Good stuff, Bill. I am entertained and learn something everyday from your newsletter. It's important to point out that the Army's recruitment issues are actually widespread across all branches, not just the Army. https://www.ngaus.org/newsroom/military-struggles-recruiting-especially-army. Problems like this don't crop up suddenly in o…
Good stuff, Bill. I am entertained and learn something everyday from your newsletter. It's important to point out that the Army's recruitment issues are actually widespread across all branches, not just the Army. https://www.ngaus.org/newsroom/military-struggles-recruiting-especially-army. Problems like this don't crop up suddenly in one year unless something dramatic has occurred. Perhaps an empty suit for a president and the military's sudden "woke" agenda are more likely the cause.
Thank you for the kind words! As for recruiting, you're right that things don't usually change dramatically without a dramatic reason. But the concerns you and others pose about "woke" military etc ... let's just say I'd love to see some surveys on 17-25 year olds on this. I would be surprised to learn that's the issue, or that it's because they don't like Biden. I joined during Clinton and believe me he had nothing to do with it. There's historic low unemployment, we're just coming off Covid, much larger possibility of war with Russia or China ... I don't know, I'd just really like to see some actual unbiased polling of potential recruits and see what they say.
Only 23% of Americans ages 17-24 are qualified to serve without a waiver to join, down from 29% in recent years.
only 9% of those young Americans eligible to serve in the military had any inclination to do so
More than half of the young Americans who answered the survey — about 57% — think they would have emotional or psychological problems after serving in the military. Nearly half think they would have physical problems.
only 13% had parents who had served in the military, down from approximately 40% in 1995.
Good stuff, Bill. I am entertained and learn something everyday from your newsletter. It's important to point out that the Army's recruitment issues are actually widespread across all branches, not just the Army. https://www.ngaus.org/newsroom/military-struggles-recruiting-especially-army. Problems like this don't crop up suddenly in one year unless something dramatic has occurred. Perhaps an empty suit for a president and the military's sudden "woke" agenda are more likely the cause.
Thank you for the kind words! As for recruiting, you're right that things don't usually change dramatically without a dramatic reason. But the concerns you and others pose about "woke" military etc ... let's just say I'd love to see some surveys on 17-25 year olds on this. I would be surprised to learn that's the issue, or that it's because they don't like Biden. I joined during Clinton and believe me he had nothing to do with it. There's historic low unemployment, we're just coming off Covid, much larger possibility of war with Russia or China ... I don't know, I'd just really like to see some actual unbiased polling of potential recruits and see what they say.
Oh wait, an actual survey!
Only 23% of Americans ages 17-24 are qualified to serve without a waiver to join, down from 29% in recent years.
only 9% of those young Americans eligible to serve in the military had any inclination to do so
More than half of the young Americans who answered the survey — about 57% — think they would have emotional or psychological problems after serving in the military. Nearly half think they would have physical problems.
only 13% had parents who had served in the military, down from approximately 40% in 1995.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/military/every-branch-us-military-struggling-meet-2022-recruiting-goals-officia-rcna35078