel and even a hint of pro Palestinian.
The original point was to draw out the changing demographics of the U.S. military with surging Hispanic members, by design of DOD, and then DOD doing interviews where their feigned surprise and provide made up reasons for the changing demographics. One being the “Lack of public school resources”?!?!?
Nobody is surprised. When you put bread in a toaster, you get toast.
U.S. unemployment rate for 2022 was 3.61%, a 1.74% decline from 2021.
U.S. unemployment rate for 2021 was 5.35%, a 2.7% decline from 2020.
U.S. unemployment rate for 2020 was 8.05%, a 4.38% increase from 2019.
U.S. unemployment rate for 2019 was 3.67%, a 0.23% decline from 2018.
With Trump, always below 5%.
Let me the break the news to you. Trump was president during all of 2020.
It shouldn't be any mystery. Covid 19 struck the world and played havoc with unemployment and inflation.
The present administration has been picking up the pieces ever since 2021. Today inflation is just under 3% and unemployment is about 3.7%. The stock market is hitting record highs and opportunities for people are abundant.
On a personal level, both my children are doing well in their present employment.
The problem is the military doesn't look as attractive as an opportunity as it did in the past. More incentives are going to need to be built into recruiting and retention.
I realize certain right wing groups are trying to make a different argument. Its just that it doesn't hold water.
Let me the break the news to you. Trump was president during all of 2020.
It shouldn't be any mystery. Covid 19 struck the world and played havoc with unemployment and inflation.
The present administration has been picking up the pieces ever since 2021. Today inflation is just under 3% and unemployment is about 3.7%. The stock market is hitting record highs and opportunities for people are abundant.
On a personal level, both my children are doing well in their present employment.
The problem is the military doesn't look as attractive as an opportunity as it did in the past. More incentives are going to need to be built into recruiting and retention.
I realize certain right wing groups are trying to make a different argument. Its just that it doesn't hold water.
Despite missing the Army’s public comments, you are saying it’s the red hot economy that must mean sinking military. We get the left’s angle to protect the president who has “only” been president for 3 years.
Surprising then that most media outlets then are clamoring for all the ways to fix the military. It’s just the red hot economic success of bidenomics.
Allow me to prove this aspect, which speaks to your point.
Recently the current press secretary said the 3 young soldiers in Jordan (she called them military folks) died while
“….fighting and are fighting on behalf of this administration”. It is on video linked below. Insulting.
We all know those that have not served have outward comments or nuances that demonstrate their naiveness of the military but anyone in public service, especially at the federal level, show know and demonstrate proper respect for those in the military; ESPECIALLY respect for the fallen.
Why again are youngsters not motivated to enlist in military?
My suggestion is that KJP not step one foot onto Arlington cemetery nor Walter Reed.
Completely embarrassing.
I’m just a lowly retired Army E-7, but their are several factors already mentioned like a strong job market, kids being fatter, may have hard drug and/or criminal issues, but the fact remains that since the summer of 2020, American society has charged and not for the best.
Yes, politics do play in recruiting efforts since I’m sure that many young men and women clearly remember the Afghanistan retreat and the senseless death of 13 American service personnel for no reason, the Houthis terrorist shooting missiles at American warships and they don’t do anything to stop the attacks. And now, after close to 200 attacks on American forces in the Middle East since October 2023, the Iranians finally got lucky and killed 3 young American Soldiers in Jordan AND Biden hasn’t done anything other that hit some empty warehouses or empty weapons bunkers. Even after the death of these 3 young American Soldiers this administration is only talking tough, but not doing anything to prevent these attacks. Many Americans, to include myself know that Biden’s response will be more empty warehouses and empty weapons bunkers in the middle of nowhere.
So why would any young man or woman joined the military today knowing that you may be sacrificed and forgotten by the current administration?
Let’s be real, with a strong job market with good growth potential, why join a team that seems to be losing on all fronts? Don’t get me wrong, I love our military and everybody in it, but today’s youth is plugged in to events around the world and had information at their fingertips, what wasn’t available when I enlisted back in the 1980s. Yes, HUGE enlistment bonuses and free college sounds great, but the possibility of being killed in the Middle East kind of slaps you back into reality.
Also, kids today can stay with their parents well into their mid/late 20s and even into their 30s, that’s another factor why today’s youth are not in a hurry to enlist in the Armed Forces.
Say what you will, but when the military went overboard with WOKE and Diversity & Inclusion training that passively blamed White people for everything, why didn’t all the Generals and Admirals see that this would turn off a significant amount of young White men and women and stop this BS? Again, why join a team that currently isn’t winning and being blamed because of your Color?
Heck, I’m still trying to figure out what the heck is this White Rage BS and I’m half White!
Let’s be honest, most young men and women want to join a winning team that has a strong image that may even challenge them to be their very best. The military need to focus on BEING a winning team, especially the Army, since they need to get away from their “soft recruiting” campaigns. Show Soldiers doing cool Army stuff like rappelling/fast roping from helicopters, massive airborne jumps, in full combat gear, M1 tanks and Bradly IFV charging into battle and blowing stuff up!! That’s how you increase your enlistment numbers!! As for the Navy, do the same thing, but with your destroyers and aircraft carriers!!
That’s what the Marines are doing and they are doing fine!!
There are plenty of young people who are interested in joining, but you have to show them that they will be American bad @ssess in the process AND be on a winning team. Not too many people are interested in joining the military to be soft and the ones that are, these are the ones you really do not want anyway, so don’t gear your recruitment campaigns around them.
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