Military officials have been complaining for years that the pool of manpower available to them to recruit new members of the military has been shrinking mainly due to health problems like obesity and poor intellectual performance on military entrance exams. But now, as during the height of the Iraq war, interest in joining the military among those who are qualified is declining, one unnamed former defense official told ABC News, enough to put the all volunteer force at risk. “The Department is in fierce competition for skilled, relevant and innovative talent. The labor market, exacerbated by the effects of the pandemic and the military-civilian divide creates a challenging recruiting environment,” Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Gilbert Cisneros told Senators at a Armed Services subcommittee hearing back in April.
“We made mission last year; however, FY22 has proved to be arguably the most challenging year in recruiting history,” Marine Lt. Gen. David Ottingnon said in written testimony before joining Cisneros at the Senate hearing in April. “In addition to COVID-19, the growing disconnect and declining favorable view between the U.S. population and traditional institutions, labor shortages, high inflation, and a population of youth who do not see the value of military service also continue to strain recruiting efforts and place the Marine Corps’ accession mission at risk.”
Top reasons cited on DOD polling data for not wanting to join are the possibility of injury or death, and fear of developing PTSD or other psychological problems. A former defense official said that the condition of those that are coming in is so bad that the Army is putting them on diets of Ensure, to build bone density, before they can start them running.
