Staff Sgt. Robert George, a military training instructor at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, marches his recruits following the issuance of uniforms and gear during basic training. (Master Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo / Air Force)
Reports emerging from the Pentagon suggest that the United States military is entering the year 2024 with its smallest size and lowest qualification levels in nearly eight decades. This development raises significant concerns about national security and military readiness in an era of evolving global threats.
According to Daily Mail, the total number of active-duty personnel has dropped to levels not seen since the early 1940s, a period before the U.S. entered World War II.
The emerging challenges in military recruitment are becoming increasingly evident, as seen in this year’s significant shortfall of 41,000 personnel. This gap highlights the widening disconnect between the military establishment and the younger generations.
Ashish Vazirani, the acting undersecretary for personnel and readiness at the Pentagon, acknowledges the tough recruitment climate, which has compelled the armed services to lower their target numbers for active personnel in recent times.
Recruiting has been hampered by the COVID-19 vaccine mandates as well as an increasingly woke military atmosphere where trans soldiers are give special privileges while Christian soldiers are persecuted, bases host drag shows, and leaders with a history of anti-white statements are hired.
Rep. Matt Gaetz notes that under former President Donald Trump’s 2020-2021 recruitment policies, the military was on point in meeting its staffing and recruitment goals.
However, the tables have turned under the Biden regime. Last year, not only did the Air Force but also the Army and Navy miss their recruiting targets. This underperformance, according to the Congressman, is symptomatic of deeper issues relating to the misplacement of priorities.
Compounding this issue is the declining pool of qualified applicants. Military leaders point to a worrying trend in the shrinking percentage of young Americans who meet the physical, educational, and moral standards required for service. Factors such as obesity, lack of high school education, and criminal records are cited as key barriers disqualifying potential recruits.
According to a report released earlier this year by four retired generals, the majority of Americans aged 17 to 24 are not eligible for military service.
The Intelligencer reported:
According to the report, the reasons for military ineligibility are varied and relate to:
Physical health factors, including obesity. In Illinois, nearly one-third of young adults are too overweight to qualify for the armed forces. Yet such problems actually begin much earlier in life; the obesity rate among 2- to 5-year-olds in the state is 13%.
Academic factors. Military service requires a high school diploma or GED. However, nearly one in eight Illinois students fails to graduate within four years, a figure that increases to one in five among low-income students. Statewide, about seven out of 10 incoming kindergartners are unprepared for school success, according to the report.
Social and behavioral factors, such as substance abuse and criminal records. Nearly 9% of Illinoisans aged 12 to 17 report using drugs in the past month. Illinoisans 18 to 24 years of age comprise 15% of the adult population, but 33% of adult arrests.
In response to these challenges, the Pentagon is reportedly considering several measures. These include revising recruitment standards, enhancing incentives for enlistment, and investing in more targeted advertising campaigns. There is also a push to increase funding for programs that improve educational and physical fitness levels among potential recruits.
Last month, the United States Army removed the COVID-19 vaccine requirement for new recruits. In addition to lowering almost every single physical qualification for new recruits to pass their initial training, the US Army has dropped its requirement that recruits must have a high school diploma or a G.E.D. degree in a desperate effort to attract new blood into the ranks.
The military is now using white people again in their US military recruitment ads.
Back to white soldiers in the US military recruitment ads. I guess diversity was not working for them. pic.twitter.com/JWNqwWBfOv
— Lizard Doctor (@theanchorman86) November 7, 2023
The Pentagon has issued a “National Call of Service” to America’s younger generations, urging them to consider military service amid declining enlistment.
Daily Mail reported:
Military recruiters say Generation Z – those born between 1997 and 2012 generally have a ‘low trust in institutions’ and have ‘decreasingly followed traditional life and career paths.’
“While the picture of the current recruiting environment is acutely difficult, the Defense Department and the military services are working together to resolve issues, improve processes, and expand awareness of the many opportunities military service offers.
“We must reach today’s youth where they are with a message that resonates with them and motivates them to act.”
He said there should be a ‘national call to service’ by leaders and polticians.
‘Over the last 50 years the all-volunteer force has proven itself to be the best way to maintain a force capable of defending our nation,’ he said.
‘And with our combined efforts I am confident we will remain as such for the foreseeable future.”
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