Why is the U.S. military struggling to recruit young Americans?

[GeneticBlueprint]

Why is the U.S. military struggling to recruit young Americans?

WWW.NBCNEWS.COM

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With a record low number of Americans eligible to serve, and few of those willing to do it, this "is the year we question the sustainability of the all-volunteer force,” said an expert.

 

Answers: fewer are eligible due to obesity, criminal records, and drug use. Those that are eligible are more worried about lasting mental and physical scars, and see no benefit generally.

Anecdotally, when the pandemic hit and I was nervous about losing my job, I had planned to join the Army reserves as an officer candidate if I did because the training for that would have lasted a while and been considered full time during the training (both basic and OCS). I'd have a harder time considering that course of action now. I know the military generally attracts more conservative people and therefore not the best and brightest, but seeing the concentration of chud in the military as vaccines began rolling out was quite concerning.

[Brick]

Because they don't want to die in service to a shit hole country that won't even take care of them when their service is ended. 

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

Job market good -> military recruiting bad 

Job market bad -> military recruiting good

 

 

[Jason]

42 minutes ago, b_m_b_m_b_m said:

Job market good -> military recruiting bad 

Job market bad -> military recruiting good

 

 

[marioandsonic]

46 minutes ago, Brick said:

Because they don't want to die in service to a shit hole country that won't even take care of them when their service is ended. 

 

This is the correct answer.

[silentbob]

Why join the army when the Supreme Court cemented their stance that you can  legally buy most of the stuff the army uses at home. Plus in certain states it seems like if you “stand your ground” you can get off on your racist ideas of killing someone scot-free (sometimes awarded) I would never join cause i’m a scaredy cat, overweight and my video game OCD on reloading after a few shots would get me killed. 

[LazyPiranha]

There are so many other factors that have already been mentioned, but let’s not overlook the fact that everyone of recruitment age has lived their entire lives with the US actively involved with deeply unpopular wars.  Not even deeply unpopular on a partisan level, deeply unpopular overall.  

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

don't forget the class of white guys who love to talk about how "they almost joined, but then [reason why they didn't join]"

[Bloodporne]

2 minutes ago, b_m_b_m_b_m said:

don't forget the class of white guys who love to talk about how "they almost joined, but then [reason why they didn't join]"

Actually came in here to post that I almost joined the Air Force, but then didn't because I met a burnt-out alcoholic vet in my brief stint at tech school who scared me straight through endless rage-filled rants about the VA and his garbage life.  

 

[SuperSpreader]

Because they saw what we did in Iraq and Afghanistan 

[GeneticBlueprint]

1 hour ago, b_m_b_m_b_m said:

don't forget the class of white guys who love to talk about how "they almost joined, but then [reason why they didn't join]"

 

Literally my OP

[Zaku3]

1 hour ago, Bloodporne said:

Actually came in here to post that I almost joined the Air Force, but then didn't because I met a burnt-out alcoholic vet in my brief stint at tech school who scared me straight through endless rage-filled rants about the VA and his garbage life.  

 

 

I didn't go because I failed my physical.

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

20 minutes ago, GeneticBlueprint said:

 

Literally my OP

by now surely everyone here understands i won't/can't read right

[GeneticBlueprint]

3 minutes ago, b_m_b_m_b_m said:

by now surely everyone here understands i won't/can't read right

 

No I meant that I'm a white guy telling a story about maybe joining but didn't. Haha.

[BloodyHell]

4 hours ago, Brick said:

Because they don't want to die in service to a shit hole country that won't even take care of them when their service is ended. 

Not at all. Id say it is moreso that there hasn't been a heavy shooting war going on for a few years, and young men don't join the military in mass unless they are going to war. Every generation has a contingent of young men who want to experience war. It was a major consideration for me, as crazy as it sounds all these years later.

 

The last few years of the war were only "fun" for special forces and tiered operators.

[thewhyteboar]

3 hours ago, b_m_b_m_b_m said:

don't forget the class of white guys who love to talk about how "they almost joined, but then [reason why they didn't join]"

This is my second cousin. Was always posting military memes on facebook (until he blocked me I think). When someone asked if he served, he said "No but I wish I had!" My dude, what is stopping you? Last I heard he was trying to become a cop. 

[TUFKAK]

3 hours ago, b_m_b_m_b_m said:

don't forget the class of white guys who love to talk about how "they almost joined, but then [reason why they didn't join]"

But enough about the maga chuds.

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

1 hour ago, thewhyteboar said:

This is my second cousin. Was always posting military memes on facebook (until he blocked me I think). When someone asked if he served, he said "No but I wish I had!" My dude, what is stopping you? Last I heard he was trying to become a cop. 

So much to unpack, but it all makes sense. 

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

1 hour ago, TUFKAK said:

But enough about the maga chuds.

Bro I was gonna be a marine bro until I got a job at the Amazon warehouse bro and I shit you not I swear to god bro I was gonna do it bro even after my woke boss fired me after a week for some bullshit like you aren’t supposed to have some skoal in while working bro they never said I couldn’t I was to good for that job anyway bro. Gotta cig?

[TUFKAK]

2 minutes ago, b_m_b_m_b_m said:

Bro I was gonna be a marine bro until I got a job at the Amazon warehouse bro and I shit you not I swear to god bro I was gonna do it bro even after my woke boss fired me after a week for some bullshit like you aren’t supposed to have some skoal in while working bro they never said I couldn’t I was to good for that job anyway bro. Gotta cig?

I’ve had some form of this conversation with so many of these failures after they learn my past. I don’t talk about it but if it comes up I’ll say I was in and “I did my part” to the inevitable question.
 

Im then treated to their diatribe of how they almost enlisted but “I’d punch my drill instructor when he yells at me” nonsense. 

[SimpleG]

3 minutes ago, b_m_b_m_b_m said:

Bro I was gonna be a marine bro

But they cant handle me, I would have knocked out the drill sergeant .

 

 

 

The words of my cousin who is 5ft 6in and 140 pounds

[Ominous]

Because most realize they would just be pawns to protect our financial interests....

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

32 minutes ago, TUFKAK said:

Im then treated to their diatribe of how they almost enlisted but “I’d punch my drill instructor when he yells at me” nonsense.

 

31 minutes ago, SimpleG said:

But they cant handle me, I would have knocked out the drill sergeant .

 

 

 

The words of my cousin who is 5ft 6in and 140 pounds

Impeccable timing, just A+ posting here lmao. 
 

let me guess, chin strap facial hair and fucking loves monster energy drinks?

[Uaarkson]

Another thought: kids in this country are fucking obese, sheltered and in many cases literally not even allowed to go outside. Not exactly a generation of warriors.

[Anathema-]

12 minutes ago, TUFKAK said:

Im then treated to their diatribe of how they almost enlisted but “I’d punch my drill instructor when he yells at me” nonsense. 

 

11 minutes ago, SimpleG said:

But they cant handle me, I would have knocked out the drill sergeant .

 

"I would have joined but I'm too weak to follow orders" is quite the thing to admit.

[TUFKAK]

1 minute ago, Anathema- said:

 

 

"I would have joined but I'm too weak to follow orders" is quite the thing to admit.

There’s what they imagine they are and what they really are. The mental gymnastics to justify it however is quite the thing to observe.

[Signifyin(g)Monkey]

4 hours ago, BloodyHell said:

Not at all. Id say it is moreso that there hasn't been a heavy shooting war going on for a few years, and young men don't join the military in mass unless they are going to war. Every generation has a contingent of young men who want to experience war. It was a major consideration for me, as crazy as it sounds all these years later.

 

The last few years of the war were only "fun" for special forces and tiered operators.

Those previous generations existed in a time when there was either some ‘evil empire’ to fight, (the Soviets) or the military still bore the luster of some US geopolitical victory.

 

Islamofascism never really threatened us much after 9/11, so it doesn’t work very well as an ‘Evil Empire’ anymore, and we didn’t really gain much from fighting it, as we gained from fighting the Soviets.

 

I’d say it’s probably just that Young men don’t want to go fight a nebulous, unmenacing enemy in return for nothing.  They at least want brag about pwning a real (perceived) threat to the US.

 

Instead they’ve spent their lives watching the US be its own worst enemy, largely due to unnecessary military entanglements.

[brucoe]

14 hours ago, SimpleG said:

But they cant handle me, I would have knocked out the drill sergeant .

 

 

 

The words of my cousin who is 5ft 6in and 140 pounds

I once went undercover at Fort Leonard Wood in a basic training unit where my assignment dictated I was a noncomformist (always getting in trouble) and this one drill sergeant wanted to pick a fight with me SO BADLY because of my "attitude" and got so frustrated because I wouldn't throw a punch (which would then allow him to kick my ass legally). It's one of my biggest regrets because I never found out who would have won that fight, but even though I was at my physical peak back then, I suspect he would have held his own.

[unogueen]

America can't even manage the messaging right. Remember during the 'embedded journalist' days there was the case of a corporal or somesuch was ambushed and kidnapped. So spec ops terrorized a hospital for her rescue only to have her repute the whole domestic messaging. Like have you seen any other country grow bored of their own aggressions?

[Bloodporne]

19 hours ago, b_m_b_m_b_m said:

Bro I was gonna be a marine bro until I got a job at the Amazon warehouse bro and I shit you not I swear to god bro I was gonna do it bro even after my woke boss fired me after a week for some bullshit like you aren’t supposed to have some skoal in while working bro they never said I couldn’t I was to good for that job anyway bro. Gotta cig?

Do you know how many assholes like this I had to deal with when I taught beginner Muay Thai classes? Your post triggered the fuck out of me just now 

 

This is the same exact bro with a Tap Out shirt, Everlast shorts and holding a Mountain Dew in one hand and a Newport in the other. 

 

[TUFKAK]

28 minutes ago, Bloodporne said:

Do you know how many assholes like this I had to deal with when I taught beginner Muay Thai classes? Your post triggered the fuck out of me just now 

 

This is the same exact bro with a Tap Out shirt, Everlast shorts and holding a Mountain Dew in one hand and a Newport in the other. 

 

I don’t know man. When I see a guy in the gym with a Tap Out shirt, I know he’s serious.

[Bloodporne]

14 minutes ago, TUFKAK said:

I don’t know man. When I see a guy in the gym with a Tap Out shirt, I know he’s serious.

That's how you KNOW he makes people tap out on the mat bro...

[CitizenVectron]

11 minutes ago, Bloodporne said:

That's how you KNOW he makes people tap out on the mat bro...

 

Yeah otherwise he wouldn't be allowed to wear it.

[unogueen]

I used to have uzbek competitive judokas as neighbours. I used to go over, get my ass kicked, then we'd share a meal of roast chicken and a carrot salad of sorts. good times.

[Comet]

2 hours ago, Bloodporne said:

Do you know how many assholes like this I had to deal with when I taught beginner Muay Thai classes? Your post triggered the fuck out of me just now 

 

This is the same exact bro with a Tap Out shirt, Everlast shorts and holding a Mountain Dew in one hand and a Newport in the other. 

 

Can’t forget the fading Punisher sticker on the back of a way too large and underutilized gas guzzling truck.