America


Military Recruiting Crisis Threatens National Security


Young people refuse to sign up, blaming “woke” training policies and chaotic Afghan pullout.


T BY DAVID A. PATTEN


he military recruitment crisis has reached epidemic proportions and become a major national security con-


cern, according to a growing number of analysts. The downturn in military enlist-


ments, touched off after America’s humiliating exit from Afghanistan in August 2021, has triggered a growing shortage of soldiers. But experts point to deeper trends,


ranging from politically correct pro- motion policies, “woke” gender train- ing, and a U.S. educational culture that often downplays or even dispar- ages military service. Last year the Army fell 15,000 sol-


diers short of its recruiting goal. The result: an active-duty force reduction from 476,000 to 466,000 soldiers. Other military branches barely met


12 NEWSMAX | SEPTEMBER 2023


their recruiting goals. They’re report- ing the numbers for 2023 look worse. Analysts warn Army force strength


could dip next year to 445,000. That’s a 7% drop in two years — an especially alarming trend with war raging on NATO’s eastern fl ank in Ukraine, and China’s increasingly aggressive saber


rattling against Taiwan. “The Pentagon needs to reverse


these trends,” retired Adm. James Stavridis, NATO’s former supreme allied commander, warned recently, “or there will be grave risk to national security in an era of great-power com- petition.” Other reasons cited for the short-


fall: growing private-sector competi- tion, disenchantment with the Biden administration’s emphasis on “woke”


Military Families Tell Kids: Don’t Sign Up


R


etired Adm. James Stavridis (pictured)


notes that one especially worrisome recruitment trend involves families with a proud tradition of U.S. military service. Eight in 10 U.S. military


recruits have relatives who have served in the military.


Like never


before, today’s military families are advising their sons and daughters not to


enlist. As recently as 2019,


the Military Family Support Advisory Network survey reported 74.5% of military and veteran families recommended life in the military. But by 2021, that had dropped to 62.9%. “There is no


understating the crisis,” Stavridis wrote.


JEFFREY GREENBERG/UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP VIA GETTY IMAGES


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