In honor of the 50th anniversary of the all-volunteer force, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin paid a notable visit to Fort Meade, Maryland, on Wednesday.
Arriving by Black Hawk helicopter, Austin took on the solemn duty of administering the military oath of office to 85 committed young men and women.
Of these new patriots, 67 reported to basic training mere hours post-ceremony, dispersing to various bases nationwide, including locations like Parris Island, South Carolina, and Fort Moore, Georgia.
In Austin’s address to the troops, he recognized the milestone. “Fifty years ago this week, the United States stopped drafting citizens into service and turned instead to an all-volunteer force,” he said.
“Ever since then, Americans like you have joined our military, out of conviction and not out of compulsion,” he continued.
The timing of Austin’s visit is significant as the U.S. military grapples with an ongoing recruitment challenge. Factors contributing to this include a thriving job market, the conclusion of overseas wars, and a disturbing increase in PTSD rates.
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this issue, preventing recruiters from accessing college campuses and high schools during 2020 and 2021, crucial venues for face-to-face interactions with prospective recruits.
Additionally, an increasing number of high school graduates are choosing college over military service, with 62% of seniors encouraged to pursue higher education immediately.
Another factor is the perceptions of the military’s shift towards progressive ideologies or the so-called “wokeness” may also be impacting recruitment numbers.
Moreover, according to a Pentagon study, an alarming “77% of young Americans would not qualify for military service without a waiver due to being overweight, using drugs or having mental and physical health problems.”
Recently, a Wall Street Journal report highlighted another concerning trend. An astounding 80% of U.S. Army recruits traditionally hail from military families, yet a growing number of these families, particularly in the South, are advising their children against service.
This year, the Army, Air Force, and Navy are at risk of not achieving their recruitment targets. This is uncharacteristic, as the U.S. military has consistently met its annual recruitment goals since 1973.
The Army alone fell short by 25% last year. In the aftermath of 9/11, a surge of patriotism stimulated recruitment, but this year, the Army is projected to be 15,000 recruits shy of its 65,000 goal.
Despite a record-high retention rate, U.S. military leaders remain apprehensive. They fear that if recruitment numbers do not improve, the U.S. may lack the manpower to confront emerging global threats or simultaneously engage in two conflicts, for example with Russia and China.
The significance of recruitment was stressed by Austin in his address to the newly sworn-in recruits. “We rely on you, our democracy relies on you, and your country relies on you,” he told them, underlining the importance of their commitment to the nation’s security as they embarked on their basic training.
These statistics are very concerning. Patriotism is waning among the youth. Pride and love of country seems to have been replaced by a globalist perspective, pride of self, and frankly indulgence. So much energy is spent on social and political intolerances the mere idea of pride in America is completely lost.
Historically Americans rise to the occasion in times of crisis and pride of country and esteem of the military is restored. What will it take this time and will it be too late?
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